Chapter 6
The safe house felt like a stifling oven, trapping heat and tension in every corner.
Sweat slicked their skin, dampening their clothes as exhaustion tugged at their limbs with every movement.
Maps and satellite printouts were crudely taped to the peeling wallpaper, forming a chaotic patchwork of their target.
The air hung thick and suffocating, heavy with the bitter scent of stale coffee and unspoken worries.
Link stood by the battered table, the cold glow of the laptop screen cutting through the gloom and casting sharp shadows across his face.
His shoulders were stiff, and a tired ache settled deep in his muscles from long hours of travel and restless nights.
“Alright, team,” he said, voice calm but worn raw by jet lag and stress.
“Tariq confirmed the Ghost Road has a new sensor array. Shadow, what’s your read on the western wall? ”
Shadow looked up from cleaning his rifle, fingers moving with practiced precision despite the weariness in his eyes.
“Sensors are tight,” he replied, his voice low and focused.
“But Swede’s been crunching the data. Says the pressure plates near the drainage output have a twelve-second reset loop.
If we time it right, we can slip through. ”
“Only twelve seconds,” Jax muttered, checking the magazine of his sidearm with a smirk. “Enough time for a dance party, maybe two.”
Sammy didn’t smile. He sat curled in the corner, knees pulled tightly to his chest, eyes fixed on the grainy, green-tinted live feed from Swede’s high-altitude drone surveying the estate’s inner courtyard.
“Sammy,” Link said gently, stepping closer. “You alright?”
Sammy nodded, throat tight. “Just thinking about…stuff,” he murmured, avoiding Link’s gaze as he fiddled with the wooden bead in his hand.
Link studied him, noting the tension in Sammy’s posture and the way his fingers gripped the bead as if it were a lifeline. “You’re worried about her, aren’t you?” he asked gently. “She’s your mother. She knows you. She’ll know.”
Tariq moved beside Sammy, a young man whose rough edges betrayed the hardships of life on Basra’s streets. “She waiting for you, Samir. Every day. You remember the note? The one you gave me to pass?”
Sammy’s fingers brushed the wooden bead in his pocket. “Yeah.”
“I got it to her,” Tariq said, nodding. “I saw her find it. No tears, but she stood straighter. Gave her strength.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “But…there’s more. Something I noticed today when I got close to the wall to check sensors.”
“What?” Link leaned forward.
“I heard voices,” Tariq said, glancing over at the laptop.
Shadow pointed at the screen. “Look there, in the courtyard—see those spots?”
“Switching to thermal now,” Swede’s voice crackled overhead.
The screen flickered, transitioning from night vision’s green hues to the hot reds and oranges of thermal imaging. The courtyard’s cool blue tones framed three distinct figures glowing brightly.
One was clearly an adult, seated on a bench, head bowed low.
“That’s her,” Sammy breathed, finger trembling just above the screen. “That’s Ummi.”
Two smaller shapes flitted around her, tiny bursts of heat chasing each other like flames in the wind. Too small for guards. Too lively for servants.
“Dogs?” Jax leaned in, squinting.
“No,” Tariq said heavily. “Kids.”
Shadow zoomed in on the image. The screen sharpened until the vague shapes resolved into two small children, no older than three, tumbling and chasing one another in the courtyard. The faint rustle of their movements echoed softly through the thermal feed.
Sammy’s heart stalled in his chest, and for a moment the room seemed to tilt beneath him. The stale air suddenly felt suffocating, thick with tension.
“Who are they?” he whispered, voice barely audible.
Tariq lowered his eyes, shadowed with a mix of regret and caution. “Rumors…people in market say. Other kids live in that estate. Noor not alone in that room. But me, I never see them before today.”
Link’s jaw clenched tightly, his face hardening like stone, eyes narrowing as the weight of the news settled over him. He didn’t speak immediately, the silence stretched taut.
