A cold mountain wind swept across the rocky cliffs. Hidden under a camouflage net, a lone man lay perfectly still.An old sniper rifle on his shoulder. Through the scope, a convoy of armored SUVs wound its way along the narrow road below.His finger settled lightly on the trigger. "Too easy."The rifle cracked, and the bullet screamed through the air.BANG!The lead vehicle's front tire exploded. The driver fought desperately to keep control before the convoy screeched to a halt.Armed security poured from the vehicles, searching every direction.But the mountain was empty; the sniper had already packed his rifle, and within seconds, he disappeared into the wilderness like a ghost.Several hours later, the mysterious sniper entered a small wooden cabin hidden deep within the forest.An old radio crackled on a dusty table. Then a coded transmission came through.“The Young Marshal has resurfaced

Rain fell softly over an abandoned stone church hidden deep within the mountains.Inside, only one candle burned. Lucas Graves sat alone in the front pew; spread across the old wooden altar were several photographs of Asher, Nathan Hale, General Arthur Rowan, Serena, and even Samuel Cross.Lucas gazed at each picture carefully. For twenty years, he had watched over the people who needed his protection at life-threatening times.A faint creak echoed through the church, and Lucas' eyes lifted instantly. There were no footsteps or voices.Only the sound of paper sliding beneath the old front door. He crossed the room without making a sound.A single photograph lay on the floor. His hand stopped halfway because it wasn't an image of Asher, Nathan, or Arthur.It was Lily's; immediately, Lucas' expression slowly hardened.There was no further message, signature, or threat. Whoever had delivered it didn't need many words; they

The black vehicle remained parked beneath the broken streetlight. Rainwater dripped from its roof.Inside were two men wearing plainclothes, one of whom adjusted a small camera aimed at Asher's apartment building."She's just a little girl," the younger operative muttered.The older man never took his eyes off the entrance. "Orders are orders."They continued watching.Neither of them noticed the tiny pebble that landed softly on the windshield.Tick.The younger operative blinked. "You hear that?"The older one shrugged. "Probably a branch."Several minutes later, the driver reached for the ignition. The engine started; he pressed the accelerator, and nothing was felt.He frowned and stepped outside and discovered all four tires had been flat. They were perfectly punctured, not slashed but damaged.They were punctured with military tactics. The younger operative slowly turned in a cir

Asher sat alone before the old wooden table, the sealed envelope still in his hands. He slowly slid a finger under the brittle seal, and the paper opened with a faint crack.He found a single handwritten letter; the ink was slightly faded, but every word was still clear.Asher took a slow breath and began to read:“Commander, if you're reading this, then I wasn't lucky enough to come home with you.”Asher's hand tightened around the page. The familiar handwriting continued: “First, don't waste time blaming yourself. You always endured responsibility that belonged to the rest of us. If anyone survived, I believe it would be you.”A faint smile appeared despite the ache growing in Asher's chest. He could almost hear the medic's calm voice:“You keep saying you'll protect everyone. But the truth is, we chose to follow you in every mission, impossible peacekeeping battles with endless sacrifice. No one forced us! So stop nu

Asher and General Arthur Rowan walked down the underground staircase, the vault door remained open. Nothing seemed removed because the journals were exactly where they had been.Arthur exhaled slowly. "It seems they left without finding anything."Asher didn't answer, but slowly crouched near the entrance. His fingertips brushed across the thick layer of dust covering the stone floor.Arthur inquired in a sharp breath. "What is it?"Asher pointed toward a faint impression. "A boot print."Arthur looked carefully; it was almost invisible but still fresh."They've already been here."Asher nodded. "Yes."Arthur's expression darkened. "Then why didn't they take anything?"Asher stood. "Because they weren't stealing; they were confirming."Arthur looked confused. "Confirming what?"Asher's eyes slowly swept across the vault. "That the medic letter was real."Arthur slowly understo