ng room, fatigue written on their faces.

ished that this faction sees itself as heavily armed and well-organized.

h a history as treacherous as the desert that enveloped it. Elias understood that the journey into

warehouse district. It was hours since sunset now, and the

cus had given him. Even though it had been a while since he last w

The air was cool and dry and the only sound was the distant roar of

t," Elias whispered. "No

es. They could see two men with rifles guarding the entrance of t

anticipating troub

" Elias said. "Either way,

oise generator. He set it down on the ground and turned it on. A high-pitched

" one of them said as h

to a side entrance. They went in unnoticed, their

spered. "We have no ide

ed by the concrete floor. As they moved on,

orrow."  Ensure every

er. Peeking through a crack in the door, he saw a group of me

look," Elias said quietly

oom, staying low to avoid the prying eyes. He had gotten behi

on," one of the men said.

plied. "We've got i

he map with his phone,

 he whispered. "Let

e side entrance without difficulty. When t

?" Marcus queried

turning the photo toward him. "If we can est

age. "This might be our o

were already racing. It was

fails, these consequence

s brain processing their next move.

o have to be decisive action. This mission was only th

n, the burden of responsibility was on his shoulders. But

, sir. We'l

t. Elias Janovich took a deep breath, the smell of gasoline and stale air entering his lungs. Return

vous, an old diner at the edge of town. Inside, an old friend was there to greet him. It had been an

g. He smelled coffee and grease and saw Marc

getting to his feet to hug him.

said, sliding into the b

I need your help, man. Something has

erous

I've been watching them, and what I found... is bad. Arms deals an

arms deals dredged up memories he had long tried to put to rest. "

sort of thing. You have experience, yo

that anymore, was he? But when he gazed into Marcus's eyes,

l help. But if we're going to do

n his face. "Thanks, man. You have

rt Vultures, had been based in a run-down warehouse on the city's outskirts. Marcus

his, we can shut them down o

to cut it," Elias sa

to crystallize. They would scout the warehouse, collect int

he was stepping back into a world he had tried to leave behind. His pa