Deadly Crusade, Part 1

Captain Stephen Stepkovic had marked the special date on his calendar by encircling it with a black wreath. Six times he has marked that anniversary, and renewed his vow to keep the events of that date a secret.

However, this year he has been suffering from a chaotic marriage to an unfaithful wife. As the tormenting pressure builds, the black wreath day arrives, and he breaks his vow and seeks comfort from the base chaplain. That act brings powerful forces into play and sets into motion a series of events that threatens to unravel his life at both ends. He is hanging from the edge by the thinnest of threads when a series of catastrophes sends his entire world spinning out of control.

Into this turbulent arena steps Stone Parker and his AFOSI (Air Force Office of Special Investigations) team. Parker is sent to investigate two events at the Titan II nuclear missile site’s Alternate Command Post. In charge of the ACP during the two events was Captain Stephen Stepkovic. Stone Parker’s charge is to determine what happened and why it happened.

Unexpectedly, Agent Parker’s investigation begins to uncover something far more sinister, disturbing and pervasive in the military than problems at the Alternate Command Post. Soon he and his crew find themselves pitted against powerful forces that want to end his investigation and destroy them.