Red looked around at the group of faces — the same faces that had trusted him to keep them all safe for so long. The crushing weight of responsibility sat heavily on his heart.

Now was not the time to dwell on feelings.

Rather, it was time to engage the head and the street smarts that had served him well over the last few years.

As he looked, each face told a different story, yet each carried the same fear, concern, and determination etched behind the grimy smears, along with one or two tears.

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