Friends Don't Look At Friends That Way

Part Fourteen.

**There are depictions and details of murder/violence in this chapter. Just as a trigger warning ahead of time.**

How much time has passed? Every minute that ticks by feels like too many, but sneaking into a highly guarded cartel compound is not simple. It took Ghost and I an hour to talk Price into what he now dubs "a good way to have us all six feet under." Gaz was, thankfully, on board before I even opened my mouth to explain the plan. We unanimously agreed that reinforcements weren't a possibility, only an absolute last resort. Price seemed confident that they would refuse to send backup anyway because the threat of starting a war with the Cartel did not justify using such resources to rescue one soldier. I had a few choice words regarding that little admission, but snapping at the men who are supposed to have my back doesn't seem wise right now.

Deep down, I know that Price doesn't give a fuck what the government thinks is an appropriate sanction of 'resources.' He may put on the formal leader face to do his due diligence regarding the consequences, but a haunted look has hung heavy in his ordinarily bright eyes since we witnessed [Y/N] be taken. It has deeply affected all of us, and our urgency to get our girl back is evident in the determination set on each of our faces.

Ghost and I are the ground team, pushing the building and taking out sentries with stealth. Price is taking overwatch, while Gaz provides long-range coverage where he can. It is the best we can do with what we have, and I intend to make it work to our advantage, no matter the cost.

It doesn't take long for us to work through the northern buildings' outdoor patrols, tucking bodies in dark corners of the beaten-down path. These men don't seem entirely combat-competent; half of them are not even properly paying attention before they take a knife to the neck or a suppressed bullet to the brain. It is uncomplicated work, almost suspiciously so, but I can't start to second-guess myself.

I drive my serrated blade across the throat of the last remaining sentry, flipping his corpse carelessly into the nearby shrubs. Gaz cleared the current roof watch while we made our way across the grounds, which leaves only the issue of what awaits us after we breach inside.

"Ghost, Soap. I've thoroughly reconned the main room where the party is being held and do not see Guzman. Be advised that we don't have eyes on him." Price warns us as we approach a set of closed doors in the rear of the building. From here, hoping only a few groups of men with AKs around every corner will be a matter of luck. Ghost and I make a decent team, though, so I'm not too worried about our abilities to breeze through El Aguila's forces.

Ghost presses his large body into the shadows next to the door, signaling me to prepare as his hand slips around the handle. Rising my gun with a nod, the room and the few bodies beyond it are exposed. I quickly take out the two men, securing the space with Ghost hot on my heels.

Hallway after hallway, we work in tandem to clear a path through various locations in the building, taking out any necessary threats, though we hardly come across any. It seems bizarre that, once again, it is incredibly easy to get around without trouble. With the highly protected exterior, the inside with few guards seems off. I watched this compound for so long before this moment; I have seen many men under Guzman's thumb with my own eyes. So where are they all now? With the size of the party happening on the South end of the property, one would think they would have extra guards prowling everywhere.

We clear another empty stretch of building, and an uneasy feeling washes over me.

"Ghost?" I summon him in a low tone. He appears behind me instantly, his weapon dutifully raised, "Does somethin' about this place seem off to ye?"

His masked gaze carefully sweeps the length of the hall, eyes assessing every inch of the space, "Where is everyone?"

"He knew we were comin'," I think out loud, passing another empty room, "So why would he not have this place armed to the teeth?"