The enemy of my enemy is my friend.With the help of retired detective Scott Maverick, John Stone is on the trail of the assassins that almost killed a friend. But they soon find themselves pulled away from the mission, when a group of rogue mercenaries shake things up and get onto the radar of the Hard Core.Roland Forrester has been adjusting to life after his own near-fatal injury, and reconnects with an old military friend from his past. Is there more to this meeting than he knows?To further complicate matters, the man that enlists John's aid to bring the mercenaries down is affiliated with The Order, the shadowy cabal that has been trying to take out John and everyone close to him.With innocent lives on the line, John and The Hard Core must navigate murky waters, and remind themselves that the world isn’t as simple as black and white.