Page 67 of No Regrets

“One minute. I’ll meet you at the back door.” Dex’s voice was ice and Ryan walked away.

“Last fucking chance, asshole.” He pushed the knife against Khalini’s finger. Yeah, he was crossing the line here, Sam would probably have his ass for this. “Tell me where Lazir and the bodies are.”

“Beyond the rear perimeter wall. Shallow grave in the cluster of trees. But I wouldn’t waste your time. The dogs would’ve had them by now.” Khalini spat.

“And Lazir?”

“I don’t know where he is.”

Dex knew he was out of time. If they didn’t move now, he would put his team at risk.

“If you're lying, this conversation won’t be over.” He hissed before withdrawing his knife.

Shoving Khalini forward, Dex joined Ryan at the back door.

“We clear?”

“Yeah, team is the other side of the wall. Ready?”

Dex nodded. They made their way to the rope, Ryan went first, Dex shoving Khalini up, Ryan grabbed him and threw him down, none too gently, on the other side. The two of them jumped down after him.

“How much time do we have?” Dex asked his team.

“Not long. They’re searching the building, will notice he’s gone any minute. If they haven’t already alerted the other villages, the fire will have gotten attention. We need to be gone before more arrive or we’ll be severely outnumbered,” Steve confirmed.

Dex glanced at Tyler. “Put something around that hand.” He motioned to Khalini before activating his coms. “How long for our ride?”

“Ten minutes out,” Sam confirmed.

“I need a bit longer.”

“Why?”

“No time to explain.” He’d take the heat later.

“Raven one, what are you doing? Get the fuck out of there now.” Sam’s voice was firm.

“We are getting out.” Dex cut his coms and looked at his team.

“What’s going on?” Ryan asked, the whole team watching their team leader.

“We’re bringing Bravo home.”

“Whoa, was this the plan all along?”

Dex ignored the question, pointing to the cluster of trees behind them. “Our friend here says they’re in a shallow grave over there. We have zero time. Ty, Mackie, go get the truck. Take this fucker with you. The rest of you with me. We have one shot at this, and it’s not going to be pretty.”

He didn’t need to say more. Each one of them wanted nothing more than to bring their brothers home so they could be laid to rest properly. Dex was conscious of precious minutes ticking by as they scoured the ground in silence, all eyes focused on the dirt beneath them. If more insurgents got to them before they got out of there, they were going to be in a shitload of trouble.

“I got something,” Donnie announced. The team ran toward him. What looked like a hand was sticking out of the ground. The bones still had some flesh. The severe cold temperatures would have slowed the decomposition. It had to be them. Some fingers were missing. That bastard Khalini was right. The dogs had tried to get to them.

The team began digging with their hands, guns, whatever they could find. Fuck, this was the ugliest thing Dex had ever done. He wanted to throw up, could see his team were struggling too, but they would do this. There was no way they were leaving these guys here any longer. The earth was loose. The bodies must have only been moved there recently, which worked in their favor.

The sound of the truck came fifteen minutes later. Shouting from inside the compound was getting louder.

“We got three vehicles, about twenty tangos closing in,” Tyler said as he reached Dex.

“ETA?” Dex asked.