Thunder landed on Duquesne’s brow, and he rumbled, “It had better not be. I run a tight ship around here, and my instructors wouldn’t dare pull a stunt like that. Consider that line of reasoning off the table.”

Griffin had to agree with the admiral. Most of the instructors had adopted a wait-and-see attitude toward Sherri. He spoke up. “It sounds like Lieutenant Tate is merely a means to an end. That end being me.”

Cal responded, “Yes, but who knows that you and Sherri Tate are connected?”

All three men stared at each other in silence for a moment.

Duquesne said, “Maybe the kidnappers took whatever trainee they happened to catch. Any warm body they could trade for Caldwell.”

Kettering retorted, “Possible, but not probable. I’m inclined to believe her kidnapping was not random.”

Griffin pressed his lips together until he felt them forming a thin, white line. Did he dare tell them that he and Sherri were much more than mere instructor and student to each other? It would blow his career to kingdom come. But if it would help save her—

He opened his mouth to speak, but Cal cut him off, saying, “A few months ago, part of Griffin’s team was in on the Haddad fiasco.”

“The mission that went all to hell in Kirdu province?” Duquesne responded.

Griffin’s gut tightened in grief as Cal answered grimly, “Yeah. That one. Any chance this is related to that?”

Griffin thought out loud. “Abu Haddad knows who the Reapers are. After all, we’ve made the bastard’s life miserable for the past decade. We’ve chased him from one end of Afghanistan to the other end of Pakistan and back. But how would he know who I am specifically? By name? He has no way of knowing I’m the platoon leader, let alone where to find me.”

Griffin and Cal stared at each other for a long moment, turning over that puzzle in their noggins. Which was why Griffin saw the exact instant the thought that had just burst into his brain burst into Cal’s.

“Kenny,” Griffin breathed.

Was it possible? Was Ken Singleton still alive? Had his Reaper brother been captured by Haddad and not killed after all?

“Son of a bitch,” Cal muttered.

“Somebody talk to me,” Duquesne snapped, looking back and forth between the two of them.

Cal explained quickly, and Duquesne burst out, “So you think Singleton survived and under duress has given up Grif’s name as the platoon leader of the Reapers?”

“I sincerely hope so,” Cal answered fervently.

Griffin followed the trail of logic. “If Kenny gave up my name, he may also have given up Lieutenant Tate’s name. Is it possible Haddad got one of his people close to the BUD/S program?”

Cal frowned. “We would spot one of Haddad’s zealots in a thorough background check.”