The automatic glass doors of the Civil Affairs Bureau slid open, letting another couple step into the crowded lobby. Some entered holding hands, whispering promises about the future. Others walked out with swollen eyes, clutching freshly stamped divorce certificates that marked the end of years of marriage.At Counter Seven, silence was the only thing left between Ethan Hayes and Olivia Carter.The clerk adjusted her glasses before pushing a stack of documents across the desk. "Please review the agreement one last time. If there are no objections, sign on the final page."Olivia lowered her gaze to the papers. Her fingers tightened almost imperceptibly around the pen, but her expression stayed composed, the same calm mask she wore during board meetings and business negotiations.Five years of marriage, reduced to a few sheets of paper.She glanced at the man sitting across from her. Ethan looked exactly as he always did—simple black shirt, faded jeans, an expression so calm it was imp

The rain had stopped. Dark clouds still hung over the city, but the streets were already coming back to life. Office workers filled the sidewalks, restaurants switched on their neon signs, and traffic crawled through the evening rush.Ethan walked without any particular destination. For five years he had built a life that demanded nothing from him—a small apartment, occasional repair jobs, and a marriage that had slowly withered beneath the weight of secrets he could never reveal. That life no longer existed. The phone call had buried it.He stopped outside a small convenience store and bought a bottle of water. The elderly cashier barely glanced at him before handing over the change. For Ethan, the ordinary interaction felt strangely precious. He didn't know how many more days he would be allowed to live like an ordinary man.As he stepped back onto the sidewalk, a familiar sensation prickled at the back of his neck. Someone was watching him. Without turning around, he caught the ref

The warehouse fell into absolute silence. Every pair of eyes remained fixed on the surveillance tablet.Six black SUVs had formed a semicircle around the entrance to the abandoned dockyard. Their engines idled quietly as more men in black tactical uniforms stepped out with practiced precision. No one shouted. No one rushed. They moved like soldiers who had rehearsed the operation countless times.William Cross clenched his jaw. "They're surrounding us."One of the veterans zoomed in on the drone feed. "There are twenty-four..." He swallowed. "No... twenty-eight operators."Another vehicle rolled into view. Then another. The count climbed again. "Thirty-six."The atmosphere inside the warehouse grew heavy. These weren't ordinary special forces. Every operative wore matte-black combat armor without national insignias. Their faces were hidden behind tactical helmets, and each carried suppressed assault rifles fitted with thermal optics. On the left shoulder of every uniform, a three-head

The warehouse remained silent long after Ethan closed the metal case. No one questioned his decision. The black uniform represented more than a rank or a title. It carried the weight of every soldier Nightfall had lost. Wearing it again wasn't a choice Ethan would make lightly.Nathan finally broke the silence. "There's somewhere you need to see."Ethan looked up. "What is it?"Nathan exchanged a glance with William before answering. "We couldn't bring it here. It was too dangerous.""What is it?"Nathan's expression grew grim. "The last thing recovered from Operation Nightfall."An hour later, the convoy left the abandoned harbor. The armored vehicles drove without headlights through a network of forgotten industrial roads, avoiding highways and surveillance cameras.Ethan sat beside Nathan in the lead vehicle. Neither man spoke for several minutes. The silence between them wasn't uncomfortable. Five years created too many questions to answer in a single conversation.Finally, Nathan

The elevator hadn't reached the surface before Ethan was already fastening his seat belt. Nathan slid into the driver's seat, and William climbed into the back without asking permission.Ethan caught his eye in the rearview mirror. "I thought you were staying."William pulled the bolt on his rifle and laid it across his knees. "I've buried enough friends," he said, his voice steady. "I'm not attending another funeral."Ethan didn't argue.The armored SUV surged out of the hidden facility, tires spitting gravel up the mountain road. No one spoke. The navigation screen counted down the distance — thirty-seven kilometers — while Nathan kept one hand on the wheel and the other on the encrypted radio."Any update?"Static, then a woman's voice cut through. "Cerberus convoy's split into three teams. One heading for the school. One covering the highway. The third disappeared into Pine Forest."Nathan glanced at Ethan. "They're sealing every escape route."Ethan kept his eyes on the road. "Th