Chapter 3: A Team Assembled

Chapter 3: A Team Assembled

Ethan Carter ran a hand through his tousled brown hair, staring at the satellite images spread across his desk. The coordinates Langley had provided pointed to a remote section of the Himalayas—uncharted, buried under ice for centuries. If the Kanjir Citadel was there, it would be the greatest archaeological discovery of the decade.

But something about this didn’t sit right.

Langley wasn’t a philanthropist. He didn’t fund expeditions out of the kindness of his heart. Whatever this "relic" was, Langley wanted it badly. Too badly. And that meant Ethan needed to be careful about who he brought with him.

He grabbed his phone and dialed a number.

It rang twice before a gruff voice answered. “Took you long enough, Carter.”

Ethan smirked. “Still breaking bones for a living, Lucas?”

Lucas Reyes—ex-military, expert mountaineer, and Ethan’s old partner in more than one dangerous expedition. They hadn’t spoken in over a year, not since their last job went sideways in Bolivia.

“I only break bones when necessary,” Lucas replied. “What do you need?”

Ethan didn’t waste time. “A climb. The Himalayas. High altitude, extreme cold, possible hostile interference.”

A pause. Then Lucas chuckled. “Sounds like a death wish.”

“Sounds like a challenge,” Ethan countered.

Another pause. Then: “I’m in.”

One down. Two to go.

Ethan’s next call was to Dr. Sophia Lane, a geologist and historian specializing in lost civilizations. She answered with the same sharp wit Ethan had always appreciated.

“This better not be about the time you ‘borrowed’ my research without asking,” she said.

Ethan grinned. “No, but I still maintain that was a misunderstanding.”

Sophia sighed. “What do you want, Carter?”

“I need someone who knows ancient Himalayan cultures inside and out,” he said. “You’re the best.”

Flattery worked—sometimes.

Sophia was quiet for a moment. Then she said, “Where are we going?”

He gave her the basics. She didn’t hesitate. “Send me the details. I’ll pack my gear.”

Two down. One more.

Ethan’s last call was to Daniel Briggs, a former government contractor turned expedition logistics expert. If they ran into trouble—which they would—Briggs was the guy who could get them out.

But when Ethan dialed, the call went straight to voicemail.

He frowned. Briggs never ignored his calls.

Something wasn’t right.

He grabbed his jacket and headed out. Briggs lived in a small but heavily secured apartment in the city. When Ethan arrived, the front door was ajar. His instincts flared.

Slowly, he pushed it open. Inside, the place was a wreck—papers scattered, furniture overturned, a lamp shattered on the floor.

And in the middle of it all, a single black playing card sat on the table.

A calling card.

Ethan picked it up, his pulse hammering. He knew who this belonged to.

Damian Voss.

The infamous thief. The Shadow.

Ethan clenched his jaw. If Voss was involved, this mission had just become even more dangerous.

And if Voss had already gotten to Briggs… Ethan and his team might be next.

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