The Desert – Dusk
The wind whispered across the barren desert landscape, carrying with it the scent of dust and lost time. The sun, a crimson sliver on the horizon, cast long shadows over the rocky expanse. The world felt quiet—too quiet. A stark contrast to the chaos that had consumed the lives of those who had dared to challenge the shadowed forces that moved unseen in the world.
Mike sat alone on the hood of an old jeep, staring out into the horizon. His thoughts were a whirlwind—fractured memories of battles fought, lives lost, and victories that had come at a terrible price. But it wasn't over. Not by a long shot. The world had changed, and with it, the rules of the game. No longer just a soldier, no longer just a survivor—Mike had become something more.
A force.
His hand rested on the dog tag around his neck, the metal worn and scratched. It had been his anchor, a reminder of who he once was. But now, as he gazed into the endless desert, he realized it was more than that. It was a symbol of everything he had fought for and everything still left to fight for.
The sound of footsteps pulled him from his thoughts. Johnny and Tory approached, both looking just as worn and weathered as he felt. But there was something different in their eyes. Determination. A resolve that hadn't been there before. They had seen the darkness, but they had also seen the light at the end of it.
"You good?" Johnny asked, his voice gruff but sincere.
Mike nodded slowly. "I'm good."
Tory sat down beside him, her eyes scanning the desert, a slight smile tugging at her lips. "Feels like a lifetime ago, doesn't it?"
Mike chuckled softly. "It does. But the fight's far from over. We've just… taken the first step."
Johnny sat on the other side, his expression serious. "Yeah. But now we've got a target. Someone to go after."
"Erebus wasn't the end," Mike agreed. "It was the beginning. We've only scratched the surface. There's a bigger fight ahead. One that will take everything we've got."
Tory exhaled sharply. "But we're in this together. Whatever comes next, we do it as a team."
Mike's gaze hardened, the weight of their mission settling on his shoulders once more. "No matter the cost. We finish this."
As the wind kicked up, the sound of distant engines grew louder. A convoy of black SUVs appeared on the horizon, kicking up dust as they neared. Mike stood, his eyes narrowing.
"Looks like we're not the only ones who think this is just beginning," he muttered.
Johnny stood beside him, a smirk playing on his lips. "Then we're ready."
Tory was already adjusting her gear, her stance confident. "Let's go."
The convoy pulled up, and from the lead vehicle stepped Lyle Sorrentino. His expression was cold, unreadable as ever, but there was a glint in his eye—a shared understanding that, for all they had been through, the real war was only beginning.
"I trust you're all ready," Sorrentino said, his voice low, but tinged with something that resembled approval.
Mike nodded. "We're ready."
Johnny cracked his neck, his grin wide. "Let's get to work."
Tory adjusted her weapon, her voice calm but firm. "This is just the beginning."
As the convoy of vehicles roared to life, the trio moved toward the darkness ahead. The past had shaped them, but it was the future that called them forward. A future where they would stand together against the shadows, where they would fight until the world was no longer controlled by unseen forces.
The battle was far from over. But for the first time in a long time, Mike felt a flicker of hope. The ghosts of his past would always be with him. But he no longer ran from them. He faced them head-on. And with his team by his side, he would fight until the shadows were no more.
End of the Series