Chapter 18 Taking Her Shot #2
Sydney disagreed with Tank’s decision to call it. She’d already pushed back and told him to keep the SUVs out front, but she was not telling him the team needed to stay at their assigned posts. Disrespecting mission lead—and the man she loved—wasn’t happening.
As far as gigs went, this was an easy one.
No car chase, she wasn’t tailing a dangerous criminal in a foreign country.
She wasn’t hoping her CI was legit. She wasn’t on the run either.
She was simply waiting for the perps to strike.
If the terror cell did take the bait, it would be tonight.
Everyone in BLACK OPS and most of ALPHA were squirreled away in that restaurant.
With the operation over, they were enjoying a delicious dinner, maybe even tossing back a drink or two.
For Sydney, her job was to hide in plain sight and take out the enemy. If she abandoned her post while seventy-five ALPHA Ops and BLACK OPS had dropped their guard, she would never forgive herself if the unimaginable happened.
“Tank, you should head inside, grab something to eat,” Sydney said.
He was crouched at the other side of the rooftop, his night binos pressed to his face, his regular ones in his other hand. Because of the lampposts and car lights, he’d alternate from one to the other.
“Tank,” she called out.
Staying low, he made his way over. “See something?”
“Nothing.” Using the night scope on the rifle she looked east, then west. “Go have some dinner.”
Even in the dark, she couldn’t miss his furrowed brows. “Not leaving you.”
Movement caught her eye, and she switched to the regular binos. “Someone’s walking down the sidewalk toward us.”
He followed her gaze, looked through the binos. “Got him.” He snapped a pic. “I’m uploading this to IDware.” Several seconds passed. “Too grainy and the guy is too far away.”
Sydney had her eyes trained on him, then she swiveled toward the other direction. “Someone must’ve moved the barrier. Cars are coming from the east.”
“Fuck,” Teddy bit out. “I shouldn’t have let the team go.”
“It’s fine.” She studied the lone figure. “He’s walking with a limp and his pants are super baggy. I’m wondering if he’s got a rifle strapped to his leg.”
Tank eyed the guy. “He’s crossing the street.”
“Got him,” she said as adrenaline kicked in. “It’s too dark out to confirm.”
Tank took another picture. “Uploading.”
She looked through the binos in the opposite direction. “I’ve got a two-door pulling into the shopping center east of the restaurant.”
Tank whipped around. “A woman and two children. They’re heading into the Mexican restaurant.”
Sydney eyed the man with the limp. “He’s walking toward the restaurant. I need more eyes on him.”
Tank tapped his comm. “King Cobra, we need an assist.”
No response from Greystone.
“He’s in the restaurant parking lot, and he stopped between two ALPHA vehicles,” Sydney said.
BING!
“IDware came back with a match,” Tank said. “It’s Farheem Carinjam, third cousin of Muhammad Haqazzii.”
Here we go.
Sydney’s inhaled slowly, placed her eye against the lens. Using the scope, she centered her target in the crosshairs, moved her finger to the trigger, released the breath.
The confirmed terrorist walked toward the door, extracted a long rifle from his pant leg.
Sydney pressed the trigger, rapid fire, four times in succession.
POP-POP-POP-POP!
Two shots to the back of his head, one to his neck at the spine, and the final bullet pierced his back, dead center.
The terrorist dropped.
“Incoming truck from the west,” Tank said.
She whipped her head, eyed the vehicle barreling down the street. The front window was tinted, the side windows too. “I can’t get a visual.”
“Ready your shot,” he said.
The pickup truck veered into the parking lot and crashed into one of the parked ALPHA SUVs. Two men exited, their automatic weapons raised over their heads.
One shouted in Arabic as he passed his dead comrade.
Sydney homed in on the left terrorist, opened fire.
POP-POP-POP-POP!
Down he went.
Then, she moved the rifle into position as the remaining terrorist raced toward the front door.
And she pulled the trigger.
CLICK.
It had jammed.
She grabbed the third rifle, placed it against her shoulder, and unloaded into him.
POP-POP-POP-POP!
The kickback from the weapon powered into her shoulder, but she kept her gaze on her target. Like the two before, he crumpled to the pavement. She’d struck him with one bullet to the head, one to the neck, and two to his back.
Looking through both binos, Tank swept the area in search of the enemy.
“Clear,” he said before he unearthed his phone, made a call.
She scanned the area, then studied the intersection nearby. It was clear.
“Shots fired,” Tank said, his voice calm but deliberate. “Three terrorists down near the front door.”
Sydney kept her attention on the three men.
She’d hit her targets, but she couldn’t confirm whether they were dead or alive, and she had no idea if anyone else was on the way.
