The air over the Markansu Desert stood still, devoid of will and emotions. Over a land where giants felt minuscule, not a wind harrowed the ancient formations. Steadfast and resolute, the Tajik earth ebbed into the horizon while its mountains reaped the fruits of the snow.

Somewhere in the distance, a Toyota Hilux was dashing on the road. A mere speckle, it sought not to upset the eternal repose.

All was about to change, however. The dust, no matter how settled, must eventually be stirred and renewed. With the crater firmly in sight, the truck performed a wide turn and pulled over.

The driver stepped out of the vehicle. He removed the keffiyeh scarf from his face. At the edge of the immeasurably wide crater, he found the disused mining settlement down below.

Twelve months and eight days–that was how long he chased the Zephyr. And here they were, holed up in an ex-Soviet installation for the past forty-two days, a break in their tradition. Which warranted immediate action.

Two Predator drones were at his disposal, each circling the high sky with electronic counter-measuring pods. To slay a demon, he had brought the appropriate weapon. He reached for his mobile device that was velcroed to his tactical vest. He tapped its screen and opened up an encrypted military channel.

"JTC Bagram, this is agent Alberto Perez, callsign Alpha One. I'm in position, over."

"Copy that, Alpha One. Sending reinforcement to your coordinates now. Commence Operation Kingdom Come, over and out."

"Here we go," said Alberto, drawing his Glock 19 pistol. His new boss, who was sitting in an air-conditioned room in Bagram Air Base, had just dispatched the US Army 1st Air Cavalry Brigade. They would cross the border into Tajikistan and head straight for his position. So time was ticking for him.

Alberto flexed his muscle. He felt like a new person, still. When the Five Eyes found him lying next to the river more than a year ago, he was already in critical condition. The doctors replaced his spinal cord with robotic implants after extensive rounds of surgeries. He was rebuilt, his limbs capable of exerting 110% of their initial strength.

Fixed man, part machine, recipient of wealthy people's technology. When Alberto woke up in the military infirmary, he found the five-nation spy chiefs waiting to interrogate him. Hostile, they asked how and why he joined the Zephyr and what he did over there. Knowing he was at their mercy, Alberto answered dutifully while sipping a plastic cup of water.

Satisfied, the chiefs lowered their hostility. They even displayed sympathy when learning how John Burke had betrayed him. So in return, they told him their side of the story.