The Moral Conundrum

The Moral Conundrum is a military themed thriller by American author Paul Rumberger writing under the pseudonym CS Runn. This book was originally copyrighted as Cutoff and published under the current title in 2024.
The story follows Reed Stanton, a Navy fighter pilot and dedicated family man, who shows signs of PTSD. With a military setting as the backdrop, the story explores themes of betrayal, trust, and love as well as the morality of killing others.<ref name=":broad" />
Plot Summary
During a ground deployment as a forward air controller, Navy F-18 pilot Reed Stanton engages in hand-to-hand combat with an enemy combatant. The combatant's death is witnessed by his brother, Antonio Sanchez. This event has a significant impact on Reed’s moral compass and what it means to take a life.
Returning to his home, Lemoore, CA, Reed anticipates starting a family with his wife, Ashley. The day before an at sea deployment, they share their plans with fellow pilot Ryker Patterson and his fiancé, Oaklyn Sloan, at a barbecue. About the same time, Reed has a pistol stolen by someone unknown.
The next day Reed travels to San Diego to board an aircraft carrier. That night, while talking intimately with Ashley, it is revealed she is in bed with another man at the same time.
During a flight while at sea, Reed unintentionally collides with Ryker, resulting in Ryker's death.
Reed is grounded during the accident investigation and returns home. Weeks later, Oaklyn discovers scandalous photos of Ashley and Ryker and shares this with Reed, who immediately confronts Ashley. Ashley tells Reed she is pregnant, and Reed wants to know if he is the father. Realizing Ashley is uncertain, deeply hurt, he asks her to leave.
Ashley departs and parks at a hotel. Sobbing behind the wheel, a vehicle very similar to Reed’s truck arrives. A man walks up behind Ashley’s car and kills her. On video, it appears to be Reed.
Days later, a distraught Reed meets with the Admiral, who reveals that the navy was aware of Ashley's affair. Additionally, Ryker's activities were being monitored and reported to a terrorist, for reasons unknown. Despite feeling betrayed by the navy and his wife, Reed is reluctantly persuaded to assist. He is assigned to a San Diego air traffic control facility, believed to be a potential target.
A link emerges between Ryker and Donny Livingston, a San Diego air traffic controller. They are both texting a Mexican prostitute. Over several months, Reed befriends Livingston and travels with him to Mexico. During this visit, Reed becomes unexpectedly drawn to a girl named Anna Perez. He also learns the link between Ryker and Donny, is Charity, one of Livingston's preferred women.
This same night, a janitor from the air traffic control facility is killed at a campground with Reed’s pistol.
Meanwhile, Antonio Sanchez is planning a terror attack at the facility. A member of the team who objects to the facility as a target is killed by Antonio who throws him over a 9th floor hotel balcony.

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