Page 16 of Brooks

“Roger.”

I held my position at the back entrance, not bothering to take my eyes off the door. I knew my team had the building surrounded and would call in if there were unfriendlies in the vicinity.

“She’s moving something and not trying to be quiet about it,” Max informed us. A few minutes later he came back with, “Something’s definitely going on in there. I don’t know if the owner of the store caught her, but there’s a scuffle for sure.”

“Hold your positions. B and E is not our concern,” Declan reminded us.

I hated this shit. There was something inherently wrong knowing a woman was most likely being hurt but not being able to do a damn thing about it. Rules of engagement and culture prevented us from intervening. We had our mission, saving a woman from the punishment she’d face for stealing was not it.

“Someone is exiting the back window. Male.” I was too far away to make out features but there was no mistaking it was a man. “Male number two is out. The woman. And a third male,” I called in.

“Hold fast,” came from Declan.

I looked through my spotting scope, zooming in until I had a clear picture of the men’s faces. “Rocco, Ace, Gumby, and the unidentified female.”

“Injuries?” Dec asked.

“They’ve been beat to hell, but I don’t see any GSWs.”

The four made their way through the alley, heading to the street. Max called in their location. “Rocco and the female broke away. Gumby and Ace are falling into the shadows.”

“Max, Kyle, and Thad, follow Rocco. Do not approach. Brooks, you’re with me.”

I quickly got to my feet and jogged down the small embankment I’d taken cover on. I met up with Declan and we went in the direction he’d last seen Gumby and Ace.

“Whoa.” My hands came up as I felt the cool blade against my throat. “It’s Country.” I used my call sign instead of my name.

I wasn’t sure which one was behind me, but I knew it was Gumby or Ace. Sometimes it’s easier to let your target come to you. Especially when dealing with men who were as highly trained in evasion as they were.

“What the hell?” Ace said, lowering his knife. “How’d you find us?”

“Tex called and said you three had gotten yourselves into a jam.”

Declan and Gumby both came out of the shadows and joined us.

“You ready to get the fuck outta here, before we attract anymore attention?” Declan asked.

We kept a good distance between us and Rocco. His arm was wrapped protectively around the woman as he kept a fast clip.

“Who is that?”

“Caite McCallan,” Ace answered as he took two of the four boxes Gumby was carrying.

“You want me to take those?” I asked Gumby, noticing his limp.

“I’m good,” he returned, adjusting the heavy load.

“You guys get what you came for?” Declan inquired as he continually scanned the area.

“Not everything. But hopefully the commander will be happy with the new intel.” Gumby tried to hide the pain as he spoke.

“What the hell happened?”

Ace gave us the abbreviated version of the last twenty-four hours, including how a mob of men had ambushed them and locked them in a cellar. How they found some ancient artifacts. And ending with a crazy woman, albeit brave, coming to their aid. Hearing what Caite had done for Rocco, Ace, and Gumby made me think about Tatiana. I wondered if my team had gone missing if she’d come searching for us. I doubted it. She had her mission and had made it painfully obvious she wanted nothing do to with any of us, me especially.

“Wait. Did you say ancient artifacts?” I interrupted Ace.

“Yeah. Some sort of tablets.”