Page 379 of Broken Oath

“I infiltrated one of their communications networks. Collected names, financial records, and operational codes.”

“Why didn’t you expose them?” Wade demanded.

“I tried.”

Pain entered Dad’s face.

“My source was murdered before he could testify. The evidence disappeared from a secure government server. My commanding officer told me the investigation never existed.”

“You kept copies,” I said.

“Yes.”

Madow spoke through the radio.

“And there it is.”

Dad ignored him.

“I created an encrypted archive. The files were tied to my operational signature so no one else could access them.”

Wade went still.

“My team found your signature inside the mountain.”

Dad’s eyes filled with guilt.

“Yes.”

The truth settled over the helicopter.

Wade’s team hadn’t accidentally discovered Black Site Theta.

They had found evidence connecting our father to Project Nightfall’s original investigation.

The men running the facility believed Wade knew where Jack Parker had hidden the archive.

“That’s what they wanted from us,” Wade said.

“Location. Encryption keys. Anything that would lead them to the original files.”

Dad looked at his son.

“When your team disappeared, I knew Nightfall was responsible. I didn’t know where they had taken you, and I couldn’t tell Sarah everything without putting her in the same danger.”

“You let me hunt them blind,” I whispered.

“I tried to keep you alive.”

“You should have trusted me.”

“I know.”

The admission stole some of my anger.

Dad didn’t defend the choice.

He didn’t tell me I was too young or incapable of handling the truth.