Chapter Thirty

Ghost

"F ucking tangos," Helios bit out.

I didn't fucking comment, and neither did Ares.

Pushing the old piece-of-shit SUV to the max, I gave it all the gas it had as I glanced in the rearview.

Arms around herself, Safiya was shaking like hell as Helios looked back toward the compound.

He fucking knew what the mission was, and he'd used his non-suppressed M4.

We should've gotten out of there clean. In seconds.

Seconds .

I would've handled the compound with November's help, and there wouldn't be another firefight waiting for us on the airstrip.

Too enraged to process al-Hashimi's death yet, staying mission focused, I drove over the acreage surrounding the compound, crossed two more ravines, and cleared the hill bordering the south end of the airstrip.

Easing off the gas, I tapped my comm. "November, sitrep."

"Unable to clear the airstrip. Same two vehicles, nine headcount. New positions. One at the northeast corner of the apron, one at the northwest."

Reading November's response exactly as I had, Ares glanced at me.

They were positioned to fire at us as we took off. "Roger that, November."

"Fuck these assholes." Helios slammed a new magazine home. "I'll lay cover. Ghost, get your woman on board. Ares, follow their six and start the engines."

I glanced in the rearview again. Helios hated anyone taking first chair on his plane. "You hit?"

"I'm fucking fine." Putting his window down, he aimed his M4. "Worry about getting us to the plane. None of your stealth shit. They know we're coming. Fast and hard, hit the airstrip from the south, and let's get the fuck out of here."

"Copy. Ares?"

"Ready."

I glanced back at Safiya. "Wait till I come get you."

She barely nodded.

I hit the gas, and we were all silent as I came up on the rear of the Citation at full speed before slamming on the brakes and angling the SUV to give Helios a position of cover.

Helios, Ares and I exfilled.

I grabbed Safiya, Ares hit my six, and Helios took up position.

The first shots rang out before I had the airstairs open.

Helios and Ares returned fire.

I got Safiya on board.

Putting her in the seat just past the small galley, I quickly scanned her violently shaking body. "You're good. You're not hit." Buckling her in, sparing her a second we didn't have, I grasped her face and made her look at me. "We're getting out. Stay."

I rushed the cockpit, skipped prechecks, and leaned over first chair to fire up the engines.

Helios fucking unloaded. Ares ran up the airstairs. Shots hit the fuselage. I checked the flight deck and fuel. Ares dropped his rifle and jumped into second chair.

"Get us moving." Angling my HK416 as I rushed back to the open cabin door, I leaned out and yelled for Helios. "Covering!" I laid down fire.

Helios sprinted toward the plane.

Ares was already taxiing.

Helios hit the cabin.

I reached for the airstairs. "Securing. Go ."

Ares lined us up.

Helios took first chair.

Gunfire hitting the plane competed with the thrust of the engines.

I took the seat opposite Safiya, and we went full throttle.

The Citation lifted off the ground.

I triple tapped my comms.