The night was deep and silent, with thick darkness enveloping the suburban forest. Only sporadic moonlight pierced through the clouds, casting mottled shadows on the ground.
Six "Cleaners" dressed in black combat suits silently appeared near Old Hammer's secluded villa, moving swiftly and quietly like a group of nocturnal hunters.
To distinguish friend from foe, the five had glowing barcodes stuck on their backs, clearly visible under the drone's infrared camera.
The drone operator stayed behind, directing their actions through real-time footage.
"The targets are Victor and Hammer—they both have some training," Lux whispered over the radio, "Priority is capture, but kill if necessary."
The five nodded in unison, approaching the villa along a tree-lined path. Every ten meters, they would stop, waiting for a team member to overtake them while receiving instructions from the drone operator.
The encrypted channel contained only brief commands, no unnecessary words.
