For all intents and purposes, they were ghosts—every variable calculated, every step anticipated.

Both walls were lined with flat-screen monitors, each beaming in colorful infrared body heat images from satellites overhead, while wall-penetrating radar scans provided an unprecedented level of visibility into the building they were about to infi ltrate. Four agents, eyes glued to the screens, meticulously monitored sixteen live scenes, controlling cutting-edge NASA-grade tech in real-time. Every movement, every detail, every shift inside the target building was under constant scrutiny. For all intents and purposes, they were ghosts—every variable calculated, every step anticipated. And still, Nicene’s disquiet remained. He took a deliberate sip of coffee, hoping the bitterness might sharpen his senses.