“They’re hers?” Link finally asked, voice low, edged with steel.
“They have to be,” Shadow said, his usual calm stripped away, replaced with something raw in his tone. “Look at how she moves, she’s protecting them, always.”
On the screen, the adult figure unfolded her arms, pulling the two small heat blips close. Even in the cold, impersonal thermal glow, the gesture spoke volumes: shelter, love, desperation.
Sammy’s mind reeled. “I…I have brothers? Sisters?” The words tumbled out, trembling with disbelief and a flicker of hope.
Link’s voice dropped into something lethal. “Faisal know?”
Tariq’s tone was grim as the reality of the truth settled in. “Faisal know everything in that house. If he keep them…” He swallowed hard, eyes darkening. “…he have plans for them.”
The memory slammed into Sammy like a blow: Faisal’s threat in the market about a “high price.” Preparing them for sale. The pieces snapped together with terrifying clarity.
Sammy shot upright in his chair, the scrape of metal against the floor sharp in the tense room. The paralyzing fear that had gripped him moments before flared now into a fierce, white-hot rage. He was not just a son anymore. He was a big brother.
“We go,” Sammy said, voice shaking but forged in fury. “Tonight. Now.”
Link studied the screen, then the faces around him. The mission had shifted. No longer a quick snatch. This was a family rescue. “We have to adjust the plan, Sammy.”
“Swede,” Link barked. “Recalculate extraction weight. Let Commander Michaels know of the change. We’re pulling three packages, not one.”
“Copy that,” came the rapid response. “Setting up additional satellite coverage and confirming secure comms with Michaels. No drones, keeping low profile.”
Link placed his hands firmly on Sammy’s shoulders. “We get them all, Sammy. You hear me?”
“Yeah,” Sammy nodded, eyes locked on the three glowing figures. “I get my mom back…and two little ones, too?”
Link turned to the rest. “Gear up. I need to brief Michaels.”
Swede’s voice crackled quietly through the comms. “Commander Michaels is online, Link. Secure connection established.”
Link nodded and lifted the sat-phone. “Commander Michaels?”
A familiar, clipped voice answered immediately, laced with feigned annoyance. “Link? Didn’t I finally get rid of you? I haven’t even gotten the coffee going in the office yet.”
“Commander, you did,” Link replied with a dry chuckle, fatigue evident in his voice. “But it turns out the universe has other plans. We’ve got a situation—hostages, women and kids. I’m on the ground in Basra and need help getting everyone out. Any chance Warden’s team can move?”
There was a brief pause. “Warden’s been back to Basra since you pulled Sammy out. He stocked the shack, right? Heard Tariq passed him intel on Sammy’s mother.”
“Yeah,” Link said. “Warden’s got the details. If they’re available, that’s who I want on this: to rescue not just his mother, but two siblings as well.”
Michaels’ voice grew serious. “Understood. Warden will want to help. I’ll check their status and push for immediate deployment. What’s the plan?”
Link quickly relayed the extraction plan: to move the three hostages from Faisal’s estate to a safe house across the river, about three miles away.
“Copy that,” Michaels replied. “I’ll coordinate with Warden. We got your six.”
Link felt the familiar burden of responsibility settle deep in his chest. “Thanks, Commander.”
Before hanging up, Michaels added, “Good to hear from you again, Link. I’ll message you an ETA shortly.”
Link ended the call, relief barely held in check. “Backup’s inbound, but it might take hours.”
Jax cracked a grin. “Hold the line until the cavalry arrives. Classic.”
Shadow looked to Sammy. “Sammy, this is real now. Ready?”
Sammy’s eyes burned with resolve. “I’m ready. Whatever it takes.”
Link squared his shoulders and addressed the team. “Alright, listen up. We’re carrying three packages this time, not one, so packing light is more important than ever. We move fast, but careful. Keep your load as light as possible.”
