Page 65 of Fighting Salvation

What he did know was he needed answers, and before he put the bullet in the man’s head, he was going to get them. One way or another.

The plan was explained by both Duchess and Reid, who was taking second on this. His experience as a hostage rescue leader for the FBI gave him the most advantage. He knew every member of his team was good enough but they were also clever enough to play to each other’s strengths.

“Reaper and Jack will take overwatch here and here, and we’ll go in from these points here and here.” He pointed out the area on the map. “Val will lead us in with Monty and Scout, and Will has commandeered a satellite which will be in range during our window. Once we secure the package we’ll get to this ex-fil point where we’ll head straight to the airport. We can assess his injuries en route but given his condition, I think it’s best to get him to a private hospital in Cape Town.”

“I know someone who can see him. Do we have a chopper?”

“Yes, Gunner is there. He flew in later than us but his timing is perfect.”

“Sounds good.”

Jack nodded. “Your turn.”

“Rykov, Lotus, and Rafe will spread out through the square and I’ll be near the vendor. When Hansen moves to leave, we can grab him then. Lotus will have the east exit covered and Rafe the west. I want it to be minimal disruption but we have to expect the unexpected with him.”

He looked around the room, assessing if everyone was ready for this and saw only confidence and determination. Pride spiked in his chest that he was chosen to lead this team when everyone knew any one of them would be more than capable.

“Let’s gear up.”

Chapter 18

“Fuss.” Val held her hand palm down as she gave the command in a low, quiet voice to Monty and Scout. The pair immediately heeded her command. The second their vests went on they both knew it was time to work. It was like a switch went off and they became watchful and alert, energy practically rolling off their furry bodies.

They were on the outskirts of Diepsloot, waiting for Jack and Reaper to get in position and the satellite to give them eyes on the target. All comms were silent until Duchess gave the order. Val’s thoughts turned to Niall. Part of her wanted to know exactly what was going on and if he was safe but Val determinedly shoved the thoughts away. Distractions got people killed. Worrying about the man she loved right now, when her job was to lead the team in and find Watchdog, was a disservice to them all.

A series of clicks over the comms alerted her that Jack and Reaper were in place and they were waiting until the last minute for the satellite to move into position. A drone had been discussed but it would have been too conspicuous so was quickly vetoed. Her chest was tight as the magnitude of the mission settled on her. So much could go wrong, but she knew this team were the absolute best and her faith in them far outweighed any doubts.

“Ten seconds out.”

Duchess held her fingers up ready to give the count. She was positioned behind an old, dilapidated building with graffiti on the sides, the roof missing huge chunks in the tin where it had rusted away. It was impossible to be around this kind of poverty and not feel compassion. In every direction she turned, the evidence slammed her in the face, yet there were signs of hope if she looked hard enough. Flowers painted onto the side of a building, an old car with a young couple inside, giggling and unaware of anything but each other.

In her job, she’d seen some of the worst scenes imaginable. Earthquakes, avalanches, and war zones. Each time it was the poorest who got the rawest deal. This township was less than an hour from Pretoria but it might as well have been a different planet.

The air was chill on her skin through her long-sleeved base layer. She glanced down at Monty, his head was tilted up watching her every twitch, ready for her to give him a command.

Having them here was a game changer and they all knew it. Duchess held three fingers up and nodded. Val took the shirt belonging to Watchdog and held it out to both her boys.

“Such.” She gave the German command for track and instantly they were moving at the same time Duchess said, “Go.”

Both were on extension leads but she kept them short so they didn’t get too far ahead. They rounded a small stone structure with a tin roof and bars on the doors and windows. Bein and Reid went ahead to clear the way. It was eerily quiet and it made the hair on her neck stand on end. The silence felt deafening, even as people moved around in the twilight shadows.

“Go.”

Reid cleared her way and she let her boys go again. They pulled slightly in the opposite direction of where their intel said Watchdog was being held. She didn’t know what was going on but she trusted her dogs more than any intel that came second-hand.

“Heads up, you have company coming in from the north entrance of the village.”

Jack’s warning had Bein holding his hand up for them to wait and she made her dogs heel and wait.

A series of pops sounded and she ducked. She waited as her team returned fire and hoped they hadn’t alerted the entire village of their presence. These people didn’t deserve to get caught up in this nightmare and she was glad it was on the periphery of the main part of town.

“Okay, clear but they know we’re here, so move it.”

Seconds later they were moving. She rounded a corner and came face to face with an old woman who looked anything but surprised as she turned and rushed back into her home, muttering.

This place was like a maze, and she could feel eyes on them but no more gunfire and it felt off. This felt too easy. When they got to a small broken-down hut, which was barely more than a shed, Monty began to sniff at the door as Scout pawed at the ground.

“Good boys.”