Time stood still as I quieted my mind to focus solely on the mission in front of me. The sound of the blades cutting through the air. The steady beat of my heart.
Within seconds, I too had eyes on the helicopter as it circled the landing area before slowly descending.
"Come on, you son of a bitch. Show your face." My plea was nothing more than a whisper in the wind. My need for blood pulsed throughout my body. I wouldn't be able to calm the beast within me until every last asshole on the property was taken out.
I didn't take my eyes off the prize for a second. Two guards slipped out of the chopper and briefly glanced around before waving for their boss to exit. Little did they know my team hid in the shadows ready for war. We would dismantle them before they even knew what hit them.
Hakan's slimy face finally appeared, but it was the trembling girl he dragged behind him who made my teeth clench. Krista wore nothing more than a sheer nightgown that left little tothe imagination. I wanted to gouge out every guard’s eyes who dared look her way. The fact that she was stripped of any undergarments didn't go unnoticed. I just hoped like hell that we were in time before any of the men took liberties with her.
Once I was sure Hakan and Krista were far enough away, I gave Lilith the go-ahead to get this party started.
"Let's move."
Sloane, Nyx, and I were strategically placed in a triangle throughout the property. The vibration of the ground raced up my legs as the chopper exploded. Seconds later, a second vibration confirmed Lilith successfully took out the bunkhouse where half the guards were hanging out.
"Hakan is on the move. He's headed toward the house with the package and one guard," Lilith advised us.
"I've got Hakan." I didn't need to tell my team more than that. I knew they would take care of the rest of the guards while I went after our target.
The smoke from the two blasts stung my eyes and made it hard to see more than a few feet in front of me. I didn't let it slow me down though. I was going to get to Hakan before he had the chance to slip away.
I was halfway to the house when I came across the first guard. He was coughing so bad and stumbling around that he put up little to no fight until I had my arm wrapped around his neck. Fight or flight kicked in at the last second, but he was no match for me. I slid the knife across his throat in one swoop. I didn't need to check that he was dead as I threw his body to the ground. Slitting a man's throat came as natural as breathing to me. I could do it in my sleep and be successful.
"SITREP." I barked out the command to my team.
"East side, clear. Three tangoes down." Nyx was the first to report back.
She was closest to the bunkhouse, and it was likely the three she took care of either escaped the blaze or ran down to help.
"Two," Sloane grunted. "Make that three tangoes down. Working on the west side."
"I'm headed your way." I could tell by the sound of her footsteps that Nyx was on the move.
"Anita, your path is clear to the house. Only one guard entered with Hakan and the package."
Good. Lilith cleared my way. I would've liked to get in on some of the action to appease the bloodlust pumping through my veins, but I knew better. My priority needed to be Krista.
For some strange reason, I couldn't get my brain on board to think about her as our target package like I normally did with other assignments. There was something about Krista that humanized her in my mind. A small part of me knew that could be dangerous for me, but I pushed those concerns aside.
Walking into the house, I didn't have to wonder what direction they went. "Let go of me." Krista's scream echoed off the walls and gave me a starting point. I turned left and followed the sound of heavy footsteps and male grunts.
It sounded like Krista was putting up a fight and not making it easy for them. Good for her.
Keep fighting, sweetheart. I'm coming for you.
"Owww," a male wailed. "Stupid little bitch." I stepped around the corner just in time to see the guard slap Krista so hard that her head snapped to the side as she crashed against the wall.
A red haze clouded my vision. I didn't even stop to think. I dropped my shoulder and charged like a bull, slamming the guard so hard into the wall that it left a hole in the plaster. I wanted to take my time and beat him to a pulp, but a movement from the corner of my eye caught my attention. Hakan had hismeaty palm wrapped around Krista's bicep, and he was starting to pull her away.
"Today's your lucky day, motherfucker." I grabbed him by his hair and yanked his head back so that his throat was exposed. Instead of slicing him like I did the last guard, I stabbed my knife into the side of his neck and listened as he choked on his own blood. It would be a painful few moments before death took hold. Knowing he would suffer a little made me feel better for the pain he caused Krista.
"Who the fuck are you?" Hakan demanded.
The man was far more stupid than I gave him credit for. He didn't even have a weapon on him. Knowing he relied solely on his guards instead of being a threat himself made me furious. He preyed on the weak. Used the force of many to accomplish what he couldn't do on his own.
"Your executioner."
I gave him one second to let that sink in before I lunged. The asshole was smart enough to release Krista to save his own ass. Unfortunately nothing would save him from me. I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and spun him around so he was in a chokehold. There was no way I was giving him the easy out. I just needed one of my teammates to watch Krista while I dismembered Hakan.
