Just a minute.
Weapon across my lap.
Fire low.
Team resting in shifts.
I pull the patch from my pocket.
Turn it over again.
Black Division.
Ghost unit.
No rules.
No oversight.
Perfect enemy.
I think about Aspen.
About the Tavern.
About Ace standing watch.
About the promise I made.
I’ll come back.
I tighten my grip on the patch.
Because I don’t break promises.
Not like that.
Not ever.
Day five—
We get lucky.
Or they get sloppy.
Same difference.
A signal ping.
Short.
Encrypted.
But not perfect.
CIA picks it up.
“They’re moving again,” the agent says.