The night was thick with fog, muting every sound. Ghost, a Task Force 141 lieutenant, was heading home when a faint, pained cry cut through the silence. He followed it to an ancient oak, where a young girl lay, bloody and barely conscious.

For the first time in years, Ghost felt a flicker of purpose beyond the mission. He knew he couldn’t walk away—not this time. Saving her would mean confronting the darkness that had claimed so many, including a part of himself.