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  PRAISE FOR

  SHADOW OPS: BREACH ZONE

  “Cole’s managed to cover a hero’s journey story, a quest story, and now a running battle interspersed with a romance. It works spectacularly . . . Breach Zone is Cole’s best novel yet, and it’s the perfect end to the trilogy.”

  —io9

  “[The Shadow Ops series is] a set of three excellent, action-packed novels that combine elements of contemporary magic and superhero fiction with the type of atmosphere genre readers usually only get in military SF . . . Breach Zone is such a tense and action-packed ride . . . Full of desperate, back-against-the-wall combat scenes. Right from the start, it feels like a ‘last stand’ type of story.”

  —Tor.com

  “Breach Zone is filled to the flanks with action, intrigue, and simply all-out mayhem . . . A book that you simply shouldn’t miss.”

  —Fantasy Book Critic

  “Cole wraps up the Shadow Ops trilogy with a magical battle royal . . . Action-filled, adrenaline-powered adventure.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “Shadow Ops is a scary good series. I’m not sure ‘military fantasy’ existed as a genre before Myke Cole, but I know now that I want more.”

  —King of the Nerds

  “A stunning novel . . . Well written, emotional, exciting, and a superb end to the Shadow Ops trilogy.”

  —The Qwillery

  “Cole has really impressed with a stunning all-out war novel that never disappoints. This series is arguably one of the definitive military fantasy novels and delivers an excellent payoff that’s well worth your time. Highly recommended.”

  —The Founding Fields

  “Executed brilliantly . . . [Cole] seamlessly blends the realities of the modern military with the imagination of D&D to mind-blowing result.”

  —Staffer’s Book Review

  “Pulse-hammering action . . . Myke Cole has outdone himself.”

  —52 Book Reviews

  PRAISE FOR

  SHADOW OPS: FORTRESS FRONTIER

  “For fans of military fiction and fantasy, the Shadow Ops series is the best thing going. Not reading it would be a crime against good fiction.”

  —Staffer’s Book Review

  “[Cole] proves that an action blockbuster can have heart and emotional depth, while never skimping on the fireworks and explosions.”

  —Fantasy Faction

  “Propulsive . . . Highly entertaining . . . Reads like an intense game of Dungeons & Dragons.”

  —Kirkus Reviews

  “This action-filled adventure holds the reader’s attention with occasional glimmers of hope that someday the oppressed magic-users might finally force those in power to respect them.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “It is a book that will have something for fantasy readers of every kind and pays homage brilliantly to Tolkien’s legacy . . . Myke Cole is an absolute gift to urban fantasy and military fantasy subgenres.”

  —Fantasy Book Critic

  “This book is awesome . . . This is one heck of a whirlwind ride, and right now, Myke Cole’s Shadow Ops series is quickly becoming the best that military fantasy has to offer. Top-notch stuff.”

  —The Founding Fields

  “There are some truly surprising twists and turns . . . If you enjoyed Myke Cole’s debut, you should love this sequel.”

  —Tor.com

  “This generation’s The Forever War . . . Myke Cole is the most exciting SFF author to come along since Joe Abercrombie.”

  —Neth Space

  “The action is again pretty much nonstop, the narrative is tense, energetic, and above all convincing.”

  —SFBook Reviews

  PRAISE FOR

  SHADOW OPS: CONTROL POINT

  “It’s not just military . . . It’s just a great book.”

  —Patrick Rothfuss, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Slow Regard of Silent Things

  “Hands down, the best military fantasy I’ve ever read.”

  —Ann Aguirre, New York Times bestselling author of Havoc

  “Fast-paced and thrilling from start to finish, Control Point is military fantasy like you’ve never seen it before.”

  —Peter V. Brett, international bestselling author of The Daylight War

  “Cross The Forever War with Witch World, add in the real-world modern military of Black Hawk Down, and you get Shadow Ops: Control Point, the mile-a-minute story of someone trying to find purpose in a war he never asked for.”

  —Jack Campbell, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Fleet series

  “Myke Cole takes you downrange where the bullets fly and the magic burns with precision-guided ferocity that’ll put you on the edge of your seat before blowing you right out of it.”

  —Chris Evans, author of the Iron Elves series

  “Control Point . . . sees the beginning of something new and awesome: guns ’n’ sorcery. Blending military fiction with urban fantasy, this novel was an absolute blast to read—action-packed, tightly written and plotted, intense and utterly gripping.”

  —Civilian Reader

  “Realism is tightly interwoven throughout Cole’s writing, giving the book such power . . . A nonstop thrill ride that’s almost impossible to put down.”

  —Fantasy Faction

  “An intense masterwork of military fantasy that grips you from start to finish.”

  —The Ranting Dragon

  “[Cole has] created a military urban fantasy for the twenty-first century, with all of the complexity and murky gray areas that entails. The action is sharp and vivid.”

