Part 1: The Cost of Entry Chapter 1: The Weight of Underestimation The black belt laughed, a short, sharp burst of…
Part 1: The Cost of a Right Choice Chapter 1: The Weight of Hope The alarm clock’s shrill cry pierced through the pre-dawn…
PART 1 Chapter 1: The Bird and the Bravado The sun hung low over Fort Resolute, a bleeding wound in the sky that…
PART 1 CHAPTER 1: The Imposter in Seat 17A The Denver airport buzzed with that specific brand of early morning manic energy. It…
PART 1 Chapter 1: The Silence of the Grave They thought he was healing. The charts at the foot of the bed looked…
PART 1 CHAPTER 1: The Sound of Dignity Breaking The sound of paper tearing is surprisingly loud when a room is dead silent.…
Part 1 Chapter 1 The chandeliers of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Great Hall didn’t just shine; they dripped light like liquid diamonds,…
PART 1 CHAPTER 1: THE GHOST IN THE MACHINE Sarah Martinez stepped off the bus at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and the first thing…
PART 1 Chapter 1: The Fortress of Arrogance The glass shattered on the marble floor, but the sound was lost in the arrogant…