Always, Tulip

▫️Eleven

Grey's pov

Our undercover men together with the local police had discovered an abandoned warehouse near a factory by the mining grounds where defectors had been smuggling immigrants and arms.

Some residents who had been reported missing were allegedly suspected to have been seen within the area.

"Take your positions." I instructed as we slowly caged into the shrewd place that was unusually quiet for a mining area.

"Approach with caution." I spoke into the mouth piece and steadily held my gun when a copy that acknowledgement came from the other three team leaders through the ear piece.

Two of our groups went round the back entrance while I led the rest to the front. A bang came from the door ahead that I lifted my hand to halt the movement of everyone behind me.

"Wait for action signal." I kicked the door open as several soldiers rushed in and I quickly surveyed the way we'd come. With no suspicious trace, I followed in.

The room was shady and I covered my nose from the intoxicating smell that came through. "Captain, hostages have been found." Group one's team leader reported and I instructed them to follow our plan.

We combed through the entire area without any hindrance and I was beginning to grow suspicious. Just after we finished going through, gunshots filled the place around us.

"Target at three o'clock." Reece, who had been monitoring the area from the military base informed and I urged all groups to retreat.

We easily knocked out the targets as I coordinated for the other groups to take the hostages to a safer place. Two of them were underage while the rest were adults, some foreign.

Firearms were found by a swampy area, must have hidden them recently because it was sloppily done and there were traces all over.

A bullet suddenly grazed my arm and I held back a seething grunt. "Cover me, there's a sniper." I instructed the other groups as we circled round just in case they were more than one.

"All clear." Reece informed once the sniper had been caught. The hostages were handed over to the police who arrived later on to investigate the whole area.

We then got into our trucks and returned to the military camp. I unstrapped my hand from the cover I'd been wearing to inspect the injury. "Are you okay captain?" One of my colleagues asked and I stiffly nodded.

It was just a small graze but I knew my tulip would get worried once she saw it.

"Have a rest." I instructed all groups before I got off to report about the mission to the brigade commander.

I picked up my phone by the reception before going in. "That was fast!" He stood up to pat my arm smiling and I grunted back.

The quick success was all due to the strategy we'd taken over a day to come up with though it was worth all our efforts.

He evaluated our actions, the mistakes we'd done and what we were supposed to improve on. I was a keen listener but the vibration of my phone from my pocket took out all my focus.

My chest deflated as I relaxed upon seeing her message. She had asked me to be safe and take care of myself together with my mates too.

What an angel!

She often reminded me of tulips. The brightness of her smile and the sunshine that radiated from her joyful nature making want to bask around her every day, every hour, every moment.

Her caring nature, always wanting to make sure everything was going well. I had watched her being so protective over Dalton to the point where I doubted their relationship.