The drive to Eva’s office was cloaked in an uneasy silence as Chris maneuvered through the late-afternoon traffic. His mind was a whirlpool of conflicting emotions. James’s message earlier in the day had thrown him off balance. His old comrade was in danger, and Chris knew his assistance was not just a request but a necessity. Yet, the thought of leaving Eva and not being able to share the truth gnawed at him. How could he explain his absence without revealing the parts of his past he’d fought so hard to keep hidden?As Chris neared Eva’s building, his phone buzzed with a notification from one of his hidden communication channels. It was an update on James’s precarious situation—things were deteriorating faster than anticipated. He clenched his jaw and shut off the phone, taking a deep breath to calm the unease spreading through his chest.When Eva slid into the car, she immediately noticed Chris’s subdued demeanor. She placed a comforting hand on his arm. “Is everything okay?” she as

The following morning, Chris silently slid into Eva's room and stood next to her bed for a couple of minutes as he soaked in the image of her body spread across the bed as she slept soundly.It was 5am in the morning and the mansion was still very quiet since everyone else was asleep. The time had come for him to take his leave because it was going to be quite difficult if Eva was awake during that time.He just wanted to see her one last time before he left. A moment later,he turned around and exited the room as quietly as possible to avoid waking Eva up from her sleep…..“Good Morning, sir.” Ethan greeted with a bow as soon as Chris walked out of the mansion gate.Chris nodded and walked over to the black Mercedes jeep. “Is everything ready?” He asked in a serious tone as he boarded the car“Yes sir, the entire rescue team is already on site and awaiting your arrival. A small base has been set up in Egypt for where we will be debriefed about the mission and a private jet is alread

The blistering sun glared down on the Aswan tarmac as Chris descended the jet’s metallic stairs. The dry wind brushed against his face, carrying the faint aroma of desert sand and heat-baked asphalt. Below him, a formation of six men in tailored black suits stood at attention, their expressions solemn. They snapped their hands to their brows in unison, saluting as Chris’s boots hit the ground. He walked past them without pause, offering a subtle nod. His aura of authority needed no words; even his stride seemed to carry unshakable confidence. One of the men stepped forward. “Welcome to Aswan, sir.” Chris waved him off with a flick of his wrist. “Skip the pleasantries. Time’s short.” The convoy of black SUVs waited ahead, their dark windows reflecting the glare of the desert sun. Chris entered the lead vehicle, his sharp gaze already scanning the barren landscape for vulnerabilities. The drive to the Crimson Legion’s temporary base was a silent one. Chris reclined in the backseat,

The escape was anything but smooth. As soon as the team emerged from the tent with James, the camp exploded into chaos. Alarms blared, and enemy troops swarmed.The enemies troops began swarming the campChris senses heightened instantly “Move!” he barked, his rifle barking in sharp bursts as he covered their retreat.Ethan provided backup, his aim deadly as he took down enemies with precision. “They’re closing in!”The rest of the squad began shooting as well in order to decrease the pressure.Unfortunately, Chris and his team were pinned down as they were taking heavy fire from all sides.The number of enemy troops was three times as much as what the mission report stated.Chris was taken off guard by how quickly the mission had gotten out of control and it seemed like he had fallen into a trap.Chris’s instincts kicked in as he took cover behind a stack of crates, his weapon firing in controlled bursts. “They knew we were coming,” he muttered, his mind racing.Despite the odds, th

Meanwhile, As Chris waited for extraction, his resolve hardened. The mission wasn’t over, and the fight was far from done.The desert air was tense as the helicopter lifted off from the extraction point, its rotors slicing through the night. Chris sat near the door, his rifle resting on his lap, scanning the horizon for any threats. Ethan, Roy and another surviving operative, sat across from him, their faces grim but relieved. "This confirms it," Chris muttered, his voice low but resolute. "There's a mole in the Crimson Legion."Ethan frowned. "You sure about that, sir?"Chris nodded, his gaze sharp. "They knew we'd come. Every step of this mission was compromised." His voice was low, calculated. "The enemy was too prepared. They knew our every move.Someone's feeding them intel."Before Ethan could respond, the cockpit alarm blared, jolting everyone to alertness and the pilot's panicked shout pierced through their headsets."Missiles incoming! Brace for impact!"The first explosion