Chapter Five: The Ring of Fire

The fire started quietly.
That was always the worst kind.
Richard Marchenko stared at the satellite feed without blinking. A thin red circle pulsed on the screen, slowly tightening, like a predator closing in on wounded prey. Multiple heat signatures. Too many for coincidence.
“Someone’s playing chess,” Richard muttered. “And they’re not losing on purpose.”
Behind him, the Cobra operations room hummed with low voices and electronics. Screens glowed. Coffee cups stood abandoned. Nobody relaxed when a red circle appeared on the map.
The hacker known only as Ghost tapped rapidly on his keyboard.
“Encrypted traffic just spiked. Military-grade. Whoever they are, they’re nervous.”
“Good,” Richard replied. “Nervous people make mistakes.”
The French Legionnaire leaned against the wall, arms crossed, helmet tucked under his arm. He studied the map like a man inspecting bad weather.
“In this terrain,” he said calmly, “I feel like a rhinoceros in an electronics store.”
A few quiet chuckles followed. Tension cracked—just a little.
Richard allowed himself half a smile. Half.
“Try not to knock over the TVs,” he said. “They’re expensive.”
The red circle tightened again.
“Target confirmed,” Ghost said. “Multiple armed groups converging. Looks like a meeting.”
“Or a funeral,” Richard replied. “Depends who arrives first.”
The insertion was fast. Silent. Surgical.
Cobra moved like a shadow with teeth.
Night swallowed them whole as they advanced through the rocky terrain. Heat shimmered in the distance. The smell of burning oil hung in the air.
Richard signaled halt.
Two enemies appeared ahead, unaware. Laughing. Relaxed.
Bad habit.
Richard closed the distance in three steps. His fist struck the first man square in the face. Bone cracked. The man staggered back, swallowing air like a python that had just tried to eat a tram.
The second man reached for his weapon.
He didn’t finish the thought.
The Legionnaire moved in, fast and precise. A single touch. The man collapsed, eyes wide, body suddenly forgetting how to function.
“Still breathing?” Richard asked.
“For now,” the Legionnaire replied. “Bad day for him. Worse morning.”
Richard nodded.
“Let’s