Shadow of Retribution

A Peacefu

scent of freshly cut oak and pine was familiar and calming, a stark contrast to the chaos of his pas

ing he could build with his own hands. His work was simple, but it gave him a sense of purpose he had lost during his y

his thoughtthe tense moments before a mission, the weight of his weapon, the fear of what might come next.

ically, focusing on the task at hand, trying to drown out the past. But today

from his younge

in 20?"

ways pushing for something more, even when life felt quiet.

rag, grabbed his jacket,

o: The B

coffee shop, his usual enthusiasm

rn into a statue in there," Ethan joked,

into his bones. "I was finishing someth

workhorse. Anyway, I've g

hat is it this time? Anoth

ver he could find them. Some were small, others were dangerous, but th

ow, and I think I've found something big. There's a weapons smuggling operation through

ncern. "You're getting i

ol. I've talked to a few sources, and they're pointing me in the ri

etermination. Ethan had always been the idealist-the one who believed he co

t know who you're dealing with. People like

rning. "Besides, I've got you, right? You've got al

to be that person anymore. He didn't want to f

for trouble," A

ise me you won't go all 'older brother' on me. You've got your o

knot formed in his sto

The First Sig

han chasing this story, putting himself in danger, gnawed at him. Alex had seen too muc

mind kept drifting back to Ethan and

he night, his phone rang. The unfamil

This is Officer Brennan. We need you to come

ords didn't register immedia

e investigation your brother was invo

ne wen

to tell himself it was a mistake, that there had been some sort of misunderstanding. But de