Chapter 1: The Mirage of Peace The afternoon heat off Highway 87 wasn’t just hot; it was aggressive. It shimmered in waves…
Chapter 1: The Tomato Incident The morning sun painted long, golden shadows across the asphalt of the Eagles Rest Farmers Market. It…
Chapter 1: The Invasion of Eagle’s Point The sound wasn’t a hum; it was a tectonic shift. Hannah Collins froze, her hand…
CHAPTER 1: THE WIDOW ON THE PORCH The silence of the Montana high country was usually a physical thing, a heavy blanket…
The steady, guttural rumble of the Harley-Davidson cut a deep groove through the evening quiet of Main Street. Rain, fine and persistent, fell…
Chapter 1: The Iron Horse The air inside the Iron Horse Saloon tasted like stale beer and bad decisions. It was the…
Part 1: The Weight of the Unseen The Permanent Squint Forward Operating Base Chapman, Afghanistan. The makeshift operations center was a tomb of…
PART ONE: The Humiliation Chapter 1: The Weight of an Empty Cart The Mega Mart was usually Robert Chen’s sanctuary of independence. Every…
Part 1: The Full Tank Chapter 1: The Coins of Desperation The desert night was a cold, black canvas, and the…
PART 1: THE TRAP The amber light of the Riverside Grill reflected against the windowpane, turning the glass into a dark mirror.…