There Has Been a Murderer in the Family

Prologue

Mark R. Chandar clenched his fist. Rage boiled in him. A fierce rage, doubled up with a painful sorrow in his heart. He understands now. He understands Vigil's motives before he shot him dead. He watched Kapkan and his unit cahorting across the canteen. He stabbed at his food listlessly with his fork. The news struck him hard and he hated someone so viciously now. He looked at Fuze. Shuhrat Kessikbayev, kind of a loner. Easy to catch alone in the workshop these days. Since Jäger retired early, and now many of the people who used to frequent the workshop stopped visiting or are dead, like Twitch and Ying. He decided he was first. An easy target. Tachanka would also be easy to lure out. He would feel guilty about Lera, after having heard Gustave tell her about what Emmanuelle said to him before she died. He twirled the fork between his fingers. He felt a hand on his shoulder and shot a cold glare at the man who touched him. The hand was withdrawn. Thatcher stood over him, his dark brown eyes held only shock and a minor fear. He knew if Mark was in a bad mood, not to mess with him. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words failed him as Mark looked down at his food, mauled upon his plate.

The younger man stood up to head off to the workshop. He knew what would happen from there. And exactly how things can play out from there. There was no soothing his rage. Only the blood of all five of them could bring him peace. And he was going to go straight to hell and back to get it if he had to. As he marched off to the workshop Thatcher was left behind, confused and worried for his younger teammate. He decided the young man was best left alone for now. The grief still too fresh in his heart. Even Sledge hadn't emerged after their beloved prankster had gone, claiming the common room was "too quiet" now. And he was right. As everything fell into place for Mark, he felt his lover would be proud of him. His heart twisted by rage, whereas his two comrades didn't even know what to do with themselves. He had a plan. He was going to make James Porter, his fiancé and lover, so very proud.