Chapter One: Fall from Grace

The sun was just leaving the sky when a black government vehicle made its way down what locals called rich man’s row and pulled slowly into the roundabout driveway of the Tam Manor.

Before stepping out of the vehicle, the young man in the passenger’s seat turned to face his twin counterpart.

They had both been given this mission and shared the objective, which meant the success or failure of it would begin or end both of their careers.

“Are you ready?” He asked Akil and the other young man turned his empty green gaze on him. Their eyes locked and a look of significance passed between them; a mere glance that would be lost on all others.

“When have I ever let you down Bastiaan?” was the terse, almost monotone reply. “Let’s get this done,” Akil said as he opened his door, suddenly anxious to be outside and away from his twin.

“Yes,” Bastiaan replied, “Let’s. The Tams have been most troublesome to the Alliance. It is about time that this ridiculous chase came to an end.”

Approaching the house, Akil and Bastiaan walked up the large marble stairway that led to the front door. To anyone unfamiliar with their idiosyncrasies, it would seem that they were walking to a cadence that only they could hear, neither of them getting out of step once.

Bastiaan rang the doorbell once and waited patiently, hands at his side. Akil on the other hand was nervous and Bastiaan could sense it. This would be his first true mission for the Alliance. Until now, Bastiaan had been the only active one, but the instructor had seemed convinced that Akil was ready. Bastiaan however, had his doubts.

Anyone could see that the boy was emotional, lacked skill in both combat and conversation, and Bastiaan had no doubt in his mind that Akil was a danger to the operation and the Alliance in general.

Akil may have been his brother at one point in time, but Bastiaan was far beyond the call of blood and had been for years. At this juncture, he was not exactly giddy at the prospect that his entire career was