“Listen up!” Mikey shouts, climbing onto a dusty, wooden chair that looks as if it will collapse any second. “Since I got us all super badass masks, I say we are no longer Special Operations Nemesis. That died with Scott’s betrayal. We are now officially Reapers.”
A small round of applause and cheers sounds all around them. Riley simply shakes his head and walks back to their pile of equipment.
“This is why your mask looks like a little devil. Because you’re a brat, Michael,” Liz says, looking up at him.
“Aww, don’t full name me,” he whines, hopping down from his chair.
“Then don’t goof off right now. You know how on edge Ry is. He is genuinely worried about what is going to happen. You can celebrate and change whatever you want if we make it out of this. For now, can you just be Sergeant Michael Torres, super bad ass soldier and best right-hand man to your commander?” Liz pleads.
His face softens when he looks at the worry in her eyes. “You’re right, darlin. This isn’t the time or place, but you better believe when this is over, I am throwing the biggest party you have ever seen. We have a few things that need celebrating,” he says with a pointed look at her left hand.
Her cheeks warm and she stuffs her hand into her pocket. He smiles, placing a kiss onto the top of her head before marching away to double check their weapons.
She lets out a shaky breath and goes to where the team is huddled around the fire, prepping their MREs. Dropping to sit on the floor with them, Liz starts mentally preparing for the longest night of her life.
CHAPTER 45
By the second morning Liz is positive she isn’t the only one unable to sleep. The waiting and anticipation are slowly driving her insane. When the first rays of light filtered in through the tiny windows, everyone was on their feet. After a quick breakfast of rehydrated eggs, they got into their gear and spent the rest of the morning waiting for General Langford to reach back out.
She sits on the neat row of bed rolls with Maya and Lauren, laughing about how horrible she was during her jump training. Mikey has Matt and Liam outside, setting up a C4 charge just down the road.
The sharp static that comes from the small device forces everyone to a stop. Every set of eyes watches as Riley steadily walks over, waiting for General Langford to speak to him.
“Corson, you there?” his voice cuts through the thick crackles.
“Yes, sir.”
“My men are twelve miles out. Ground forces are in position around the perimeter. The airstrike will be carried out within thehour. My lead satellite controller will update you from here on out.”
“Thank you, sir,” Riley says.
“We have eyes on Murphy. He was last spotted fleeing in a black SUV, unarmored. Three vehicles with ten men are with him, give or take. Murphy is in the middle. Taking the main road to your location. Approximately thirty minutes until he reaches you,” the new voice calls.
Liz instantly feels nauseous. The rest of the team is on their feet, piling the last of their gear on. Mikey radios to Matt and Liam to get back to base.
“Thank you. I am putting one of mine on, relay any information you can to her, and she will get it to us,” Riley tells him. He locks eyes with Maya, signaling her to go to him.
“You’re sitting this one out. We need to know everything she says, the second he says it, understood?”
“Yes, sir,” Maya practically whispers.
Liz watches the poor girl. She looks terrified, and it brings her right back to that first real mission she demanded to go on. The sound of a bullet tearing through flesh echoes through her ears. Pushing the thought out of her head, Liz throws herself into the rest of her gear and piles her weapons onto her body. When she is fully geared up, Liz takes over for Riley, teaching Maya how to relay messages so he can get ready.
Within minutes the team barrels out the door and drops into position. So full of fear and adrenaline, Liz is sweating under her layers. Slowly, she looks around, unable to spot any of the team in their positions, easing her anxiety slightly. If she knows where they are and still can’t find them, chances are Dmitri’s men won’t find them either.
A soft, timid voice cuts through the silence. “Convoy is two miles from the explosives,” Maya says into their earpieces.
“I have eyes on it. Everyone stay in position and wait for detonation,” Mikey orders.
The world around them stills. The wind slows. The birds stop chirping. It’s like the whole area is holding its breath, waiting to see what is going to happen. The only indicator of what’s to come is the glint of sun reflecting off Alex’s scope. While Mikey detonates his explosives, Alex will shoot through the window of the last car, stopping Scott’s vehicle from escaping.
From there, the remainder of the team goes in on foot, wiping out the rest of the men transporting him. Unable to close her eyes, Liz focuses on breathing through the anxiety, trying to ignore her brain screaming everything that could go wrong.
The blast shakes her to her core. The ground rumbles beneath her as Mikey detonates his explosives, sending the first vehicle rolling onto its side. Pulling her mask down from her helmet, she climbs to her feet, gun aimed and ready. By the time she makes it the short distance to the explosion, most of the team is there, trying to shield themselves from incoming fire.
Gunshots on both sides ring out around them. Liz skirts around the building, finding Riley and Mikey ducking behind trees between shots. She stays hidden, firing her own weapon at the men tucked behind the cars. There is so much chaos hidden in the smoke, she has no way of knowing if their shots are landing. The only indicator is the sound of less and less shots being fired until they stop altogether. Riley signals to her, Mikey, and anyone else who may be concealed around them. They stop firing for only a moment.
“Push forward. The three of us will come in from this side. Matt, Neil, Lauren, go in from the back. John, Liam, Tyler, get to the other side. If they try to flee, stop them,” Riley orders.
