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Whatever begrudging response Josh muttered was lost beneath the squad’s footfalls and the crunching of dry grass, twigs, and leaves. Ignoring him, Sebastian led the team up the wooded slope in search of a higher vantage point where they would have a better view of the land and any potential movement below. They weren’t half way up the rocky forest terrain when Jackson fell into a tentative pace beside him. Glancing over at the young man, he switched off his headset. The rookie agent took his lead and did the same before aiming a cautious look his way.
“I’m sorry to bother you, sir, it’s just…this thing…what happened back there…”
“Yes?”
“He can’t be serious. I mean, he can’t really do this shit and get away with it, right?”
Sebastian snorted beneath his breath. “He thinks he can, Agent Lane. That’s what matters.”
“For what it’s worth, I appreciate what you did.”
“You mean potentially getting you killed?” he asked with a heavy twinge of sarcasm.
The young man laughed and wiped away the thin rivulets of sweat starting to run down his face. “No, sir. Not that part, but for sticking up for us and trying to do what’s right. I know I signed up for some ethically debatable shit, but whatever it is we’ve been doing lately—this isn’t it.”
Keeping pace, he raised an eyebrow but nodded. It was best not to respond or encourage that kind of resistance, but it did give him hope. Though small, he had a group of men banding together behind him who might be willing to stand up and fight should push continue to mount to shove. He kept his focus rooted on the rocky terrain, scanning the trees and cliff for movement or potential hiding places. All that mattered was finding whoever was in those woods and getting the hell out.
The air above them shifted, and Sebastian faltered upon feeling the faint quiver in the ground beneath his feet. It was low, but he could hear the low, guttural sound of an engine and the rhythmic chop of helicopter blades sluicing the air. Josh came to a stop behind him and the rest of the group fell short. Squinting, he shielded his eyes and scanned the sky.
“Do you think Marx is bringing more teams in?” Jackson asked.
He frowned, briefly wondering if that was the case. The remaining men were too new and inexperienced. They wouldn’t be ready for this kind of exercise. Then again, when it came to business ethics lately, he and Marx rarely saw eye-to-eye. He tensed, his body bracing as the chopper drew closer. Something was off. The color was right, but it was flying too low, swooping low enough to whip the grass and trees beneath into a frenzy. Before he had time to react, it veered in their direction and opened fire.
Bullets peppered the ground around them. Chunks of rock and debris kicked up from the ground and surrounding trees. Shouting erupted among the men and his teammates scattered in a frantic dive for cover. Disbelief crashed through him followed by outright panic.
He bolted up the hill, his thighs burning from the sharp incline, with Josh hot on the trail behind him. The helicopter veered lower, firing off a rapid volley as it swept past. Darting in between trees, Sebastian managed to avoid most of the fiery hail. One bullet rocked the gear strapped to his back. Another caught the heel of his boot. Wide-eyed, he braced his back against a thick trunk, his heart damn near exploding in his chest. Still heaving for breath, he glanced to his left. Josh’s eyes met his, his expression every bit as wild and bewildered.
He watched in horror as the black bird of death swung right, circling back their way. Levering off the tree, he shouted an order to scatter. Another heavy surge of gunfire bore down around them, drowning out his voice. Uncertain of the terrain above, he scrambled back down the hill, trying to stay beneath the dense canopy of pines. He lost traction several times but managed to keep himself mostly upright by skidding on the braced palms of his hands. Wincing, he tried to ignore the sting of rocks and sticks as they scraped his flesh away.
Dirt and pebbles blasted upward in an airborne spray. Debris pelted his skin and hit his eyes, blinding him while another round of bullets hit too close for comfort. Thrashing his head, he squinted against the sting in an attempt to see. His panic rose as he heard some of his men screaming nearby.
The thumping whir of the blades grew fainter, signaling retreat. Hauling himself upright, he pushed to unsteady feet and blinked against the settling haze. His gaze darted wildly around him, searching for any sign of Josh. Much to his relief he found his partner flattened against the ground nearby, his body still prone and shaking behind the wide shield of a rock.
“What the fuck was that?” Josh asked, his voice bordering on a scream.
“I don’t know,” he said, wiping his face onto his upper arm and sleeve. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I think so. You?”
