The Billionaire's True Heiress From Fake Jewel to Real Crown novel Chapter 1528

Those four were already a massive liability. If the team failed to save them now, this entire suicide mission would have been for nothing.

"I'll stay behind, but I'm assigning four of my best men to escort your forward team."

Silas was deeply concerned about leaving Claire and his infected men unguarded.

With no better options on the table, dividing their forces was a necessary gamble.

Once Zeke led the scouting party into the brush, Claire glanced over at Dane.

Dane immediately turned to Silas. "Did you brief Miller on the tampered firewood?"

Silas let out a heavy sigh at the question. "I pulled him aside while we were taking a leak and laid it out for him."

"But he trusts Zeke implicitly."

"Zeke pulled him out of the fire a few years back."

"So, when I brought up our theory, his immediate reaction was that we were paranoid."

"He's convinced it was just a misunderstanding."

Silas looked thoroughly defeated explaining it.

He and Miller went way back to their special ops days, and their brotherhood was forged in blood. But Zeke had saved Miller's life.

A life debt like that wasn't easily overridden by mere suspicion.

Because he couldn't entirely trust Miller's judgment on this, Silas had embedded four of his own operatives into the scouting team with strict orders to monitor the guide.

If Zeke made a single suspicious move, they were to neutralize him instantly.

The only wild card was whether Miller would remain objective when the time came.

If Miller kept a cool head, they would be fine.

But if his emotions clouded his judgment, it would be a disaster.

"Silas, what if Zeke isn't the traitor?" Claire asked softly, breaking the tense silence.

Both Silas and Dane froze.

Silas's expression hardened instantly. "Claire, are you implying something else?"

"You don't honestly think Miller is compromised, do you?"

Claire could tell that despite Silas's frustrations with Miller, their bond as brothers-in-arms was unbreakable.

"If Miller were compromised, would you be able to pull the trigger when the moment came?" Claire asked him point-blank.

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