“What do you have?” Kawan asked.
“Tracking the beacon Specs had apparently managed to activate before they'd taken her,” Moose said. “Woman has mad skills.”
“Puts me to shame.” Jupiter puffed out his chest as if he were a proud man.
"Got them," Moose said. "Riverside Motel, about four miles east of here. Looks like they stopped moving about ten minutes ago."
"That's not a coincidence," Thor said grimly. "They picked that location for a reason."
"Isolated," Sloan observed, studying satellite imagery on his phone. "Single access road, clear sightlines in all directions. Easy to defend."
"Or easy to dispose of bodies without being seen," Kawan said darkly.
"We go in quiet," Thor decided. "Two-man entry team, the rest provide overwatch and extraction support." He glanced at his watch. “Brick, Pipe, and Tonka are five minutes out.”
"I'm going in," Kawan said.
"And me," Jupiter added.
Thor nodded. "Lief, you're our sniper, since Kawan’s going in. Find an elevated position with good sightlines of the motel. Sloan, you and Moose cover the access road—anyone tries to leave, you stop them. Brick's team will provide backup if things go sideways."
"What about Bradford and Alvarez?" Sloan asked.
"Still no contact," Thor replied. "We go with what we have."
The drive to the motel took eight minutes, but it felt like hours. Kawan checked his weapons for the third time, his jaw clenched so tight it ached. Every scenario running through his head ended with Lark bleeding out in some dingy motel room while he was too late to save her.
“I know what you’re thinking, but we’re gonna get there,” Jupiter said quietly. “We have to.”
“I’ll never forgive myself if something happens to her,” Kawan muttered.
The Riverside Motel was precisely what he'd expected—a run-down strip of rooms with peeling paint and broken neonsigns. The black sedan sat in front of room twelve, engine still ticking as it cooled.
"Eyes on target," Lief's voice came through the comm. "Room 12. Two heat signatures moving around inside, two stationary. I suspect our girls are tied up."
"Any other vehicles?" Thor asked.
"Negative. Just the sedan,” Leif said.
"Movement patterns?" Thor asked.
"One pacing near the window, one by the door. Classic overwatch positions,” Lief added.
Kawan and Jupiter approached from the rear of the building, using the shadows cast by the afternoon sun for cover. The motel was built in a simple L-shape, with room twelve at the far end of the long side.
"Bathroom window," Jupiter whispered, pointing to a small, frosted window near the back corner of the room.
They moved carefully, testing each step to avoid making noise on the gravel. When they reached the window, Kawan cupped his hands and boosted Jupiter up so he could peer inside.
"Shit," Jupiter breathed. "Lark's in bad shape. Looks like they worked her over pretty good."
White-hot rage flooded Kawan's system. "Can you see Specs?"
"Tied to a chair near the bed. Black eye, cracked lip, scared shitless.” Jupiter dropped down. "Wes is by the door, Mina's got a position near the front window. They're not expecting company from the back."
"Window's too small for entry," Kawan observed. "We go through the wall."
"How?"
