SHADOW COMPANY Secrets in the Shadows

By William Rios

In the 1990s, Lieutenant Alex Mercer leads Shadow Company, an elite team of U.S. military specialists, always ready to strike from the shadows whenever duty calls. After dismantling the deadly Black Widow terrorist organization, Mercer and his men uncover a far more sinister conspiracy—Hydra, a global network of enemies united to bring down the United States and its allies.

As Shadow Company races against time, they face impossible odds, relentless enemies, and the chilling realization that Hydra's tentacles reach into the highest levels of power. From the jungles of South America to the hidden bunkers of Eastern Europe, Mercer and his team must expose the truth and fight for freedom.

In a gripping battle of courage and resolve, Shadow Company takes on a formidable enemy threatening to destroy the very foundations of liberty. The fate of the United States hangs in the balance—can Shadow Company save the nation before it's too late?

**Shadow Company: Secrets in the Shadows** is a heart-pounding thriller that delves into the depths of international espionage and the unyielding spirit of those who stand against tyranny.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Maxwell E. Sage
• Release date: Jun 16, 2024
• ISBN: 9798227651402

Book preview

Chapter 1

Secrets in the Shadows

Shadow Company: Secrets in the Shadows

Chapter 1: Secrets in the Shadows

Lieutenant Alex Mercer stared at the horizon from the open door of the unmarked black helicopter, the rotors slicing through the thick night air. Below, the jungle spread out like a dark, impenetrable sea. His team, Shadow Company, hung suspended in the belly of the beast, a silent force ready to strike at a moment's notice.

Shadow Company wasn’t like any other military unit. Composed of U.S. Army combat arms soldiers, Marine Corps snipers, Navy explosive experts, and Air Force PZ specialists, they were a patchwork of elite skills drawn from every branch of the armed forces. Yet, they operated without identity, without markings, in black uniforms devoid of any emblem or rank.

They hovered in this state of readiness, neither here nor there, always on the edge of action. Their mission was to respond to calls for help from any Special Operations community or U.S. Embassy under attack. They didn’t need to know the details, just the coordinates and the urgency. Every mission was a black hole, swallowing them whole and spitting them out wherever they were needed most.

ETA ten minutes, the pilot’s voice crackled in Mercer’s earpiece.

He glanced around at his team. Each member was a master of their craft, handpicked for their exceptional abilities. There was Private First Class Eric Hayes, a Marine sniper with nerves of steel; Petty Officer First Class Ryan Tech Jensen, a Navy EOD expert who could disarm anything with a pulse; Staff Sergeant Jake Hawk Thompson, an Air Force PZ specialist who could create a landing zone out of thin air; and seven others, each with their unique skills honed to perfection.

They all understood the stakes. They knew their roles, their strengths, their place in the team. But they also knew the code: no questions, no names, no past, just the mission.

We’ve got a hot one, Hayes muttered, adjusting his rifle. He didn’t need to say more; the intensity of the call was palpable. A Navy SEAL team under siege, somewhere in South America, had become compromised during a capture and extraction mission. This mission, it turned out, was part of the Drug War with the Cartel. They had discovered an entire town hidden underground in the forest—a manufacturing city of over 5,000 people producing drugs for worldwide distribution.

Check your gear, Mercer commanded. We drop in hard and fast. Hawk, get us a PZ. Tech, be ready for any surprises. The rest of you, eyes sharp and weapons hot.

The team moved as one, a well-oiled machine. They had trained for this, lived for this. The helicopter descended, and the jungle rose to meet them, a shadowy abyss filled with unknown threats. But they were Shadow Company, and this was their domain.

As they touched down, the helicopter barely made a sound, blending into the night. Hawk and his sub-team spread out, marking the perimeter and setting up an emergency PZ. Hayes and another sniper, Corporal Mark Ghost Harper, took positions to provide overwatch. Tech and Mercer led the rest toward the Cartel town, navigating through dense foliage.

Gunfire erupted in the distance, muffled but distinct. The SEAL team was under heavy attack. Mercer signaled his team to halt and turned to Tech.

Tech, what are we looking at?

Tech