It was well past midnight when a heavy black Chevy Tahoe tore through the darkness along Interstate 81, heading north toward the Virginia state line. Behind the wheel sat thirty-two-year-old Sarah Miller. To the world, she was a quiet professional; to the Department of Defense, she was a Major in an elite military intelligence unit.
Sarah was known for a flawless record and a reputation for finishing every mission, no matter the cost. Her dark hair was pulled back into a tight, practical ponytail, and her sharp gray-green eyes scanned the empty highway illuminated by the Tahoe’s powerful LEDs. She was returning from a high-stakes operation on the coast, the details of which were classified at the highest levels of the Pentagon.
In the passenger seat, tucked inside a tactical bag, was a courier pouch containing documents of immense national security importance. The orders Sarah had received before departure were absolute and uncompromising.
She was strictly forbidden from interacting with anyone, making unnecessary stops, or deviating from her route until she reached the secure facility in Northern Virginia. The digital clock on the dash read 11:47 PM. She was about fifty miles from her destination.
For a brief moment, Sarah allowed herself a shallow breath, relaxing her shoulders and thinking the most dangerous part of the trip was behind her.
At that exact moment, her rearview mirror exploded with the strobe of blue and red lights. Initially, it was just one cruiser, but within seconds, two more joined the formation.
Three patrol cars from a local sheriff’s department boxed her in, aggressively forcing her toward the shoulder. The silence of the night was shattered by the distorted, metallic bark of a loudspeaker. The driver of the black Tahoe was ordered to pull over and kill the engine immediately.