  —Tor.com

  Ace Books by Myke Cole

  SHADOW OPS: CONTROL POINT

  SHADOW OPS: FORTRESS FRONTIER

  SHADOW OPS: BREACH ZONE

  GEMINI CELL

  THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP

  Published by the Penguin Group

  Penguin Group (USA) LLC

  375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014

  USA • Canada • UK • Ireland • Australia • New Zealand • India • South Africa • China

  penguin.com

  A Penguin Random House Company

  GEMINI CELL

  An Ace Book / published by arrangement with the author

  Copyright © 2015 by Myke Cole.

  Penguin supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin to continue to publish books for every reader.

  Ace Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group.

  ACE and the “A” design are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) LLC.

  For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group,

  a division of Penguin Group (USA) LLC,

  375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

  eBook ISBN: 978-1-101-63675-6

  PUBLISHING HISTORY

  Ace mass-market edition / February 2015

  Cover illustration by Larry Rostant.

  Cover design by Diana Kolsky.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Version_1

&
nbsp; For Murph, the Protector.

  You made the right call, and then you made the right call.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  If there’s one thing military service teaches you, it’s that no one does anything alone. Even the most independent operator is the tip of a very long spear, made up of thousands of support personnel, from administrators to food-service workers to logisticians and intelligence officers. Writing is much the same. Readers of my work may be getting tired of hearing the same folks thanked over and over, and that’s just fine by me. Nobody ever got a hernia from gratitude. The book you’re holding has been made possible by an army of publishing staff: the folks at Ace/Roc and Headline. It would never have even made it to publication without the concerted efforts from my US agents at JABberwocky and my UK agents at Zeno. It would have been a terrible book if not for the incredibly helpful feedback from Justin Landon and Carrie Vaughn. I would have gone insane without the support of a small army of friends: publishing professionals like the Drinklings, and writers like the disciples of the Holy Taco Church, named here because I haven’t named them before: Kevin Hearne, Wesley Chu, Sam Sykes, Brian McClellan, Stephen Blackmoore, Delilah Dawson, Django Wexler, Jason Hough, and Chuck Wendig (actually, I have named him before, but throw me a bone here). I also want to thank Maria Dahvana Headley, for reasons she knows.Thanks also to Yosef Lehrman, Tony Bulathwelage, and Gilbert Flecha, whose humor and discipline have helped me to lock it up and get back to work to keep Gotham safe. Thanks also to my command staff at US Coast Guard Station New York, who daily keep me from walking off cliffs, flying off the handle, or engaging in other stupid junior-officer tricks: Chief Warrant Officer Drew Reyes, Master Chief Thomas LePage, Senior Chiefs Patrick O’Sullivan and Michael Callanan, and all the rest in the Chiefs’ Mess. Peter V. Brett is always last and never forgotten. I choked up thanking him in person when I accepted the Compton Crook, which I hope conveys how much I mean it. I hope each book shows you all those hours on e-mail and over the phone were time well spent.

  CONTENTS

  Praise for Books by Myke Cole

  Ace Books by Myke Cole

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Acknowledgments

  Epigraph

  Author’s Note

  PROLOGUE | DAMN, SHE’S GOOD

  CHAPTER I | STORM AT SEA

  CHAPTER II | HOMEWARD-BOUND

  CHAPTER III | AWAKE

  CHAPTER IV | OUT WITH THE BAD AIR

  CHAPTER V | LOADOUT

  CHAPTER VI | ROSE TRAIL

  CHAPTER VII | OP TEMPO

  CHAPTER VIII | TRIAL RUN

  CHAPTER IX | ASHES TO ASHES

  CHAPTER X | COLD STORAGE

  CHAPTER XI | THE NEW NUKE

  CHAPTER XII | WALK OF SHAME

  CHAPTER XIII | ONE GOOD THING

  CHAPTER XIV | HINT OF A LIE

  CHAPTER XV | OCONUS

  CHAPTER XVI | ANSWERS

  CHAPTER XVII | INBOUND

  CHAPTER XVIII | HONEY, I’M HOME

  CHAPTER XIX | ALIVE

  CHAPTER XX | RUN

  CHAPTER XXI | REDEMPTION

  CHAPTER XXII | EXFIL

  CHAPTER XXIII | ON THE LAM

  CHAPTER XXIV | ROCK STAR

  CHAPTER XXV | JOB OFFER

  CHAPTER XXVI | REUNION

  CHAPTER XXVII | EVEN ODDS

  Glossary of Military Acronyms and Slang

  Blessed be the Lord my strength, who teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight . . .

  —PSALM 144:1

  AUTHOR’S NOTE

  The events in this novel take place in the early days of the Great Reawakening, many years before the first book in the Shadow Ops series, Control Point. While I’m thrilled to welcome back fans of the original trilogy, and think it’ll be fun for them to see the SOC in its infancy, I also want to extend a warm welcome to new readers. If you’re looking for an entry point into my universe, here’s another one. Thanks for reading.

  A glossary of military acronyms and slang can be found at the end of this book.

  PROLOGUE

  DAMN, SHE’S GOOD

  “Sarah has been working for four years to get this show.” Though Biggs was his lieutenant, James Schweitzer didn’t call him “sir.” They didn’t stand on formality in his corner of the navy. “I thought we were stood down. This will kill her.”