Pushing off the ground, she peered through the binos and continued sweeping the area. Hypervigilant, she executed her search.
“I don’t see anyone else, but it could be a trap,” she said.
“Teddy,” Grey said through the phone’s speaker. “You there?”
“Yeah,” Tank replied.
“Safe to exit restaurant?” Grey asked.
“All clear,” Tank replied.
“We’re comin’ out,” Grey said. “I need eyes on the front door.”
Sydney lifted the long rifle to her shoulder, looked through the scope. “Eyes up. Have them check for bodycams.”
“Sydney’s got you,” Tank said. “Check for bodycams.”
The front door opened. Grey, Hawk, and Rebel stalked outside, firearms in their outstretched hands. Each knelt by one of the terrorists.
Seconds later, Grey said, “Excellent work, Sydney. All three are down, all three are confirmed terrorists in the Haqazzii terror cell. Checking for bodycams.”
Sydney glanced at Tank, his binos pressed to his face while he scanned the area for more terrorists.
“Bodycams located and stomped,” Grey said. “You’re clear to return.”
Tank ended the call, turned his full attention on her. “Great job, Sydney. Better than great. This time, you saved more than a team, you saved an organization. There are seventy-five ALPHA and BLACK OPS in that restaurant. They’d all be dead if you’d listened to me and abandoned your post.”
“Happy to be of service,” she said, but her heart felt heavy.
“You okay?”
“I’m never okay after I take someone’s life, even if they are the enemy.”
He knelt by her side, stared into her eyes. “What can I do to help you through this?”
She’d never received that kind of support from anyone at work. This man—this tank of a man—was her rock. Gratitude filled her.
“Letting me know you’re there for me is enough.” The pull to touch him had her caressing his shoulder. “Thank you.”
After several seconds, he said, “That leaves Muhammad Haqazzii and four of his lieutenants.”
“Six down, five to go.”
They packed up, made their way downstairs and into the parking lot. There, they loaded up the SUV and drove the short distance to the restaurant. After Tank parked, Sydney extracted her rifle from the backseat. As she and Tank approached the bodies, Grey, Hawk, and Rebel thanked her.
“How’re you doin’?” Grey asked.
“I’m good,” Sydney replied.
But she wasn’t.
Her body ached from lying on the rooftop for seven hours. Though she loved being an excellent markswoman, she took no joy in killing. She lived by a different standard than most. Kill or be killed. Her heart had been hardened since the age of ten.
No turning back now.
The men were placed in body bags and loaded into three ALPHA SUVs as Addison strode outside and put her arm around Sydney. “You saved us. All of us. We owe you a debt of gratitude. I can’t even believe—”
“I got you,” Sydney said.
“How are you, I mean, for real?” Addison asked. “Aren’t your nerves shattered?”
“I’ve been doing this a long time,” Sydney replied.
“It never gets any easier though,” Addison said.
“No, it doesn’t,” Sydney said as Caroline hurried out.
Caroline pulled Sydney into her arms and held her. The tension in her shoulders released and she inhaled a calming breath.
“There it is,” Caroline said as she smiled at her sister. “You did amazing.” Then, she stared into Sydney’s eyes. “That was hella intense.” She called over to Grey. “The group’s waiting for the all-clear.”
“Not yet,” Sydney said. “I need to be gone before they come out.”
“I ordered dinner for you and Tank,” Caroline said. “Seven entrees and four appetizers. Bring the leftovers back to the site. The chef knows you might stay or take the food with you.”
“I’d like to eat at the restaurant,” Sydney said, but I don’t want to get swarmed by Ops.”
Grey and Tank joined them. Just having Tank close calmed her, the heat from his body warming her soul.
Tank extended his hand. When she slid hers into his, love filled her dark heart.
“Thank you for being outstanding at your job,” he said as they shook hands.
The look in his eyes—a mix of love and gratitude and relief—reminded her why she did what she did.
And why she loved him. He said he had her back, and he did.
Tank addressed the team. “Here’s the plan.
Hawk and Addison, CJ is expecting you at the crematorium.
Greystone and Caroline, update the group and close out the event.
I’ll bring Sydney in through the back. We’ll wait in the office until the restaurant clears out, unless you want to see everyone.
” He peered over at her. “Up to you, Sydney.
“Your plan sounds perfect,” she said. “I don’t want to see everyone.”
She didn’t want to turn a life-threatening mission into a celebration. Yes, she’d snuffed out evil, but at what cost? There was always a cost when someone was killed.
Always.
Sydney said goodbye to the OPS, walked with Tank around back. Before they went inside, he pulled her to a stop. “I got you, you know that, right?”
She leaned up, kissed him. “I do. And I’ve got you too.”