If Khan said this is the place…
Natalia lifted a fist high in the air and signaled for those around her to stop. Standing a safe distance from the compound’s crude wooden door, she motioned for Agent Miller to do his thing.
In addition to being a rockstar best friend, Julian was also the most brilliant explosives expert in the business. She’d been quite forthcoming with that particular fact months earlier, during her meeting with the director of the CIA.
The opportunity to take the lead on this op had come as a shock, but Natalia had accepted the offer right there, on the spot. She did, however, lay down one condition…
She got to have a say in her team.
Director Benson had countered this by letting her chooseonefellow agent for what he’d deemed the “mission of a lifetime.” She’d been given twenty-four hours to decide.
It took less than ten seconds.
Julian Miller, Sir. He’s the agent I want.
Benson made the call to Julian before she’d ever left the man’s office. As for Keith, the other twelve operatives on the ground, and the two choppers that were incoming shortly, those decisions had been made by the man in charge.
Julian slid the black backpack from his broad shoulders and cautiously approached the door. As planned, Natalia, Keith, and a handful of other field agents watched the front while the rest spread out to ensure coverage of the structure’s entire perimeter.
She watched with bated breath as Julian assess the entryway for any signs of tampering or some sort of trap. From overhis shoulder, he gave a dip of his smooth-shaven chin before crouching down to begin rummaging through his bag.
Natalia released a silent sigh of relief while Julian expertly placed low-velocity explosives in the areas of the door. When he was finished, he grabbed the bag from the ground and motioned for her and the others to step back.
“Fire in the hole!” Julian yelled, pressing a button on the small black box held securely in his fist.
The group looked away and covered their heads with their arms as the door was blown off its hinges. Hundreds of splinters burst out into the air. Sparks flew and a cloud of dust billowed.
Just as they’d planned, Keith was the first to enter, immediately followed by Julian and Natalia. Half of the task force remained outside to stand watch while the others filed in behind her.
Aside from what appeared to be the basic necessities, the first three rooms they cleared were barren. The fourth door led to a toilet and sink, and the next entryway they crossed through took them into the kitchen.
Natalia spotted a set of double-doors at the very end of a narrow hall.
“There,” she whispered to Julian and Keith. “The hostages could be in there.” The gun in her hand remained steady as she began moving that way.
“On your six, boss,” Julian whispered back.
Keith said nothing, but she knew he was there.
They reached the doors, but rather than open them, Natalia stopped and turned back to the five agents standing together behind her two teammates. Pointing to the staircase on the left, she ordered them to begin clearing the home’s second floor.
Her gaze met Julian’s before sliding to Keith’s. Both men nodded once, letting her know without words that they were ready to make entry into the other room.
Natalia turned back around. She reached for the doorknob. Her eyes fell shut for only a second, but long enough to send up a final, silent prayer.
Please let them be in here. Please let the hostages be okay.
With the barrel of her gun pointing straight ahead she used her free hand to open the door. She stood back so Julian could cover up top while Keith bent low to sweep the bottom portion of the space ahead.
It was dark. Windowless. Black as freaking night. Natalia reached up and flipped on the small, mounted flashlight attached to her gun. Her fellow agents did the same.
They began looking around, ready to take out any threat that came their way. But there wasn’t a threat. Not one they could see. Instead, all they found was?—
She gasped, the sound echoing through the otherwise silent space.
“Son of a bitch.” Julian spat out the curse as he brushed past on his way to the pile of bodies.
“They killed them,” Natalia muttered low, the disbelief in her voice obvious even to her.
