The Sniper's Heart

Chapter 8

The metal handcuffs zip closed as Hamwrack snaps them down on Jorlando's wrists. We got him. And most of his men alive. "Hawk team, we need to get a clean up in here. Three bodies that need to be removed." My coms beep and they quickly respond with a "Yes sir."

Damien walks in, shaking his knuckles out and stepping over one of the dead men's body. He doesn't even spare it a glance. I pull the goggle-like glasses up over my head and clap his shoulder as some of the men walk in and grab the lifeless bodies and start dragging them from the office room.

"That went well. Who broke position to cover me?" I ask as Wes and Tommy walk in, grinning to each other with blood spattered across their chests. Damien looks and me and furrows his brows, "Uh...no one. Why?"

That makes my own eyebrows furrow. The hell? "Then who the hell shot down those guys?"

Quinn steps inside the office too, glancing towards the window. "I thought Red was only supposed to take one shot?"

"She was." I growl at him. She would never break orders. "Then why the hell is there three bullet holes in the glass window?" He asks, pointing towards the glass. My chest feels tight as I turn and see the shattered window. Three bullet holes.

No. She didn't. She wouldn't.

I press the com in my ear. "Red. The hell!? Only one shot! How hard was that!?" My throat is tight with anger as I snarl, fists tensing when I'm met with silence. Is she really ignoring me!? Right now!?

That woman is going to get it. "Red! Stop fucking ignoring me!" I shout, glaring through the window. Nothing. Not a sharp breath. Not a word. Not a comment.

My chest twists tightly. Somethings not right. "Red?" My voice is tense. Concern lacing my whole body. "Red? Red!? Doll!?" I shout into the coms, looking around the office with wide eyes. Where the hell is my girl!?

"Has anyone seen Red!?" I shout, barging into the hot warehouse, frantically looking around at the men dragging bodies around and picking up broken glass. Everyone freezes and looks up at me. It feels like the world is being put in slow motion as they all shake their heads no. No. They shake their heads fucking no.

My body...I don't know how to fucking describe it. Panic, fear, worry...it's all there. Bunches tightly in a ball that shoves at my throat as I press a hard finger to my coms. "Doll, where the hell are you!? Say something!" My voice continues to rise and I don't even realize I'm running out of the warehouse until I catch a quick glance of soldiers getting out of my way.

The pain of slamming into the door again is just a haze in the back of my mind as the sun beats down on my back, sweat coating my brow line. "Doll! Answer me!" My legs burn as I start up the hill towards her position, cursing as I almost trip over a random piece of brush. My body is restless, the silence on the other end of the coms making my legs pump faster.

The ground is hot beneath my boots as I run up the hill. "Fuck, Doll, where are you!?" I shout, chests heaving for water. I look around, trying to find a single indication of her being here. "M...Marrek..." her voice cracks and my heart goes with it. I run. Fucking run to where her voice came from, ripping the goddamn bushes from their roots and throwing them away.

My stomach rolls at the sight. She's laying on her back, hand covered in blood pressed right to her heart. She's gasping, body trembling on the ground. I fall to my knees beside her, my hands beginning to shake as well. I never shake when someone gets shot. The fuck is wrong with me? "Doll, no," I whisper, ripping her goggles off and yanking the mask up, revealing her beautiful and pale, so so pale face.