Page 36 of Love and Loyalty

Drew's gaze swept the room, her eyes locking onto a figure in the shadows. "I've got something. Smith, cover me."

Smith moved to Drew's side, her weapon trained on the figure. Drew crept forward, her movements fluid and deadly.

"Target acquired," Drew whispered, her voice barely audible. "It's our guy."

Smith's heart raced as Drew took charge, discharging orders with precision. "Patel, get the package ready. Rodriguez, cover our exit. Smith, let's get him out of here."

But as they reached the center of the warehouse, something went terribly wrong. A loud creak echoed through the space, followed by the sound of footsteps. The target's guards had been alerted.

Smith froze, her hand raised in a warning. Drew's heart raced as she realized they had been compromised. The guards emerged from the shadows, their weapons drawn.

In the chaos that followed, Drew's training kicked in. She took down several guards, but Smith was nowhere to be seen. Drew's heart skipped a beat as she frantically scanned the area.

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed through the warehouse, followed by the sound of Smith's voice. "Drew, I've got the target. But we need to get out now!"

Drew sprinted toward the sound, her weapon at the ready. She found Smith pinned down by enemy fire, the target struggling in her grasp.

Without hesitation, Drew laid down a withering field of fire, clearing a path for their escape. But as they made their way out of the warehouse, Drew realized that Smith’s arm was bleeding profusely.

Their mission had gone sideways, and they needed to get out fast before things got any worse.

Drew scanned the perimeter. "Alright, team, let's move out. Drew, take point with Drew. Patel, cover our backs. I'll take the center with Smith."

She knew the team’s tactics, and she trusted her instincts.

She led the way, her weapon at the ready. She moved swiftly and silently, her senses on high alert. She kept her eyes fixed on Smith's back.

Drew couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. She had executed countless missions, but this one felt different. The target, a man with a gaunt face and sunken eyes, seemed...altered.

At first, she thought it was just the stress of captivity, but as they made their way back to the extraction point, she noticed the target's behavior. He was docile, almost catatonic, and his eyes looked glazed over.

Drew's gut told her something was wrong, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She glanced at Smith, who seemed equally perplexed.

"What's going on with him?" Smith whispered, nodding toward the target.

Drew frowned. "I don't know, but I don't like it. He's not reacting like a typical HVT."

As they loaded the target into the helicopter, Drew's uneasiness grew. She noticed his pupils were dilated, and his skin had a faint sheen to it.

"Patel, did you notice anything unusual about the target's behavior?" Drew asked, her voice low.

Patel hesitated. "Now that you mention it, ma'am, he did seem sedated."

Drew's instincts screamed at her to investigate further, but they were already en route to the debriefing site. She made a mental note to look into the target's medical records to see if anything could explain his strange behavior.

Her uneasiness lingered, and she realized she felt as if she were being watched.

"Smith, I've got a bad feeling about this," Drew said, her voice low and urgent.

Smith glanced at her, concern etched on her face. "What is it, Drew?"

Before Drew could respond, a hail of bullets assaulted them, ripping through the air with deadly precision. The team dove for cover, returning fire as they scrambled to regroup.

As they fought their way to the extraction point, Drew's mind raced. What was causing this feeling? Did they miss something in the warehouse?

The bullets kept coming, forcing them to move with precision and speed. Drew's team was well-trained, but they were outnumbered, and the enemy was closing in.

Just as they reached the extraction point, a rocket-propelled grenade screamed toward them, forcing them to scatter. Drewgrabbed Smith's arm, pulling her to safety just as the grenade detonated, sending shrapnel flying everywhere.