No one answered for a moment.
Finally, Ian said, “Likely, he’s inside that villa.”
Mike’s jaw flexed hard.
An analyst called out, “Crescent One is three hours out. Bravo is holding the villa’s perimeter.”
Ian nodded. “We hit both targets the second they arrive.”
THE VILLA
The surge of electricity hit him like molten lead ripping through muscle, stealing breath, lighting nerve endings on fire. His body arched against the restraints, teeth bared in a silent snarl before a broken sound escaped him. His heart skipped beats. Sweat and blood streaked down his face.
Krueger crouched in front of him, eyes bright with manic pleasure. “Say her name. Go on. Let’s hear it.”
Dante forced his head up, his breaths rattling. “No.”
Krueger smiled with delight. “Then we keep going.” He nodded to the guard.
The wires hummed again, and Dante’s world went white.
OVERWATCH SCRUBLAND
Bravo lay prone along the ridge, scopes trained on the compound. Dusk threw the villa into jagged shadows. “There’re no signs of Khalil,” Sean said.
“We saw Krueger kill his men. If I were Khalil, I’d hightail it out of there,” Ford said.
“Power flicker,” Friend husked. “Twice.”
Red confirmed from the drone feed, “Electrical spike coming from the northeast room.”
Sabra’s voice was low. “They’re torturing him.”
Callow looked at Sean Paulsen, face tight. “Sean… give the word.”
Sean’s voice was ice. “Not without Crescent One. Orders stand.”
Ford’s quiet voice anchored them. “Eyes up. When the greenlight hits, we move.”
They lay in the sand, each knowing exactly what a flicker of light meant.
THE VILLA
The clamps bit into his skin. The wires hissed. The next surge lit every nerve in his body. This time, he couldn’t hold the scream.
Krueger leaned in, almost tender. “That’s it. That’s the sound of a man breaking.”
Dante gritted his teeth. “Not… yet.”
Krueger’s smile widened.
WAR ROOM
Three feeds lit up:
Shannon’s Black Hawk orbiting the convoy.
Bravo’s drone centered on the villa.
