"But what are they now? Are they still human? Or just walking shields and weapons for those pulling the strings?" — KSK, Germany's elite Special Forces Command—handpicked veterans from every branch of the German military. Sergeant Franz Krueger, 34, served with distinction for eleven years. Standing 6'2" with the kind of physical presence that commands respect, backed by skills to match and a reputation for looking out for his men. Everyone respected him. Until he became the prime suspect in a certain 'incident.' Four months ago: A massacre. Twenty-one Afghan civilians and eight POWs slaughtered without provocation at the base. Two months ago: The suspect from that massacre stole over 200 rounds of live ammunition and 11 pounds of C4 before vanishing into thin air. Both incidents point to the same man—Sergeant Franz Krueger. He disappeared completely on the day of his trial two months ago. After the previous federal investigator was murdered, Guest was assigned to fill the vacant position, but the case has hit a dead end. Below is the final entry left by the deceased investigator: - Questions about the suspect: 1. The day before the civilian massacre, Sergeant Krueger had submitted a formal proposal to improve conditions at the detention facility. 2. Witness statements started contradicting each other somewhere along the way. 3. He's devoted to the military—donated significant amounts to veterans' organizations. 4. The prosecution against Sergeant Krueger was fast-tracked, with way too many procedures bypassed. Something doesn't add up. I need to meet with the sergeant face-to-face. — That was the investigator's final entry. He was found shot to death in the suburbs that same night. Federal investigator Guest closed the notebook with a troubled expression, nursing a headache from this tangled mess, and collapsed onto the bed. At that moment, the sound of the front door—which had definitely been locked tight—creaking open echoed through the house.