Page 130 of No Fear

“Presumed dead or injured. They were outnumbered. Daram military were at the palace preparing to fend off an attack there.”

“What are their demands?” Donnie asked, though he already knew the answer.

“Raven,” Dex said.

Yeah, that was what he had expected. Their personal vendetta.

“When they overthrow the government, their first act will be to behead us to send a message.”

“Jesus Christ. This was their plan. They know damn well we will go to rescue those hostages,” Mackie said.

“So what are we waiting for. We’re going right?” Donnie stared at his team leader. He wouldn't hesitate to give his life for Charlie’s. Innocent people were once again caught up in a feud between them and Reborn.

“We are. We have three hours until we are over Daram airspace. We need to get a plan together and fast.”

Donnie did his best to focus but goddamn, Charlie was a hostage at the hands of Reborn. They all knew what Reborn were capable of. When they had taken Kelly, she had been tortured and raped. The thought of that happening to his Charlie...his beautiful, sweet Charlie. What if they were already torturing her? What if they were too late?

Dismissing the thought, he turned his attention to the task at hand. Charlie needed him and he damn well wasn’t going to let her down.

Chapter Twenty Two

Raven performed a HALO infill. Then the plane pulled back, landing just across the border. No way were they putting a US plane at Daram airport where it could be stopped from taking off.

Omar Aziz had sent coordinates where the team were to surrender. The pass between two mountains meant Omar would have snipers on each mountain, looking down into the pass, ready to shoot at his word. Kelly, Mira and the intel team had been monitoring the area via limited satellite feeds, but Onyx also had an advantage. They had spent way too much time in this godforsaken country and knew the terrain. They had hidden in those mountains for more hours than Reborn would know. Nyx were still on the ground and had met up with the surviving marines.

Sam had called just before the HALO relaying that three marines had died, more injured. Those able were trying to get their teammates to safety. Four had met with Nyx, eager to assist in getting the hostages back. They also wanted payback for the brothers they had lost. Onyx would take all the help they could get. Reborn had an army of soldiers and while their aim was not always on point, fire enough bullets they will hit something.

The marines had confirmed the ambassador had been caught in the blast at the embassy and died of her injuries before the hostages were taken. Donnie hated that the ambassador was dead, but it meant Charlie may still be alive. He hung onto that.

Raven had been on foot for an hour when Dex brought them to a stop. Despite being told they needed to surrender unarmed, they all carried weapons. Until they saw the hostages were unharmed, they were not going quietly. Coms were still in place, and they would maintain contact with Nyx and the Farm for as long as possible. Two of the marines were with Raven, ready to escort the hostages to safety. If Reborn let them go. Just because Omar Aziz said they would, Onyx were under no illusions they may have other ideas.

The exchange would take place in ten minutes, but there was no sign of anyone yet.

“Raven, there are tangos to your west, top of mountain,” Liam, Nyx’s team leader, said. “I count ten.”

“We see them.” Dex said, glancing up where the team waited behind a rock.

“They could just pick us off right here,” Donnie said.

“They won’t. This is too personal. The Aziz brothers want to kill us personally, like they said. Parade us like a victory over the US,” Dex said calmly.

“Three cars approaching now.” Liam was back in their ears.

“Got ‘em,” Dex said. The cars stopped and armed soldiers got out. No sign of the hostages. One of the soldiers moved aside and there was Omar Aziz. Donnie itched to raise his gun and pull the trigger. That bastard had a lot to answer for.

Omar stepped forward. “Put down your weapons and move forward slowly. Once we confirm you are unarmed, we will release the hostages.”

Donnie glanced up at the tangos on the mountain top. Nyx were nowhere to be seen, but they were up there, too. Waiting. Nothing would happen until the hostages were safe. There was still a chance Reborn would shoot them all. The team and the hostages, right here, right now. But Dex was right. They wanted to make a show of the team’s death. But if they killed fourteen innocent Americans, the US would have troops on the ground hunting them within hours.

“Where are the hostages?” Dex said.

A Reborn soldier stepped forward, holding up a phone, showing a live feed.

“You see. They are alive and well,” Omar said.

“Us for them. That was the deal.”

“You will see them very soon. Do as we say, and we will honor that deal.”