Chapter 7

Samuel froze. His entire body tensed, and he nearly dropped his phone.

Jasmine rushed to steady him. "What’s wrong, Sam? Are you okay?"

But Samuel did not even look at her. His grip tightened around the phone as he demanded, "Are you sure?"

"You know I was part of her extraction once, Chief." The voice on the other end sighed. "During that mission, she took a bullet to the jaw while protecting me. It left a distinct scar on her lower jawbone. The skull we pulled up is completely skeletal, and there’s a small indentation in the same spot. Any officer could tell at a glance it’s the kind of damage only a bullet could leave."

The veins on the hand Samuel used to hold his phone bulged from his tightening grip. His brow furrowed deeply, his expression turning more conflicted by the second.

But why? Was he not happy? Why wasn't he smiling?

"Of course, just to be sure..." The voice trailed off, sensing Samuel’s disbelief. "We’ll run a DNA test…" But Samuel was not listening anymore.

"I