“I’ll be fine.”
Marx’s voice broke over his partner’s radio, demanding their position. Sebastian cursed, remembering he had shut his off shortly after the teams had split. His hands still shook with a heavy aftershock of adrenaline as he fumbled for the switch.
“This is Alpha.”
Marx didn’t bother asking for a report or a rundown on their wounded or dead. His next order was crisp and clear.
“You and Reevers round up the men. We are more than done here.”
~*~*~*~
No amount of booze could drive the weariness or fear from his battered system. Gripping the cup between heavily bandaged hands, Sebastian downed the rest of his whiskey and shoved the tumbler away. They’d lost six men in that operation. Six good men whose lives and dedication they could never get back. The ride back to headquarters had been bitter and silent. More than once, he found himself uneasily scanning the skies, worrying that their friends would be back to finish the job and shoot them out of the air.
Marx, too, kept his focus elsewhere. His broad features remained unmoving and stoic, giving nothing away. If the loss of his men hit their commander or impacted him in any way, he didn’t let it show. In fact, the rigid set of his jaw and occasional blink was the only indication the man was still alive.
Everyone took separate paths upon arriving at headquarters. A vast majority of the men sought medical attention. Others retreated to reflect or mourn in whatever scant place of privacy and seclusion they could find. After they’d both been bandaged and Josh’s shoulder had been set back into place, his partner had followed him into his office. He remained seated across from Sebastian, his expression lined with worry and exhaustion, but it was the look lurking beneath the surface of those steely blue eyes that lent him pause.
After downing the rest of his drink, Josh turned his attention to his glass and ran a tremulous finger over the rim. “I heard the talk you guys had earlier, Baas. I won’t ask about Marx, but I need you to tell me you had nothing to do with this.”
He tilted his head, his piercing stare locking on his partner. “I assure you I did no such thing. Why would I put my life or the lives of my men at risk?”
“Because you want him out of the picture, Sebastian. Today was a pretty damn clear indication of that.”
“Look at what he is doing, Josh. Consider, just for one minute, the direction our operations are taking. Not to mention the numerous threats he’s made against Taylor. I can’t afford to take a backseat attitude here. As much as I may want to, the man in me refuses to be blasé and shrug it all off as if it’s nothing.”
Josh sighed, his expression shifting from one of accusation to deep reflection. He dwelled in his thoughts for several more minutes before responding. “I understand, but he senses you pulling back again and he doesn’t like it, Sebastian. He doesn’t like it one bit. This isn’t just about you. At t
he very least, you have Taylor and your sister to consider. Look at what happened the last time he felt you resisting. Your nephew and your brother are already dead. There’s no coming back from that, Baas.”
“I am aware of that.”
“Are you? Are you also aware of the fact that I’ll be damned before I let you throw your sister or my son under that fucking bus?”
Sebastian’s shoulders jerked with a humorless laugh. “You just don’t get it, do you?” he asked, dropping against the back of his chair. “Why do you think I have been pulling away and distancing myself from you? He’s already locked Taylor in his sights. Marx wants her gone, and no matter what I do, he won’t stop there. Eventually, he will go after Monique, Aiden, you… He will keep going until there is nothing left that matters to me. When he’s done, and there is nothing else left for him to possibly strip away, he will move on to the next guy and he will start the same cycle all over again. He’s overstepping boundaries. Not just with us, but with innocent civilians. Before we know it, the entire world will be fucked, Josh, all because we stood by and let it happen.”
He tensed as his partner sprung to his feet and levered a shaking finger in his direction. “Fuck you, Baas. You are out of your fucking mind.”
“I do my job, Josh. I’ve always done my job. What purpose does taking everything else away serve? Marx is the one who’s lost his mind. He’s riding some sick power trip, and he is going to take us all down with him. What do you think today was really about? He’s turning things around from the inside and other agencies are already sitting up and taking notice. This is our future now unless we stop him. Dominic, Laychee, that whole thing was a set-up. He’s planning a takeover and he is using my men to do it.”
“You have completely lost your shit! Are you even hearing the things coming out of your mouth right now?”
He sighed and averted his attention to the window, focusing his stare on the landscape outside. It was easier than seeing the terror and pain in his partner’s eyes.
