71

Ghost stood in front of a small group of men, drawn from various cities in Italy. They owed him favors, their lives, and their unwavering loyalty. “You know what you have to do?” he asked rhetorically. “I don’t know how many are left...” He paused, swallowing hard. “But they are good men. Men who don’t deserve to die. Our mission is simple: first, a rescue mission, then a mission to eliminate the captors.” A twisted smile played on his lips. “Remember, bring all of my people back to me unharmed. Only then can you unleash hell.”

Some of the men nodded in agreement.

Ryder approached Ghost, leaning in to whisper, “Remind me again; why do we need them?”

“Because it’s war,” Ghost replied quietly. “And in war, we need men to fight.”

Ryder scratched his jaw, shaking his head. “I don’t know, doesn’t look much like a war to me,” he whispered back. “You and I could easily handle... the 8 or 9 men inside. We’ve dealt with more than this before.”

Ghost shook his head. “None of these men have big