The Ninth Year After the Calm

My wife's mercenary first love, Mason, exposed his location during a mission.

He was held hostage by enemy forces, who threatened to brand the humiliating word "slave" on his face with a red-hot iron skewer.

To protect her first love, my wife, Harper Vance, the team captain, actually drugged me and sent me to take his place.

As the iron skewer approached, I jerked awake and struggled desperately.

Harper instantly became furious, screaming at me:

"Don't move! Mason's mission cannot fail this