Page 122 of Wrecked
He continued south until he was past restricted airspace, then veered east. They were behind schedule, but he could make up time in the air. The weather was perfect. No wind, no rain, great visibility. He felt confident they’d complete the mission successfully and fly home as the sun was cresting the horizon.
Forty-minutes later, he touched down in a deserted field two miles from the wooded homesite, and cut the engine. He removed his headset, slid the comm into his ear.
“Blades are still moving,” he said. “Attach your silencer before you exit. Tommy, the mic in the comm is strong enough to pick up a whisper.”
“Copy,” Tommy replied.
“Stryker and Emersion will enter through the back door. Everyone else, through the front,” Hawk said. “Ready?”
They each answered to the affirmative.
After exiting the bird, they strapped on their helmets, lowered the night-vision goggles, and made their way north. Hawk set the pace. He didn’t want to push them hard, but this wasn’t a stroll in the park either. His pulse was slow and steady, as was his breathing. He lived for these missions, but he knew that things could go sideways fast. While he rarely got rattled, not every Operative had his calm demeanor.
When leading a mission, he wasn’t just aware of his own surroundings, he always tried to stay cognizant of his team’s as well. That would pose a challenge because his team was heading to different floors.
They entered the woods in their two-person formation. He and Addison, Tommy and Barry, Stryker and Emerson.
On occasion, someone stepped on a stick, the crack of wood piercing his ears. As they made their way toward the rear of the home, he slowed his pace.
It was five ‘til four. The foliage thinned out the closer they got to the house. Two lights shone from two different rooms upstairs. The basement was dark. Hawk stopped, motioned for Stryker and Emerson to approach the back door.
“Wait for my command before you breach,” he murmured.
“Copy,” Stryker replied.
He and the remaining three took off toward the front. The house was dark. He stood with his back against the side of the home and peered around the corner. The front porch light was off.
“We have to move fast, once we’re on the porch,” he murmured. “Try the back door.”
“Unlocked,” Emerson murmured.
“On three,” Hawk said before glancing back at his team. “One, two—”
He rushed up the steps to the front door and tried the handle. It, too, was unlocked. He burst in, Addison close on his heels.
Leaving Tommy and Barry to clear the first floor, he and Addison strode toward the staircase. Hawk took the steps two at a time. At the top of the stairs, he eyed the hallway. All the doors were closed. “First room on the right,” he murmured. “We doing left-right?”
“Copy,” she whispered.
He flung open the door. Two men were sleeping in the double bed. One rolled over. Even in the dark, he confirmed they were two of the fugitives.
POP! POP! POP! POP!
Per their usual plan of attack, Hawk took out the man on the left while Addison shot the man on the right.
Addison checked the closet. “Clear.”
They hurried out, crossed the hall. Addison entered first. One in the bed, two sleeping on the floor, to the left of the bed.
Addison readied her shot on the lone man in bed.POP! POP!
Hawk took out both fugitives on the floor.POP! POP! POP! POP!
A door down the hall slammed shut.
“Things just got interesting,” Hawk whispered.
She pointed to the light spilling from the bottom of the closed door. They flipped up their goggles, burst into the next room. A man, lying in bed raised his arm, a gun in his hand, and started firing.
