Page 92 of Until You Can't

I sat taller as her words sunk in, the reality of it hitting harder when I discovered a rifle by my legs, and a vest with night-vision goggles attached to a helmet on my lap.

“You’re getting your wish, you’re going in,” Jessica rushed out. “The guys are in trouble, so I’m driving you closer. It’s a risk, but we need to save time. They split into two teams. Bravo One, Four, and Five breached from the north side to take down the HVT. Bravo Two and Three took the south side where we believed your brother to be. They’re working on rescuing him now.” She paused for a breath. “We’d thought there were only four snipers positioned on overwatch.”

I forced away the remnants of sleep and slipped on the plated vest. “I should have gone with them. Your husband shouldn’t have listened to Luke and—”

“And if you’d gone in with them, you’d be pinned down, too. There’s a fifth sniper somewhere on overwatch outside the compound, but the guys can’t get a clear shot without risking taking a bullet themselves.”

I secured the helmet on my head and knocked the goggles up.

“This was a last-minute op. I didn’t have all the details,” she continued. “I managed to put up a small drone while you were lights-out before the guys went in to detect heat signatures, but I missed someone outside the compound on overwatch.”

Shit, she was blaming herself for not knowing about the fifth shooter.

“You’re Luke’s contingency plan,” she added before pulling over. I spotted the compound up ahead and heard gunfire. “He knew he might need backup if things went sideways, but he didn’t think you’d agree to remain benched until called up.”

“Sounds like him.” With a quick nod, I reassured her, “I’ve got this. I won’t let anything happen to them.” As I reached for the door handle, she handed me a comm and what looked like a watch, but it was the GPS tracker to find the boys.

“You’re Bravo Six tonight,” she said as I positioned the wireless comm in my ear and strapped the tech to my wrist. “Once you take out the sniper, you can either join the second team to help grab your brother on the south side, or head back here. Your choice.”

“You already know what I’m doing.” I checked the screen on the watch, which showed an aerial view of the compound. The footage was taken about an hour ago, so it wasn’t in real time, but it was enough to work with for now. I just needed to find the sniper’s location and take him out. “See you soon.”

Shutting the door, I ran to the nearby bushes, then used the brush for cover as I maneuvered toward the property. What was probably at some point a rich man’s paradise was now a battleground.

I activated the comm and said, “This is Bravo Six. Advancing into position.”

A pop of static filled my ear, followed by close range gunfire and Luke shared, “This is Bravo One. That’s a good copy.” He was quiet for a moment. “And also, sorry.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I hurried to my next position, finally at the perimeter of the compound, and knocked the NVGs into place. From the corner of my eye, I spied movement in the woods at my nine o’clock.

Shit, maybe Luke was right. Had it been too long since I’d operated?

But when I fired my first round at the unexpected tango, my training kicked in. Like riding a bike.

Pushing aside the fact I’d killed someone for the first time in years, I continued moving.

“This is Bravo Five. I have the fifth sniper’s location. Sending you the coordinates now.”

“This is Six, roger that.” I checked the watch and waited for the location to show up. “I have it. On my way there now. What’s my brother’s status?”

“This is Two. We have eyes on him,” Owen responded. “He’s being held in another building away from the main house. Sort of looks like a two-story barn. Maybe a car shop. I can see him on the second floor through the window. He’s bound and gagged in a chair, but we can’t infil with this sniper still out there.”

He’s still alive. I let go of a heavy breath. “Roger that. Don’t worry, I’ve got you. Just giveme a minute.” Finding a relatively safe position atop a nearby hill, I took a knee. The coverage was shit, so I’d need to act fast before the sniper made me.

I steadied my breathing as much as possible and readied the long gun, working to locate the bastard in the woods in his overwatch position. When the sniper sent out his next shot, it gave away his exact location. Gotcha.

“This is Six. I have the target in my sights.” I said a quick prayer, knowing I could handle it, but it would’ve been nice to have the world’s best sniper out there on the long gun instead.

“Send the shot,” Luke ordered. I quickly fired off the round, then used the scope to check if I nailed him.

My shoulders fell with relief as the lifeless body hit the ground. “This is Bravo Six. He’s down. You’re free to move.”

“That’s a good copy. Nice work,” Luke responded. “Bravo, heads on a swivel. Charlie Mike.”

Charlie Mike. Continue mission. And I knew what I had to do next.

I quickly slid down the hill to maneuver through the side wall the guys had opened up with a breacher charge while I’d been Sleeping Beauty. “En route to you now, Bravo Two and Three.”

“This is Two. Roger that,” Owen returned, no pushback at the fact I was joining.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com