The Bee's Knees

Zagreb

One Month Later

Ghost made the steady, steep climb up the mountain side, stopping at an over watch site he had scoped out the day before. Setting up his sniper rifle, he observed the valley below, more specifically, a modest house nestled in the hills of Zagreb County, Croatia. Ghost called in his location "Bravo 07 in the blind. At location. Out"

The hillside home was the 'safe house' of Jovan Ilic, a major player in the Serbian Mafia. Aside from being entrenched in the operations of money laundering, prostitution rings and weapons trade of the Serbian Mafia, Ilic had branched out to blackmailing government officials. Ghost knew how deep the corruption went with officials in most governments and had no sympathy for them being blackmailed. 

However, Ilic had developed a particularly effective and nasty method of luring his victims into his trap. Intel had come to light that Ilic and his men were inviting top officials and business leaders to private parties, drugging them and making them perform lewd acts with underage victims involved in sex trafficking.

Photos and videos were taken as blackmail fodder and when they awoke from their stupor back in their own homes, they'd receive a photo via email with a phone number. Their intel had only come to light, when a prominent member of parliament had taken his own life, leaving behind a confession video, detailing exactly how he'd been blackmailed.

Ghost was eager to get this job done, clear in his view that Ilic was a major piece of shit that needed to be taken out. He could deal with terrorists, embezzelers, weapons and drug smugglers, without batting an eyelid. But the intel detailing the disgusting abuses towards young women and underage girls and boys, made Ghost's blood boil.

Command had shared intel with Ghost that Ilic had fled from Serbia and was going to be arriving in two hours. The intel briefing stated how they'd intercepted his flight logs and a call to his driver, detailing his scheduled arrival.

Ghost's mission was simple, locate Ilic and eliminate him. However, after sitting and waiting for four hours, Ilic was yet to show.  He was supposed to be here already. Feeling frustrated by the lack of action, Ghost called in.

"Bravo 07 to command, Ilic is a no show. Requesting intel check, out" he called through his radio before training his scope back on the house.

An hour later, Ghost's radio crackled before a voice came through "Bravo 07, intel checks out. Maintain position, out"

"Where the fuck is he?" Ghost whispered through gritted teeth. After another hour, Ghost's patience was wearing thin. Looking through his scope, there were still no lights on in the house, no vehicles and no sign of Ilic. Ghost contemplated calling it in and leaving, when his radio crackled again.

"Hey Ghost man. You enjoying the view?" the familiar voice said.

Ghost's head dropped onto his forearm and he groaned, "Oh hell no" he sighed. "Bee, what the fuck do you want?" he growled into his mic.

"Aw Ghost, I thought you'd be happy to hear from me. I'm disappointed" Bee replied in an exaggerated whiny voice.

"Jesus Bee, get to the point. Why you bugging me?" he demanded.

"Rude. Anyway, your boy isn't at home...." Bee started but was interrupted by and angry growl

"Tell me something I don't know for fuck sake" Ghost spat.

"I was about to grumpy ass. Words got to him that someone's waiting for him, he's gone to ground in Zagreb City" Bee explained.

"Intel was confirmed by command. You better not be fucking with me Bee." Ghost warned in a low growl.