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Back The Neighborhood Save as PDF
Chapters (59)
  1. Part I Reconnaissance
  2. Chapter One
  3. Chapter Two
  4. Chapter Three
  5. Part II Incursion
  6. Chapter Four
  7. Chapter Five
  8. Chapter Six
  9. Chapter Seven
  10. Chapter Eight
  11. Chapter Nine
  12. Chapter Ten
  13. Part III Under Siege
  14. Chapter Eleven
  15. Chapter Twelve
  16. Chapter Thirteen
  17. Part IV Course Correction
  18. Chapter Fourteen
  19. Part V Balance of Power
  20. Chapter Fifteen
  21. Chapter Sixteen
  22. Chapter Seventeen
  23. Chapter Eighteen
  24. Chapter Nineteen
  25. Chapter Twenty
  26. Chapter Twenty-One
  27. Chapter Twenty-Two
  28. Chapter Twenty-Three
  29. Chapter Twenty-Four
  30. Chapter Twenty-Five
  31. Chapter Twenty-Six
  32. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  33. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  34. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  35. Part VI Spy versus Spy
  36. Chapter Thirty
  37. Chapter Thirty-One
  38. Chapter Thirty-Two
  39. Chapter Thirty-Three
  40. Part VII Winds of War and Flame
  41. Chapter Thirty-Four
  42. Chapter Thirty-Five
  43. Chapter Thirty-Six
  44. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  45. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  46. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  47. Chapter Forty
  48. Chapter Forty-One
  49. Part VIII Strong to the Finish
  50. Chapter Forty-Two
  51. Chapter Forty-Three
  52. Part IX Spy Games
  53. Chapter Forty-Four
  54. Chapter Forty-Five
  55. Chapter Forty-Six
  56. Part X What Goes Around
  57. Chapter Forty-Seven
  58. Chapter Forty-Eight
  59. About the Author

“You speak of legacy as if it’s something tangible, something you can hold, feel, touch,” Griffin said, looking at Brandon with arrogant condescension. “But it’s not. It’s just what people like you tell yourselves at the end of your careers to justify your existence, all those years of sacrifice doing the bidding of a bunch of politicians who have less honor and integrity than our enemies. At least with them, we know exactly who and what they are. With the politicians, their moral codes shift more than these winds. They don’t care about you, me, or the Constitution, and you know it. The system is broken, and until it changes, it will continue to chew apart and destroy those that serve it. I consider myself fortunate in that I had my epiphany sooner rather than later. I almost felt bad for poor Zachary after Malta. Almost. But the agency had my back in that debacle, as it should’ve. Even you had my back. I often wonder what happened to him, but in the end, it doesn’t matter. The agency cut him loose and promoted me. But then things changed, quickly, with a new administration.”

Brandon struggled to retain his composure. He has no idea Zack lives here too. Good God. How could he not know? Stay focused and keep him talking. The longer he talks, the farther away Zack gets from here.

“You didn’t have to go, Griffin. We needed you. You were a force to be reckoned with. Think of all you could’ve accomplished. You would’ve had my endorsement to replace me.”

Anger flashed across Griffin’s face. Careful, Brandon thought. You need to be ready. When he lashes out, it will be fast, and you’ll only have one chance, if you even get it. If you don’t, you won’t even know it because you’ll be dead.

“That’s a lie, and you know it, if you’re being honest with yourself. The agency grew soft, afraid to act, even in the face of overwhelming evidence and intelligence. How many terrorist attacks, cyberattacks, and acts of corporate espionage by our enemies are supposed to go unanswered because of political correctness? As for you,” Griffin laughed, a sound loud and genuine that startled the hostages, “I heard you were no longer in favor with the seventh floor. In fact,” Griffin taunted, “I heard your retirement wasn’t really a retirement. You were urged to retire, rather than force the agency to put you out to pasture.”