The war leaves its mark.

Previously

…He had been lured into a trap. Or perhaps, Thorne, sensing that the game was up, was making his move to silence the last loose end. Alex’s heart hammered against his ribs, a drumbeat of fear and defiance. He looked at the data unit in his hand, then at the closed door. He had the truth. Now he had to fight for it. The war had left its mark, a deep and enduring wound, but it had also forged him into something more than just a survivor. It had forged him into a weapon. And this was a battle he was finally ready to win. The fight for his fallen brothers, for Sarah, for Agent Miller, was just beginning.