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But the rain of assailants would not stop. This room was connected to a stairwell, and like cockroaches, they pooled down, one after the other.
Paladin and Thunder barged in, guns drawn. They quickly assessed the situation.
I knew a dead end when I saw one, and right now, we were outnumbered, outgunned, and outmatched.
We exchanged a few quick, terse words before splitting up to try and neutralize the threat.
I made my way through the room, taking out any threats as they emerged.
Bullets whizzed past my head, and I could feel the sweat trickling down my back.
I heard Paladin's voice in my earpiece, reporting that they'd taken Jacob Holden out of the building.
The mission was technically over.
But my mind was focused on one thing—finding Red Circle.
That's when the command center spoke the words.
"Alpha Reed. Do we have Holden? Is he safe?"
Jacob Holden was safe. But I needed to find Omar. I spoke, my voice terse.
"Yes. No word on Red Circle yet."
"Return to base."
What?
I couldn't leave just like that.
"Neptune, we haven't—"
"Follow instructions," the voice barked. "Return now. Close the op."
"No." My voice rose. "We have a man down. Neptune, we need to get Falcon back to base."
"You are to follow my instructions, Smith. Is that clear?"
I bit back my reply.
It wasn't in my nature to disobey my NSWG's Commanding Officer, but this was my best friend. He was the only person I'd ever loved after I lost my parents.
I rushed back to the room.
And he was gone.
There were no traces of his body, barring a drying line of blood.
I looked around me. The world spun, narrowing and extending at the same time.
Paladin rushed in, urgency scribbled all over his face. "The helicopter's here, Skipper. We've got the Secretary in. We need to leave."
And that was that. We could not do anything unless the higher-ups mandated it.
So I gathered my men, or what was left of them, and we pushed our way out of the building and the street.
Gunshots and assailants pooled after us the entire way to the aircraft. I heard cries and saw one more of my team fall.
