Mark placed his morning coffee on the coaster on his desk and sat in his chair. He pressed the power button on his laptop and then immediately retrieved his mobile before it rang more than once. A quick glance at the screen, and he answered, “What do you have for me, John?”

“We have confirmed his location. He lives in his place of business and not in a separate loft as your intelligence led us to believe.”

“Will everything be set up in time?” Mark wanted operation “First-Color” to go without a hitch. The second anniversary of Adam Black’s failed attempt at his life was coming up, and he had waited long enough to take his revenge.

“Affirmative. The State’s team reported this morning that the target is clueless.”

It surprised Mark somewhat to learn Black was unaware of his men’s surveillance. Either he was toying with them, or the Order wasn’t training its people the way they used to. Or perhaps he was simply being complacent. With cameras on every corner, it wasn’t long before one stopped noticing them. Two years in hiding, without the need for constant vigilance, would be enough to make anyone drop their guard. It would make him an easy target.

“Good.”

“We also compiled a dossier on the novice, Zachary Alexander, and the studio Black owns, as you requested. I will have the documents forwarded to you today.”

“Anything else?”

John responded, “Yes, Black has been seen leaving one of his student’s home. A Rachel Flanagan. At this point, there is a reason to suspect he is recruiting her for their goals.”

“Have the analysts compile a report on her as well. I expect to see it by tomorrow morning.”

“Understood,” John replied. “Sir?”

“What is it, John?” Mark sighed in irritation. His notes from the most recent interrogation of Hurston were opened and he wanted to get his report finished.

“We will need more than one team in St. Louis to ensure success on First-Color.”

“Your reconnaissance concluded one team per location on all the other targets are more than adequate.”

“That’s true, sir, and one team would be enough if Black was still injured. Our analysts cannot determine why, but physically, it’s as if he were never hurt at all, let alone of the magnitude our files claim. The team in St. Louis has confirmed he is at full strength and a formidable enemy.”

Mark mulled over this distressing news, subconsciously touching the scar on his thigh. Two years ago, Black took out six men, by himself, before being overpowered. His attack had been a flurry of movements, and Mark’s team had been too slow despite their own training. It had been a lucky shot that had downed the one assassin before the fight dissolved in to intense hand-to-hand combat. The Order still had a one up on them when it came to fisticuffs.

“How many teams are you requesting?”

“Two additional teams, sir.”

Three teams total? Mark wasn’t sure he could secure the manpower requested for this operation. All his available men were dispatched to the other identified targets. Only his desire to see Black fall made him agree, “You will have them.”