The Setup. The Long Game, #1

Six shadows. One impossible target. A heist that will redefine the meaning of professional crime. The Meridian Syndicate doesn't exist - at least not in any database the FBI can access. Former military operators, intelligence specialists, and technical experts with skills that blur the line between patriot and criminal, they've spent eighteen months executing a series of sophisticated thefts across the eastern seaboard.
Each job is a masterclass in precision. Each score builds toward something bigger. Detective Sarah Chen sees what others miss: patterns in crimes that seem unconnected, operational signatures that suggest military training, and an escalation that points toward a target most wouldn't dare imagine - the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. FBI Agent Marcus Webb carries the weight of personal tragedy into every investigation.
Eight years ago, his family died in a bank robbery. Now, partnering with Chen in an unauthorized investigation that could end both their careers, he's tracking criminals whose capabilities rival those of federal agencies. But as Chen and Webb close in, they discover their surveillance has been compromised from the beginning. The syndicate isn't just one step ahead - they've been watching, learning, and using the investigation itself as cover for an operation that will force everyone involved to question where the line between law enforcement and national security truly lies.