35. Chapter 35
Chapter thirty-five
Alex
Alex noticed the look in the eyes of the team members, a look he’d never seen before, and the seriousness of the faces scared him. He recognized the look of anxiety and the color of fear he detected in the aura of the strike team as they dressed in their gear to prepare to launch their assault on the enemy stronghold.
“Ya right, Alex?” asked Galen.
“I’m quietly praying we can save Danyal and that the entire team makes it back safe.”
“They’re trained soldiers, Alex. Trust ’em.”
Galen was helping Alex put on his gear when Michael came over and pushed Galen aside.
“Go help Andrea with her gear, Galen. Pretty Boy and I need to have a chat.”
Alex nodded toward Galen, who reluctantly stepped away.
“Michael, I’m sorry about your nose.”
Michael didn’t speak as he fixed Alex’s tactical vest.
“Got one question, Pretty Boy,” said Michael. “Is Galen safe and happy?”
Alex smiled and looked Michael directly in the eyes before responding, “He’s working on making a new start and being happy, Michael. I’ve faith he’s on his way.”
Michael stood, meeting Alex’s gaze. “He’s a grown man, but all this god shit is pretty batshit crazy. I can’t believe it myself. You better keep him safe, Pretty Boy, or I’ll do my best to mess up your square jawline.” Michael turned to step away, but Alex grabbed him by the shoulder.
“Come here, you brute,” said Alex, raising his hand to Michael’s nose. “I don’t know my own strength. Let me see what I can do to fix this,” he said, placing his hand over Michael’s broken nose to heal it with cosmic energy.
“Make me a movie star, Pretty Boy.”
“I can only do so much––you’re more suited to adult films.”
“You flirting with me, Pretty Boy? I would break you while you beg for more.”
Alex chuckled, knowing his inappropriate sense of humor was coming out because he was scared. “That’s the most handsome you can be today, but I think it’s an improvement. At least the swelling is gone.”
Michael laughed. “Stay away from the action, Pretty Boy. Grade some papers while we bring your man back.”
Alex nodded and smiled. Just then, he noticed Galen had been watching his interaction with Michael with intense interest. Was Galen jealous? Alex had never seen the look on Galen’s face as he tried to decipher it.
“Ya ready for this, mate?” said Galen, stepping back to help Alex finish with his gear.
“As ready as I can be,” said Alex. “I’ll sit on the sidelines and wait.”
“Looked like ya and Michael had a civil conversation.”
“I took Andrea’s advice and used words with short syllables,” said Alex, grinning. “Mostly, I apologized for his nose, and he let me heal it a little to reduce the swelling. Really, the conversation centered on you.”
“Huh?”
“The strapping ogre wanted to know if you were safe and happy.”
“How’d ya respond?”
“I told him you were making a life in the States and thought you were on the path to happiness. He made me promise to protect you, which was odd since it’s your job to protect me,” said Alex.
“Michael’s a kidder. Can’t trust anything he says. Lies like a rug,” said Galen before he was interrupted by Ryo speaking to the group.
“Listen up, everyone. I have an update on Hoko. He’s still in the ICU but stabilizing. Now it’s time to put on your game faces and prepare to leave in twenty. To have another soldier on the battlefield, Galen, I’m putting you on the strike team. Alex, you’ll be in the surveillance van, parked about half a mile from the scene. Under no circumstances should you get near the engagement, even if things go south. We can’t risk you falling into the hands of the enemy––not only would it jeopardize your safety, but destabilize the balance of peace on the planet.”
The plan was still the same: they would breach the door at the south side of the building, deploying flashbangs and smoke bombs to disorient the enemy and extract Danyal Sarif.
“Lethal force is authorized, and you’ll all be wearing gas masks besides your gear. Wheels up in fifteen!” he yelled.
The group all loaded into the cargo van, with Ryo driving. Michael serenaded the group with his versions of pop songs with filthy lyrics added to cut the tension in the air. Andrea put in her earbuds to drown out his singing.
Alex leaned over to Galen and whispered, “Do you trust me, Galen?”
“Ya know I do, Alex. What do ya want? Ya only ask that question when ya’ve a wild idea.”
“Take off your ring.” Galen complied and removed his ring. “I’m going to monitor the situation from here in the van, but I have a favor to ask.”
“Spit it out, mate.”
