Dawn broke over the Appalachian mountains with the kind of beauty that made tragedy feel obscene. The Anderson family cabin stood exactly as Ral remembered from childhood summers, weathered wood and stone that had witnessed generations of family gatherings before Marcus's ambition poisoned everything.
"Vincent has three sniper positions covering the cabin," Tony reported through their secure channel. "Marcus Webb is positioned for rapid extraction if needed. But I need to emphasize that if Marcus has his own security team, we are outgunned and outmaneuvered."
Ral, Louis, and Rebecca approached the cabin on foot, leaving their vehicle a quarter mile away as Marcus had specified. The morning air carried frost and the scent of pine, peaceful in ways that contradicted everything about their
