“Not for another two hours, and that’s jumping on another country’s asset.”
Talon concentrated the drone over the building behind the walls and gate. “That has to be him,” Jug said as they saw three heat signatures, one alone in the corner of the area and the other two standing a considerable distance away. Talon would agree, but he double-checked the area to ensure no one else was present as a solitary figure. No, the others were free moving.
“Secluded,” Jug said, nodding his head again. “Got to be our diplomat.”
“Concur. Located and confirmed,” Talon said as he guided the drone back to where they huddled.
It took him only seconds to disassemble the drone and stow it in his pack. “Let’s go,” he ordered, and the team moved out. Talon adjusted his grip on his weapon, his gloved finger ready on the trigger as they moved over the shrub-covered landscape.
“Wolf,” he said as they approached the highest point outside the compound. Wolf peeled off andmade his way up the slope. Talon led the other three toward the perimeter fence. “Wolf?” he whispered.
“Standby, they’re looking your way.” Wolf’s hushed words came through the comms.
Talon glanced at his team and then back at the gate. He lifted his infrared binoculars and stared inside the fenced area. “Movement far right-hand corner. Two bodies, the engines are still hot on the vehicles, maybe more I can’t see.”
“Move,” Wolf said, which launched them forward in formation. They became shadows as they slipped through the fence line where it sagged next to a post that had broken. Talon moved through the gap first, his rifle sweeping in smooth arcs as he entered the compound.
“Team inside,” Talon relayed the information to Dude. Hammer followed him in, and they advanced with Jug and Stryker moving as a team behind them.
They startled the first sentry. He was leaning against a fuel barrel, smoking, when they turned the corner, Talon high and Hammer low. Startled, the man stood up and grabbed for his rifle. Two suppressed rounds stopped him in his tracks. One in the neck, one in the head. The man hit the ground with a muffled thud.
They stacked at the building door. Stryker triedthe door and frowned when it opened. He glanced at Talon, who nodded. Stryker pushed the door in. The rusty creak of the hinges brought no sound from the inside. Talon tapped Hammer on the shoulder, and they moved as one, entering the room. Talon sweeping right, Hammer sweeping left, before they advanced. They repeated the procedure in the hallway. Talon saw the man in front of him as he turned, and his rifle bucked in his grip. Double tap to the chest. The man dropped heavy and loud. They cleared the first floor fast. Two rooms had been occupied, one a storage area with crates marked in Cyrillic.
They heard men coming down the stairs before they saw them. Talon and Hammer waved Jug and Stryker back and waited. Four men came down single file. Talon signaled Hammer to wait. When the fourth man cleared the stairs, Talon lifted. He would rather have zip-tied their asses for friendly forces to question, but when they went for their guns, it was a moot point. They met their maker quickly and efficiently.
Hammer held up two fingers and pointed upstairs. Two remained in the building, excluding the two on the watchtower. Three, if you countedthe diplomat. And Talon was damn sure counting on bringing that son of a bitch out alive.
They cleared the stairwell and turned down the hall. Three small rooms were cleared before they reached a door with new bolt latches installed at the top and bottom of the door. Only the latches weren’t engaged, which meant the last two were inside with their primary.
“Flash and clear,” Talon whispered.
Jug reached into Stryker’s backpack and pulled out a flashbang. Stryker took it, pulled the pin, keeping the handle engaged. Talon lifted three fingers and slowly lowered them one at a time. At one, Hammer kicked the door open, and Stryker slid the device into the room.
White light snapped through the room, and seconds later, shouts were heard. Talon and his team moved like a scalpel. He cut right with his weapon up, while Hammer moved left. Stryker and Jug were on their six like fucking superglue.
The two guards reeled toward the door. Talon dropped the first one with a double tap to the chest and head. The second one lunged, and Jug tackled the fucker, pinning him to the ground with his knee on the man’s windpipe.
A man in the corner blinked wildly, trying to see.His face was bruised and swollen, and the zip ties were covered in blood, but he was alive. “Ambassador Pierce, Guardian Security.”
“Thank God.” The man tried to stand but collapsed.
“Stryker.” Talon sent his medic to the man. He glanced around the room. A flag and a video camera were set up along with two black hoods and a long sword. Talon glanced at Jug. “They weren’t going to ransom the ambassador; they were going to kill him.” Talon motioned to the asshole Jug was holding. “He comes with us. Keep him quiet.”
“You got it.” Jug lifted the guy and cracked him across the head with his Sig 226, knocking him out.
“Wolf, status.”
“Tower secure. Two tangos down.”
He glanced over at Stryker, who had the ambassador up and was assisting the man to walk. “Hammer, you got our six.”
“Copy.” The man fell to the rear of the procession with Talon on point. Jug slung the hostage taker over his shoulder, and Stryker stabilized the diplomat, keeping him upright and moving at their pace.
“Exiting.”
“Copy,” Wolf said. “I’ve got you. Come on out.”
“He’s a big one, Jug,” Hammer said quietly,nodding to the guy on Jug’s shoulder. “I’ll take him when you need a break.” Jug grunted in acknowledgement.
