As the smoke clears, he stares at Joe Roome. Joe reloads and aims… “why?” The last word of a dying man as it seeps from his bloody lips with his shallow breath escaping. “The 6th… I Honor by Breaking.”

Retired… Joe is a peaceful man now that had and still has a code he follows. His past life led him to this one. His past life brought him clarity and conclusion. He was chasing the escape of reality and came to the realization that his reality is not one to escape. 21 years ago he found a path in a world of uncertainty. Losing his family because of his work led him to this understanding of his world. Death follows or Death runs. In Joe’s case, he made sure he made his path and determined what Death would do.

The company Joe worked for were hired help per say… hired to take out others in the path of those that wanted to gain power. They paid handsomely and at a young age Joe knew his skillset and what he was gaining. His naivety led him to realize there was no way out. Unless he made his way. Married and with a baby on the way, Joe knew he needed a change. Unfortunately his company did not see that. They wanted Joe to understand his importance to their business and all that he knew meant he could not walk away…

Brussels… 6am… Joe’s phone vibrates. Missed call from his wife. Joe tries repeatedly to call back… straight to voicemail. A knock on his hotel room door. His director, Ty Caps, is standing there with a blank stare on his face. “Joe, I am so sorry…” Joe grips his fists, “just tell me.” The pulsation of his own blood pressure in his head muffles Ty’s words. Joe falls into Ty’s arms as he is for the first time broken and alone again.

“Who did this?” Joe asks as his head is in his hands trying to comprehend his loss. “We believe it was the father of the last hit… The Verona brothers were going to leak the company’s employees. We had to take them out. Unfortunately they were able to get two names out before we got them. Their father seek vengeance on you and on Mark. Joe Roome and Mark Youshio were the two best the company had. They both had taken multiple players out for those in power. They grew to become best of friends while battling for the top hitman spot in their company. All that work led to this day. Mark was killed in a house fire and Joe’s wife was killed in a car crash… Joe knows the truth now.

“This is not over Ty… take me off the schedule… my only purpose now is Verona.” Ty grabs Joe’s hand… cool and tight skin on Joe’s knuckles. Joe glances up at him… “Do not try anything to change my mind” Joe whispers as Ty nods. “You have my word Joe.”

JFK… Joe walks out of the airport, takes a breath, and looks down at the picture of Anthony Verona… the head of the East Verona Mob Family in New York. “My company takes your sons, you take my wife and best friend… I take you…”