Chapter 1: The Catalyst (Shadows of Orion)

Sam Kincaid’s cabin was the kind of place you didn’t find unless you were looking to disappear. Tucked into the dense pine forests of Montana, it had no Wi-Fi, no phone signal, and the nearest neighbor was a grizzly bear with a bad temper. Sam liked it that way.

He spent his mornings chopping wood, his afternoons fixing whatever piece of his cabin the weather had decided to destroy, and his evenings with a bottle of whiskey that barely dulled the memories. Memories of dust-covered streets, the crackle of radio chatter, and the mission that had cost his entire team their lives.

But peace wasn’t meant to last.

The knock at his door came just after sunset, a sharp rap that shattered the quiet like a gunshot. Sam grabbed the pistol he kept under the table and moved toward the door.

“Sam Kincaid?” a voice called. A woman’s voice, sharp and commanding.

Sam opened the door a crack, enough to see the figure standing on his porch. She was mid-30s, wearing a leather jacket and an expression that screamed trouble.

“Who’s asking?” Sam growled.

“Maya Torres,” she said, holding up a badge that gleamed in the fading light. “Intelligence Division. We need to talk.”

“I’m retired,” Sam said, already closing the door.

“It’s about your sister.”

The door stopped. Sam’s grip on the frame tightened.

“What about her?”

“She’s missing,” Maya said. “And before she disappeared, she sent us this.”

She handed him a flash drive. Sam stared at it for a moment before stepping aside to let her in.

The Message

The file on the drive was a shaky video, shot in what looked like a lab. Sam’s sister, Rachel, was wide-eyed and speaking in a frantic whisper.

“They’re called Orion,” she said. “They’re not just black-market dealers—they’re building something. Something big. I don’t have much time, but—”

A loud crash cut her off. The video ended abruptly.

Sam set the laptop down, his jaw clenched.

“Why come to me?” he asked.

Maya crossed her arms. “Because Orion doesn’t leave loose ends. And you’re the only person who’s ever gone head-to-head with them and survived.”

Sam laughed bitterly. “And look where that got me.”

“Look, I don’t care about your pity party,” Maya snapped. “I care about finding Rachel before it’s too late. So are you in, or should I leave you here to rot?”

Sam looked out the window, past the trees, to the quiet life he’d carved out for himself. It wasn’t much, but it was safe. It was simple.

And it was a lie.

He grabbed his old duffel bag from under the bed, slinging it over his shoulder.

“I’m in,” he said.

Maya smirked. “Good. You’re going to regret this.”