Rainbow Six: Bloodlines

"EL LEÓN" - Chapter 11

     Zofia angled her KS79 launcher at the ground between her and Kruger and Holt, who stood uncertainly by, not daring to raise their weapons.

     She was trying desperately to hide her pain, but standing was proving to be a test of her strength, not to mention her ability to project authority in the faces of the men before her.

     Her knees began to shake. "Who are you? What unit are you with?"

     Kruger and Holt glanced at each other before Kruger held up a hand in offering. "You first."

     "No."

     "If you're going to blow us all away, it doesn't really matter anyway, does it?"

     Zofia winced at the pain in her chest. She feared the enemy sniper round had dealt more damage than she was allowing herself to accept.

     Kruger took a slow step forward. "Let's make a deal."

     "Not one more step."

     "Miss, I think-"

     "Don't fucking test me. Shut up and stay where you are."

     Shots rang out in the night, somewhere beyond the wall on the villa grounds. Kruger ventured a glance toward them before turning back to the woman. "Let's make a deal," he repeated. "You lower that tube of yours, we lower our weapons, and we talk this out... because I think we both know we're playing for the same side."

     Holt nodded. "Same side, different teams."

     Zofia didn't get to answer. Her knees began to buckle. Her vision grew clouded. Her hands shook, and she fell to a knee, propping herself up momentarily with her grenade launcher before slumping to the ground, unconscious.

     Kruger rushed to the woman, knelt by her side, and opened his backpack. He fished out a med-kit and morphine syringe.

     "The hell you doing?"

     "Shut it, Holt."

     "We don't know who she is. We need to get over the wall and help, not-"

     "Quiet." Kruger put two fingers to the woman's neck to check her pulse.

     "We don't know who-"

     "I fucking know!" Kruger snapped, flashing an angry glance up to his teammate. "She could have killed us. She didn't. Now go join Nomad and Midas, or watch my ass while I help her." He paused. "Don't literally watch my ass, though. Just cover me. Don't make it weird."

     Holt rolled his eyes. "Hurry the fuck up."

     On the second floor, Caveira and Vigil hugged shadows and watched three security guards jog past them and round a hallway corner. They could hear the sound of the men's footsteps padding rapidly down a staircase beyond view.

     "If the Senator's bedroom is upstairs, where the fuck are they going?" Vigil mused.

     Caveira shook her head. "Wait here. Cover the hallway. I'm going hunting."

     "I should go with you."

     The woman shook her head again and looked back at the man. "Stay here, Hwa. Let me know if anyone is coming." She touched her radio. "Ela, Grace, status?"

     "Lot of movement outside. We're in a courtyard near the fountain, west."

     "What were those shots we heard?"

     "Not us," Dokkaebi answered. "Repeat, shots were not ours, and we took no fire."

     Caveira nodded. "Eyes open. Hold position and watch for an escape attempt."