  He glanced over his shoulder at his wife. Sarah had noticed the call but was doing her best to keep the irritation from her face.

  “That was before I got word that our ship might be coming in.” Lieutenant Biggs sounded grim. “Now, suit up. We’re mustering.”

  “Might be coming in, or is coming in? Damn it, she’s already on her last nerve with the pace of operations. Do you know how hard it is to get an art showing in Norfolk? There are critics here from every paper in the Tidewater. She needs me. I can’t leave unless it’s going to count.”

  Biggs was silent a moment. “Still waiting on the intel watchstander. If this is the right one, we’re going.”

  “Then call me when you’re sure it’s the right one.”

  “God fucking damn it, Jim, I am not—”

  “I’m a fifteen-minute drive from Station. I can be there before you finish boat checks. Call me when you know.” Schweitzer killed the call and stuffed the phone in his pocket before Biggs could say anything else.

  Schweitzer took a deep breath, willing the knot in his stomach to settle. This was Sarah’s first show in Norfolk, and she was nervous as hell. Hopefully, the watchstander would be slow in confirming the target, or Biggs was wrong altogether. Schweitzer turned, putting on a smile, shaking his head as he walked to where his wife leaned against the art-gallery door.

  “Everything okay?” she asked.

  “Biggs dug himself another hole. This is the thing about junior officers, they need us to keep them from walking off a cliff. It’s fine.”

  She frowned at him, her dark eyes narrowing beneath her bright pink bangs, the two purple streaks framing her face, so beautiful she still made his breath catch after all these years. “If he needed help, why didn’t he go to Chief?” she asked.

  Schweitzer winced internally, struggled to find words.

  “Jim.” She spoke as if to a little boy. “Do you know where liars go?”

  “To the movies?”

  “To the couch for the night. Without getting any.”

  “You are a coldhearted woman.”

  “I am a beautiful angel who can see through your bullshit like it’s clean glass.”

  Schweitzer sighed. Lying to her was a necessity of his job, but he knew better than to think it would ever work. “You need to focus on your opening. We can talk about it when we get home.”

  She drew her lips into a hard line and breathed out through her nose. “So, that means we’re going home together. As in, you’re staying for the whole event.”

  “We’ve only got the babysitter until eleven. You know Patrick isn’t really going to sleep until you come in and kiss him good night.”

  She grimaced. “Oh, right. Let me call before we go in.”

  He touched her elbow. “Babe, you called her ten minutes ago.”

  She looked up at him. “I did? I did.”

  He pressed his forehead to hers, inhaled her rosewater perfume. “You know what you’re doing?”

  “What?”

  “You’re trying to get your mind off this opening by worrying about something else. That’s fear talking. Mission first. Focus.”

  “Mission first.” She was smiling now.

  “Mission first,” he said, “and people always. You are a fantastic mother and a better wife than I could ever hope for. I love you so much it hurts. Now, get in there and show them what I see every day.”

  “Lo
ve you, too,” she answered. Her face composed, the smile smoothed.

  They turned together and stepped into the gallery.

  The crowd inside applauded as Sarah entered. Her paintings lined the walls, hanging from clear line, looking as if they were floating amid tastefully arranged sprays of white orchids. Schweitzer caught himself scanning the crowd for threats, noting the exits and blind corners. Stop it. You’re not at work. This is for Sarah. Be present.

  “Sarah!” squealed a tall woman wearing diamond earrings likely worth more than their car. She stretched her arms to embrace his wife, and Sarah returned the hug with precisely the correct blend of affection and forbearance, turning to Schweitzer as they parted. “Jim, this is Bethany Charles. This is her gallery.”

  Schweitzer smiled, extending a hand. “Thanks so much for hosting us.”

  Bethany dragged the proffered hand until Schweitzer was wrapped in a tight hug. Her pale neck smelled like oranges and alcohol. He met Sarah’s eyes over Bethany’s shoulder and made a face. Sarah rolled her eyes and grinned.

  “Sarah’s told me all about you,” Bethany said when she finally released him. “She says you’re in the navy, but absolutely will not talk about what you do! I’ve been in Norfolk long enough to know how it is with you intel folks.”

  Schweitzer let her error pass as she put the back of her hand to her mouth and spoke in a stage whisper. “Your secret’s safe with me!”

  A man approached out of the crowd. He wore too-thick glasses and a beard that rivaled Schweitzer’s own. “Ms. Schweitzer,” he began.

  Sarah took a step toward him and shook his hand. His smile froze at the close contact. Schweitzer winced internally. Guy was the shy type, liked more personal space. Sarah immediately released his hand and took a step back, smiling as if that was her intended approach all along. “Sarah Schweitzer, nice to meet you.”

  The man’s face relaxed, and his smile turned genuine. “Leo Volk, I write for the Virginian Pilot.”

  “Oooh,” Bethany whispered to Schweitzer as Sarah and Leo spoke. “That was a good save. He’s not one you want to disappoint.”