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Then, as they began to peel the layers of debris and old equipment, they heard a sound, then more. Then, just before they approached the door at the end of the building, it opened on them. Without thought, they dove around the corner, with Mark maintaining his position behind the door. When it began to close, Levi and Mark neutralized the two men and stashed them at the backside of the building.
The front group took point while Carter and Ryker had one mission only, locate Oakley, recover, and get the hell out of Dodge.
The back four from Bravo team verified they were in position.
“I’m coming, sweetling,” Ryker whispered. Then he cleared his mind and put one focus in place. Retrieve and retreat.
“Only one other door, on the eastern side,” Callie reported, her eyes flicking to her smartphone as she assessed the building’s layout, sent by Kaden. “But it’s likely to be locked or alarmed.”
“Not alarmed. That’s been taken care of.”
“Alright,” Carter said, his voice low and steady. “Ryker, you’re with me. We’ll try the east door because it’s the closest, while Mark and Jac create a diversion at the front. Sharlee will keep her ears open, and Kaden, keep your eyes peeled.”
“Roger. I’ve got you covered. This drone is silent.”
As Mark and Jac slipped away to execute the diversion, Ryker and Carter made their way toward the eastern side of the building. Bravo were in their assigned positions. The carpet remnants from bygone days of management offices muffled their footsteps, careful not to make a sound. As the group neared the door, Ryker felt an icy chill of dread creeping up his spine, but he pushed it aside, focusing on the task at hand.
“Locked, just as we thought,” Carter murmured, examining the heavy steel door. “But I can bypass this lock. Just give me a minute.” He pulled out his tools.
Ryker nodded, his breath hitching as he heard the faint sounds of gunfire and shouting from the front of the property. The diversion was underway. He prayed that the team would remain unharmed while they drew the guards away from their true point of entry.
Carter expertly picked the lock, and the door creaked open just a crack, revealing the dimly lit interior of the hideout.
“Got it,” Carter whispered triumphantly as the soft beep of the disarmed alarm system filled the air. All systems were a go. Ryker tried not to focus on what was going on up front and the safety of his friends. Oakley was his mission.
Ryker’s hand instinctively reached for the pistol holstered at his side.
Carter whispered. “Stay close and stay alert. We don’t know who or what we might encounter in here.”
Together, they stepped into the ominous darkness, their senses on high alert, searching for any sign of Oakley or Audra’s associates. Their goggles were doing what they were meant to do. Allow them to see. Each step they took felt like a gamble, the risk of being caught looming over them like a suffocating shroud, but the nightshades helped. The ominous atmosphere in this area was oppressing, and the thought of Oakley in this for weeks propelled him to enter deeper into the evil web of despair.
“Remember,” Ryker thought, his heart racing with anxiety and adrenaline, “we’re doing this for Oakley. Failure is not an option.”
Ryker’s heart pounded like a drum in his chest. He scanned the narrow hallways, alert for any signs of danger or the faintest hint of Oakley’s presence. Carter was one step ahead of Ryker, and the tension was rolling off him in what seemed like visual waves.
As they rounded a corner, the men caught sight of a door left slightly ajar. With a quick signal, Carter cautiously approached the door, his hand gripping his gun tightly. They were going to go as quietly as possible, but with the skirmish dying down in the front, they had to move quickly.
“Oakley,” Ryker breathed as Carter pushed the door open and revealed a dimly lit room where Oakley was slumped against the wall, her eyes unfocused and glassy.
“Fuck! Oakley!” Ryker said in a stage whisper as he rushed forward, his heart twisting painfully as he took in her disheveled appearance. Her once vibrant eyes now looked wild and unrecognizable. “Baby, it’s me, Ryker. We’re here to get you out.”
“Ryker?” Oakley murmured, her voice shaking. “No, no... You can’t be real. You’re just another hallucination. Go away!”
Carter watched the door with Callie and now Garrett, covering the two inside.
“Oakley, listen to me.” Ryker knelt beside her, gently grabbing her face between his hands. “Remember that night we went stargazing on the roof of my parent’s summer home? I told you about my favorite constellation, Orion, and how my dad used to take me camping to watch the stars. Only you would know that.”
Her eyes widened in recognition, and a tear rolled down her cheek as she whispered his name. “Ryker”
“Let’s get her out of here,” said Carter. “We need to hurry before more guards show up.” He tapped his ear come. “We’re coming your way, Sharlee. Kaden, what is our best way out?”
“The way you came in. But hurry.”
With Ryker supporting Oakley, the team retraced their steps, their senses heightened as they navigated through the warehouse’s labyrinthine corridors. The sound of footsteps echoed behind them, and Nathan, one of their extras, took a position at a corner, firing warning shots to deter any pursuers.
“Almost there,” Carter reassured, his eyes darting around for any potential threats.
As they emerged from the hideout into the night air, it was clear that the mission had taken its toll on each member of the team. Mark sported a bruised jaw, while Jac’s knuckles were bloodied from an altercation. Levi was a little bloody, but Garrett looked like he and Callie had just gone on a date. Callie looked a little more worn out. Despite their injuries, they wore expressions of relief, knowing they had saved Oakley from a terrible fate.
