A relief flight turns back mid-air, and Roy realizes the sky has become a gate. In 2050, airspace is permission based. Supply lines collapse quietly while screens stay calm. Roy targets Skylock, an automated permit system, by infiltrating an airborne control node. He breaks it, and the sky opens for a moment. Then the truth hits, the real weapon is on the ground. The enemy doesn't fire bullets. It fires procedures. Fast chapters. Tight infiltration. Hooks that redraw the plan. Continue the 12-book arc with Book 4.