General Marcus Devereux sat back in his chair, sipping his drink slowly as he scanned the dimly lit bar. It was a quiet place, a rare spot where he could let his guard down.
Or so he thought.
Tonight, though, something was off. His instincts—the very ones that had saved him countless times in war zones and high-stakes missions—were kicking in.
Through the rim of his glass, he observed the faces around him. Too many unfamiliar ones for his liking. A group of men sitting at separate tables seemed too well-coordinated, each one casually glancing his way.
Their postures were measured. Calculated.
"Damn it," he thought, setting down his empty glass with a barely audible thud.
No weapon. No backup. And from what he could tell, this was no coincidence.
"Stupid me..."
He’d walked into a tr