“Let me remotely view the situation through your eyes.”
“Ya want to ride shotgun in my head?” Galen paused before responding, “I’ll do it, mate, but ya have to avoid mah thoughts.”
“I promise, scout’s honor. It’ll be a two-way connection. If you need to reach me, think of my name.”
Galen nodded as Ryo said they had arrived and would approach from the tree line after Alex was in position.
“Locked and loaded!” yelled Michael as he jumped out of the van.
Alex put his hand on Galen’s shoulder and leaned in close. “Stay safe, Galen, and bring Danyal back to me.”
Galen said, “Promise.”
Alex drove the van to the spot predetermined by the GPS and turned the van to face the old county jail. His heart raced in his chest as he watched Galen and the team methodically approach the building from the south. Their speed and precision were incredible, as he watched Ryo set the explosives on the outer door. Alex, as instructed by Ryo, had used his abilities to deaden the sound in the immediate area to cover their surprise attack further.
Each team member entered the building in a barrage of flashbangs and smoke bombs, which hindered Galen’s vision through his gas mask. The team approached the cell where Danyal was held, and Alex could see him lying helplessly on the mattress as the team set a charge to open the old, barred door to the cell.
Shit, there are motion detectors, Alex!
Alex opened his eyes abruptly as the scene went black in his mind.
What the fuck happened? Galen! Galen, do you hear me? Fuck, what do I do? Think, Alex. Alex reached out to Andrea and Michael with his mind. Fuck, I can’t reach anyone. They must be unconscious. What would Hoko do?
With shaking hands, Alex started the van and floored the gas, speeding toward the jail. He stopped about three hundred yards away as he exited the van and crept close to the ground as he approached the building. Alex sent out an energy wave with his mind to count the voids in the energetic field. Alex detected sixteen gaps in the energy. Fourteen combatants, plus Danyal and Ryo. Alex jumped as he viewed an image from Galen’s eyes of their captors kicking Ryo in the stomach.
I need to know what’s happening.
With a thought, Alex released the sound barrier.
“Where the fuck is Alex Lieth and the ichor samples?” demanded the hooded terrorist, pointing an AR-15 at Galen’s head.
“Protected back at PGC. Where ya will never reach him,” yelled Galen.
The soldier responded by hitting Galen in the chest with the butt of his rifle. Galen slumped over in pain from the blow.
“You’re dead, motherfucker!” yelled Michael.
“So brave when you have a M16 to your head, asshole. Maybe if I kill one of your partners, you’ll talk. I’ll start with the lady. It’s such a waste; she’s pretty. Maybe we can save her for last,” said the lead combatant.
Using Galen’s senses as his guide, Alex snuck up to the outside wall where the terrorists interrogated the team.
Galen! I need you to hear me. On the count of three, the entire team needs to get flat on the floor.
Hear ya, Alex.
Alex stepped away from the outside wall, positioning his hands in front of him.
One…two…three…
“On the floor now!” yelled Galen.
At that exact moment, Alex released a massive wave of energy, blowing a hole in the outside wall and directing all the bricks and debris toward the Sons of Enyaluis. Alex stepped through the gaping hole in the wall and smoke where his team was on the ground, shielding their heads.
“Galen, get everyone out of here. I’m going after Danyal.”
“Alex, wait! There still may be others armed…”
Alex turned and moved away down the corridor towards Danyal’s cell before Galen could finish his sentence.
“Fuck, everyone out!” Galen yelled as he took the M16 from an unconscious terrorist lying on the floor.
Alex approached Danyal’s cell, stepping over the carnage of bodies littering the floor. “Danyal!” he yelled as he shook the locked cell door. He grabbed the iron door with both hands, ripped it off its hinges, and threw it at a combatant trying to pull himself to his feet. Alex didn’t care when the man yelled in agony as the door crushed his body and pinned him on the floor. Alex moved across the cell to Danyal, who was lying motionless on the mattress.
“Danyal!” yelled Alex as he shook his body.
Alex, get the fuck out of the building now!
Alex hurried to heed Galen’s telepathic warning as he picked up Danyal’s body and carried him down the hall to the exit point in the wall, where he could see Galen waving him to safety. With each step, Alex moved closer to safety and Danyal’s freedom—only three more steps…
But then, Alex looked away as a bright flash of light and wave of heat engulfed them.