mple； half…buried in the mountainside。
A Marine Recon Unit was already inside the temple； the captain of the Rangers informed Schofield。
Andy Trent's unit。
Apparently； it had been the first unit to arrive on the scene。 Trent and his team had been doing some exercises in the jungles of Brazil when the alarm had been raised； so they had been the first to arrive。
The Army Ranger Captain didn't know anything else about what was going on inside the ruined temple。 All he knew was that all other units arriving at the scene had been ordered to secure a two…mile perimeter around the temple and not to enter it for any reason。
Schofield's unit went about doing what they had been ordered to do； and before long they had reinforced the two…mile perimeter around the temple。
It was then that a new unit arrived on the scene。
This unit； however； was allowed to pass through the perimeter。 It was a SEAL team； someone said； a bomb squad of some kind that was going in to defuse some mines that had been laid by whoever was in there with Trent's Marines。 Apparently； there had been heavy fighting inside。 Trent and his team had prevailed； Schofield was pleased to hear。
The SEAL team went inside。 Time passed slowly。
And then suddenly Schofield's earpiece had exploded to life。 A garbled voice cut through waves of static。
It said； 〃This is Lieutenant Andrew Trent； mander of United States Marine Force Reconnaissance Unit Four。 I repeat； this is Andrew Trent of U。S。 Marine Force Reconnaissance Unit Four。 If there are any Marines out there； please respond。〃
Schofield responded。
Trent didn't seem to hear him。 He could transmit； but he obviously couldn't receive。
Trent said； 〃If there are any Marines outside this temple； raid it now！ I repeat； raid it now！ They planted men in my unit！ They planted men inside my goddamn unit！ Marines； those SEALs who came in here before； they said that they were here to help me。 They said they were a special unit； sent by Washington to assist me in securing this site。 Then they pulled their guns and shot one of my corporals right in the fucking head！ And now they're trying to kill me！ Fuck！ Some of my own men are helping them； for God's sake！ They planted fucking men in my unit！ They planted men in my own goddamned unit！ I'm being attacked by my own…〃
The signal cut off abruptly。
Schofield had quickly looked about him。 No one else； it seemed； had heard the short； sharp message。 Trent must have transmitted it over the 〃Officer…Only〃 frequency； which meant that only Schofield had heard it。
Schofield didn't care。 He immediately ordered his unit to mobilize； but as soon as they were ready and starting to head for the temple； they were cut off by the Army Rangers。 The Rangers were a force of fifty men。 Schofield's was only twelve。
The Ranger Captain spoke firmly。 〃Lieutenant Schofield； my orders are clear。 No one goes in there。 No one。 If anyone tries to enter that building； my orders are to shoot them on sight。 If you try to enter that building； Lieutenant； I will be forced to open fire on you。〃 His voice went cold。 〃Have no doubt that I will； Lieutenant。 I won't think twice about offing a dozen faggot Marines。〃
Schofield had glared at the Ranger Captain。
He was a tall man； about forty； a career frontline soldier； fit but barrel…chested； with a full head of crew…cut gray hair。 He had cold； lifeless eyes and a weathered； sneering face。 Schofield remembered his name…would always remember it…remembered the bastard stating it in a robotic； staccato manner after Schofield had demanded it from him： Captain Arlin F。 Brookes； United States Army。
And so Schofield and his team were held back at the perimeter while Andrew Trent's voice continued to shout desperately over Schofield's helmet inter。
The more Trent shouted； the more furious and frustrated Schofield became。
The SEAL team that had gone inside had killed more of his men； Trent said。 Some of his own men had then joined them and turned on him and killed others in his unit from point…blank range。 Trent didn't know what was going on。
The last thing Schofield heard over his helmet inter that day was Trent saying that he was the last one left。
Andrew Trent never came out of the temple。
About a year later； after making some inquiries； Schofield was told that Trent's unit had arrived at that temple only to find no one there。 There was no battle； Schofield was told； no fighting with anyone。 No 〃mysterious discovery〃 in the first place。 Upon arriving at the temple and finding it empty； Trent and his team had investigated the dark； dank ruins。 It was during that search that a few men…Trent included…fell down a concealed plug hole。 It was estimated that the plug hole was at least a hundred feet deep； with sheer rock walls。 No one had survived the fall。 A search had apparently been made； and all the bodies had been recovered。
Except Trent's； Schofield had been told。 Andrew Trent's body was never found。
It made Schofield furious。 Officially； nothing had ever happened at that temple。 Nothing but a tragic accident that had claimed the lives of twelve United States Marines。
Schofield knew he was the only one who had heard Trent's voice over the radio system； knew no one would believe him if he ever questioned what had happened。 If he said anything； it would probably only win him a quiet court…martial and an even quieter dishonorable discharge。
And so Schofield had never mentioned the incident to anyone。
But now； in the cold confines of an underground ice station in the Antarctic； it was ing back to haunt him。
〃They planted men in my unit！。。。 They planted fucking men in my unit！〃
Trent's words echoed inside Schofield's head as he thought about whether Rebound had killed Samurai。
Had they also planted men inside his unit？
And who were 〃they〃 anyway？ The U。S。 Government？ The U。S。 military？
It sounded like something that might have happened in the old Soviet Union。 A government planting 〃special〃 men inside elite units。 But then； as Schofield knew； the United States and the USSR had not really been all that different。 The U。S。 had always accused the Soviets of indoctrination while at the same time they played 〃The Star…Spangled Banner〃 every single morning in schools across America。
The thought of disloyal men inside his unit made Schofield's skin crawl。
He continued with his mental checklist。
Hell； even Riley and Gant…engaged in the preparation of the scuba gear down on E…deck…had occasionally separated。 Every so often； Riley would go and eheck on Mother。
Schofield couldn't believe that Book Riley was a traitor。 He had known him for too long。
But Gant？ Schofield thought he knew； Libby Gant； thought he had her measure； too。 He had chosen Gant himself for the unit。 Could that have been anticipated by someone else？ By someone who had wanted her in Schofield's unit。 No。。。。
The only other Marine alive at the station was Mother。 And the mere prospect that she could have killed Samurai was absurd。
Schofield's head was spinning。 All he knew for sure was that Samurai Lau was dead and that someone among them had killed him。 The problem was； they all could have done it。
Montana； Gant； and Santa Cruz were ready to dive。
Strapped to their backs were Navy…made low…audibility air tanks； or； as they are more colloquially known in the Marine Corps； 〃stealth tanks。〃
Water is a great conductor of sound； and regular scuba tanks make a lot of noise as they pump pressed air through their hoses to a diver's mouthpiece。 Any mercial underwater microphone will detect a diver by the loud hisssssing noise that his breathing gear makes。
With this in mind； the U。S。 Navy has spent millions of dollars developing a silent self…contained underwater breathing apparatus。 The result is a scuba system known as LABA…low…audibility breathing apparatus。 Scuba tanks that are all but noiseless underwater。 LABA tanks are undetectable to conventional audio detection systems； hence the parison with stealth aircraft。
Schofield watched the three Marines as they reached for their face masks and prepared to jump into the murky pool。 Then he turned and scanned the