Logan's grip tightened on his rifle. Somewhere in that compound was Mara. Three days in Nazari's hands. Three days of interrogation and confinement and whatever else that monster had done to her. But that was about to end. In the next few minutes, she'd either be free or they'd all be dead trying.
"Rotation complete. Window is open. Execute, execute, execute."
Logan moved. The whole team moved. Fluid. Silent. Covering the distance to the compound wall with practiced efficiency. Bulldog placed the breaching charge on the main gate while Risk and Joker covered the approaches. Hawk hand-signaled the countdown. Three. Two. One.
The charge blew with a muffled thump that punched the gate inward. Delta poured through the opening, weapons up, moving to predetermined positions. Logan heard the second breach to the east. Shadow Veil hitting their entry point simultaneously. The compound erupted into chaos.
Guards reacted slower than they should have. Sleep-deprived. Overconfident. Two went down from Logan's suppressed rifle before they even raised their weapons. Bulldog took out a third. Joker dropped a fourth who was trying to reach an alarm.
"Main building, three hostiles," Hawk reported, moving toward the largest structure. "Engaging."
Logan wanted to follow. Wanted to be the one who found Nazari and put him down. But that wasn't his job tonight. His job was Mara. Everything else was secondary.
He broke off from the main team and headed for the small structure on the east side. The one with the isolated heat signature. Risk followed, medical pack ready. They moved quickly, clearing corners, checking for threats.
Shadow Veil had already reached the building. Nadia stood at the door with a breaching charge ready. Winter covered the approach. Sloane saw Logan and nodded once. Professional. Focused. Then she signaled Nadia to breach.
The door blew inward and Logan was through it before the smoke cleared. Small room. Concrete. A cot against one wall. And there, on the floor beside the cot, hands zip-tied and face bruised but alive and alert, was Mara.
Their eyes met. Logan saw shock, then relief, then something that looked like she might cry but was fighting it. He crossed to her in three steps, dropping to his knees beside her.
"Hey," he said, his voice rough. "Told you I'd buy you that beer."
"Logan." Her voice was hoarse. Dry. But unmistakably hers. "You're here. How are you here?"
"Long story. Tell you later." He pulled out his knife and cut the zip ties. Her wrists were raw underneath, rubbed bloody from testing the bonds. "Can you stand?"
"I think so." Mara tried to get up but her legs wouldn't hold her. Logan caught her before she fell, easing her back down. Risk was already there with his med kit, checking her pupils, her pulse, assessing injuries.
"Dehydrated. Malnourished. Facial contusions. Wrist abrasions." Risk pulled out an IV kit. "I need two minutes to get fluids in her."
"We might not have two minutes," Nadia said from the door. She was watching the courtyard where gunfire continued to echo. "Compound's still hot."
Logan looked at Mara. At the bruise on her face that made his vision go red. At the way she was trying to stay upright and failing. At the evidence of three days in hell written across her body.
"Take the time," he said. "We're not moving her until she's stable enough to travel."
Risk worked fast, getting the IV line in and starting fluids. Mara watched Logan the whole time, her eyes never leaving his face.
"You shouldn't be here," she said quietly. "This isn't your mission."
"It is now." Logan kept his hand on her shoulder, grounding her. Grounding himself. "Where's Nazari?"
"Main building. He was there an hour ago. Interrogating me about his family. About where they are." Mara's jaw tightened. "I didn't tell him anything."
"I know you didn't." Logan looked at Sloane. "How long has she been here?"
"Three days based on when we lost her." Sloane was watching the door, rifle ready. "Nazari took her specifically. This was targeted. Revenge for the Steele extraction."
"Then he's about to learn what revenge costs," Logan said.
The radio crackled. Hawk's voice. "Main building secure. Multiple hostiles down. No sign of primary target. Repeat, Nazari is not in the main building."
Logan's blood went cold. Nazari wasn't there. Wasn't where he was supposed to be. Which meant he could be anywhere in the compound. Could be setting up an ambush. Could be running. Could be preparing a last stand.
"Ghost, locate primary target," Hawk ordered.
"Working on it. ISR shows heat signatures scattering. Multiple vehicles moving. He could be in any of them." Ghost's voice was tight with frustration. "We're losing him."
