False Flag

FALSE FLAG A TITUS BLACK THRILLER BOOK 15 R.J. PATTERSON CONTENTS What Others are Saying Also by R.J. Patterson False Flag Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Chapter 42 Chapter 43 Chapter 44 Chapter 45 Chapter 46 Chapter 47 Chapter 48 Chapter 49 Chapter 50 Chapter 51 Chapter 52 Chapter 53 Newsletter Signup About the Author Acknowledgments WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING “R.J. Patterson does a fantastic job at keeping you engaged and interested. I look forward to more from this talented author.” - Aaron Patterson, bestselling author of SWEET DREAMS “Patterson has a mean streak about a mile wide and puts his two main characters through quite a horrible ride, which makes for good reading.” - Richard D., reader “Like a John Grisham novel, from the very start I was pulled right into the story and couldn’t put the book down. It was as if I personally knew and cared about what happened to each of the main characters. Every chapter ended with so much excitement and suspense I had to continue to read until I learned how it ended, even though it kept me up until 3:00 A.M. - Ray F., reader “Small town life in southern Idaho might seem quaint and idyllic to some. But when local newspaper reporter Cal Murphy begins to uncover a series of strange deaths that are linked to a sticky spider web of deception, the lid on the peaceful town is blown wide open. Told with all the energy and bravado of an old pro, first-timer R.J. Patterson hits one out of the park his first time at bat with Dead Shot. It’s that good.” -Vincent Zandri, bestselling author of THE REMAINS “You can tell R.J. knows what it’s like to live in the newspaper world, but with Dead Shot, he’s proven that he also can write one heck of a murder mystery.” - Josh Katzowitz, NFL writer for CBSSports.com & author of Sid Gillman: Father of the Passing Game “This book kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I didn’t really want to put it down. R.J. Patterson has hooked me. I’ll be back for more.” - Bob Behler 3-time Idaho broadcaster of the year and play-by-play voice for Boise State football “In Dead in the Water, R.J. Patterson accurately captures the action-packed saga of a what could be a real-life college football scandal. The sordid details will leave readers flipping through the pages as fast as a hurry-up offense.” - Mark Schlabach, ESPN college sports columnist and co-author of Called to Coach Heisman: The Man Behind the Trophy ALSO BY R.J. PATTERSON Titus Black series Behind Enemy Lines Game of Shadows Rogue Commander Line of Fire Blowback Honorable Lies Power Play State of Conspiracy The Patriot The President's Man The Haitian Assassin Codename: Killshot Chaos Theory House of Cards False Flag A Deadly Game Brady Hawk series First Strike Deep Cover Point of Impact Full Blast Target Zero Fury State of Play Seige Seek and Destroy Into the Shadows Hard Target No Way Out Two Minutes to Midnight Against All Odds Any Means Necessary Vengeance Code Red A Deadly Force Divide and Conquer Extreme Measures Final Strike Cal Murphy Thriller series Dead Shot Dead Line Better off Dead Dead in the Water Dead Man's Curve Dead and Gone Dead Wrong Dead Man's Land Dead Drop Dead to Rights Dead End James Flynn Thriller series The Warren Omissions Imminent Threat The Cooper Affair Seeds of War For Aaron A great husband, father, patriot … and the best brother a man could hope for FALSE FLAG A TITUS BLACK THRILLER CHAPTER ONE PANJSHIR VALLEY, AFGHANISTAN Titus Black inhaled dust as sweat dripped down the bridge of his nose. Lying prone on the ground and studying the small compound one klick to the southwest of his position, he winced as the rocks dug into his stomach and legs. Yet as uncomfortable as he was, Black doubted it was anything close to what Rex Hinton was experiencing below, inside the white cinder brick walls. Black closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. If he could just get up and walk away, he would. Venturing this deep into Taliban territory was akin to suicide, which was exactly the reason why he’d been handed the assignment. When he first started working as an operative for the Phoenix Foundation, he would’ve almost charged headlong into a battalion of tanks flanked by a sandstorm with nothing but a knife. And he would’ve preferred to do it alone. But now, he at least knew he couldn’t survive without help. “You still sure about this approach?” Christina Shields’ voice crackled in his earpiece. Black’s partner served as the voice of reason for his life, the personification of a blinking yellow light—the perfect match to his solid green. “You got any better ideas?” he asked, surveying the property through his binoculars. “I could drive you down, drop you off by the gate,” she suggested, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “You just be ready when I give the word,” he said. “The getaway is the most important part, and we can’t jeopardize that. Otherwise, they’ll be feeding our bodies to the goats on the hillside by this time tomorrow.” “Copy that,” she said. “I’ll be ready.” Before he began his trek down the hillside, he dug into his pocket and pulled out a small picture of his nephew, cheeks bulging, blond hair faintly visible. It had only been a few weeks since he’d learned that he had a brother,