FALLEN | The Devil of Caracas

Chapter 11 | Through the Shadows

Street lamps pollute the night sky, dimming the stars. Crammed in a single sedan, Lexi and the other men wrap dark shemaghs around their heads, to cover their faces. Simultaneously, all four doors pop open and the black-clad mercenaries step out. Jason unlatches the trunk of the car; it flings open and the other team members gather around it, grabbing at various weapons and tools.

All five team members wear dark clothing, tactical gloves, and combat boots. Aside from Anatoly, they've also strapped on bulletproof vests. Each vest is customized per the individual and their assignment, with various pieces of equipment and ammunition pouches attached to it.

Anatoly remains in the car, wired into his radio. He keeps an eye on the street, prepared to alert his friends of any suspicious activity.

In perfect unison, the assassins stack up as if forming a conga line, and make their way to the front door. Dietrich takes a knee in front of the doorknob, while the others huddle in the nearby shadows. He pulls out a lock pick gun, gently sets the pick inside the lock, and gives the lever a few squeezes.

Once he hears the lock unlatch, he leans to the side, out of the way of the others. With one hand on the doorknob, he twists the handle and slowly pushes the door open. The other mercenaries step inside, guns raised. Dietrich then stands up and follows closely behind.

The group spreads out around the house, searching each room as quietly as possible. They use no flashlights and rely on their eyes to adjust to the dark.

After clearing the first floor, they silently climb the stairs. No one speak. Sam uses hand signals to direct his team. Leading the charge, he divides the group, motioning with his left hand.

Lexi and Jason search the first room on the left, while Sam and Dietrich enter the room on the right.

Sam's heart sinks, as he slowly opens the creaking door. He sees a young girl, maybe ten years old, fast asleep on her stomach.

Lexi and Jason enter the master bedroom. They move to either side of the large bed, allowing their weapons to dangle from their straps. Lexi stands over the assumed wife as Jason moves next to her husband. They each pull out a small bottle and a cloth. Then the mercenaries hold their breath as they squeeze the Sevoflurane chemical onto the rags.

Lexi and Jason look at each other and nod; with that, they quickly cover the mouth and nose of their victims and climb on top of their, now thrashing, bodies. Lexi watches the woman's eyes fly open in panic. She attempts to scream, but her cry for help is muffled by the thick cotton cloth. The bed rocks every which way, as the couple does everything in their power to overthrow their captors.

In the child's room, Sam douses his cloth in a little less Sevoflurane than he would use on a grown adult. He loathes his actions. Chaos erupts in the other room, as Lexi and Jason go to work.

Dietrich steps out of the bedroom to search the rest of the upper floor. In one move, Sam places his right hand on the back of the girl's head and then uses his left to cover her mouth and nose with the cloth. Her eyes pop open and she panics. He leans down, using his left elbow to add weight to her torso, keeping her pinned. Sam prays the drug works quickly as he avoids looking at the young girl thrashing about. She cries out a stifled scream. Her eyes fill with terror. Her arms flail, slapping and hitting every bit of her assailant, she can reach. She fights to roll over. He forces his left arm down, pinning her to the bed. Sam closes his eyes; He begs for it to be over.

Across the hall, the husband and wife finally cease their violent jolting. Once their bodies go limp and their eyes roll to the back of their heads, Lexi and Jason step off and pull out a roll of duct tape.