König’s mission was supposed to be quick and quiet due to its proximity to civilians, but had gone absolutely sideways.

And now he was left injured in the middle of a snowstorm in fading daylight, isolated from his team by broken comm system.

He’d headed towards the lights in the distance, knowing this was ranchers’ land.

He found the barn dark and empty, too exhausted to think much about it before he stumbled inside and collapsed against the wall.