He gestured around the small shack. “This place was set up by Warden’s team, stocked by our couriers. Once we leave, we put it back exactly how we found it. No traces left. This isn’t a base, it’s a temporary stop. We won’t be coming back.”
He paused before adding, “We’ve got one old beat-up van staged outside. We’ll need to get it ready, parked somewhere out of sight but close enough for a fast move when it’s time to extract.”
He scanned the team, voice firm. “We set the house to vacant and secure the vehicles. Then we wait for our signal to move. Everyone stays sharp. No mistakes.”
The safe house fell into silence, shadows stretching long in the early light of dawn. The team took advantage of these precious moments, settling briefly to rest their bodies and steady their minds. Muscles relaxed, breaths evened out, but eyes remained alert, ears tuned to every sound.
Suddenly, the comm crackled to life. “Signal’s green,” came Swede’s voice.
Link breathed in deep, steadying himself. “We move out. Sammy, Tariq—stay sharp. This next mile is just as dangerous as anything inside the estate.”
Sammy nodded, his jaw clenched. Tariq scanned the perimeter, alert as ever. Together, the three slipped into the maze of back alleys, moving slow, low, and quiet.
“Eyes peeled for tails,” Link whispered into his comms. “Keep it tight. No noise.”
Behind the safe house, the engine of the old, beat-up van hummed softly as Jax and Shadow climbed inside.
Their task was clear: get the vehicle out of sight and close to the escape route.
While the van was far from comfortable, it was large enough to hold the team and the three packages when the time came.
The streets demanded caution; every corner and shadow could hide an enemy scout.
The van rumbled through narrow streets for about a mile, tires crunching softly over gravel and broken glass.
Shadow guided the vehicle beneath a crumbling warehouse overhang and carefully draped it with camo netting and loose debris until it blended seamlessly into the surroundings. “Vehicle concealed,” Shadow reported over the comms, switching to silent mode.
They climbed out, and as they moved away from the van on foot, a quick breath passed between them, mingling with the faint rustle of leaves and the soft snapping of twigs underfoot.
They jogged silently through alleys and patches of undergrowth, avoiding populated roads as they made their way to Link, Sammy, and Tariq.
Meanwhile, Link, Sammy, and Tariq continued their cautious approach toward the fortified estate, their eyes sharp and senses alert.
Over the comms, the soft rhythm of footsteps and faint static chatter accompanied Shadow and Jax as they moved.
Meanwhile, Link, Sammy, and Tariq continued their careful approach toward the fortified estate, their eyes sharp and senses alert.
Over the comms, the soft rhythm of footsteps and faint static chatter accompanied Shadow and Jax as they moved.
“Hey, man,” Jax said quietly, jogging to catch Shadow’s pace. “You’ve been moping around like someone stole your last beer. What’s eating you?”
Shadow shrugged but avoided Jax’s gaze. “Nothing. Just… stuff.”
Jax didn’t buy it. “Stuff? Come on, talk to me. Lost a girl or what?”
Shadow’s jaw tightened. “Yeah. Something like that.”
Jax grinned, nudging him. “You’re worse than a soap opera. Tell me everything or I’m gonna space out during the mission, worrying about you.”
Shadow let out a dry laugh. “She meant a lot. Doesn’t matter now.”
Jax’s tone softened. “Hey, mission or not, you know you’re not alone, right? We all got scars.”
Shadow nodded slowly. “Thanks, Jax. I’ll focus. Promise.”
Jax clapped him on the shoulder. “That’s what I want to hear. Let’s bring this home. Maybe after, you tell me the whole story.”
Shadow smiled, the first genuine one in days. “Maybe. It’ll take a lotta beers.”
They arrived quietly at the prearranged ridge where Link, Sammy, and Tariq were already concealed, eyes scanning the fortified estate ahead.
Link gave a brief nod over the radio. “All in position. Solid comms. This is it.”
Sammy swallowed hard, forcing himself to steady his breath. “Let’s bring them home.”