Rome, the capital of Italy.
An occasional scream echoed from a factory in the suburbs, muffled by the thick walls of the building, so when the sounds reached the outside, they were no longer very distinct.
All the windows inside the factory were covered with black tape, blocking any light from outside and preventing anyone from peering in.
The interior was dark and ominous, with tarp-covered old steel equipment and dust covering the floor, suggesting it had been a long time since anyone had been here.
In the middle of the factory, a dim incandescent bulb shone, illuminating the 13 people beside it: one person was hanging from a steel beam, one stood in front of him conducting an interrogation, while the remaining 11, armed with guns exuding a metallic air, stood guard around the perimeter.
The interrogator was none other than Mark Pen, the combat team leader from the dossier Steve had provided to Ren He.
