Page 88 of Broken Oath

The kind his team should have had.

Every time Rook closed his eyes, he saw the mountain.

Hammer falling.

Ghost disappearing into fire.

Tex bleeding beneath his hands.

Ridge walking toward the storage building.

Bishop standing behind the machine gun.

Viking smiling before his final stand.

The memories never stopped.

They simply learned new ways to hurt.

Sniper stared out his window.

For a long moment, neither man spoke.

Then Sniper broke the silence.

“They’d tell you to sleep.”

Rook released a hard laugh without humor.

“They’re dead.”

Silence returned.

Rain drummed against the roof.

Sniper looked toward the diner again.

After a moment, he nodded.

“Yeah.”

No lecture.

No argument.

Because he carried the same ghosts.

Rook glanced at the clock.

7:32.

“Did you see him inside?”

“No.”

“Anyone watching the exits?”

“Two men in the rear booth. Construction workers. One older woman at the counter. Waitress. Cook.”