Bullets were whistling over our heads while we dodged to save our brains from becoming popcorns.

"Now that we're going to meet in Hell, tell me what's up with your crazy family? Why are you here, saving your and our asses instead of parking them on your throne?" I asked Neil who turned to me with a curious smile.

"Reason number one is because you are daring enough to swear on my family when we are literally two minutes away from death." He said laughing curiously.

"One more minute. If I die without knowing, I'll haunt you." I tried to use my chance.

He gave it thought. Though we both knew that we'd most probably make it out alive.

"Thirty seconds!" I gave him a false alarm. Anything that makes him talk.

"Damn it, James! I have committed some horribly stupid mistakes that brought shame to people who matter to me. I couldn't sit on the throne because of that guilt. I had to leave. So I joined your army when your commander needed a proof of my kingdom's loyalty. I was banned from the kingdom because I took this decision against my father - my King's wish . That's why the doors to that place are closed for me until the king allows. I made silly choices regarding my future family and because of that, my present family had to bend their necks humiliated. So, I had to take an oath that I shall not marry anyone and raise a family of my own. There's absolutely no way I'm going back home alive till my king lets me. And there's no way I'm marrying someone just to see her die before I'm finished too. But that gives you no right to say anything about them, so keep your mouth in check next time."

He took a deep breath while I processed the information I just squeezed out. "Congratulations, now you know that I'm stuck here for my own good. Now, for heaven's sake, get that bugger at your three! He is shooting like a boy trying to piss on a target - hitting everywhere but the target!"

It's funny how he was irritated at that man's poor shooting skills while calling ourselves targets. I always write a letter before leaving for a mission and burn them after coming back alive. It is to make it easy for my parents by apologising for not listening to them when they told me not to join the forces. This is the fucking reason why! He calls us targets and gets annoyed when the shooter misses us!

I chuckled and without turning back, pointed my gun at the source of that sound. I pointed it to the ground. That's in my soul. Target. If I wasn't a stupid Class-I agent in Prince Neil Fermin's team, I would have been a sniper. Ah what a life! Cool goggles, rooftop views, high tech guns with super focus..

"Shoot him dammit!" Neil barked and I came out of my sweet dream. Next moment my bullet was in his foot and there was no firing from his side. He must have been on his knees tending to his wound when I placed a second bullet in his head. He retired silently.

I smirked at Neil, never losing eye contact with him. "Show off!" He pushed me aside while crawling and crossing me.

"After you, Princess." I mocked and his elbow was on my face without a moment's delay. I held my jaw tight.

"If not for this rain, you'd be hanging upside down doing shooting practice for hours." He said without turning back.

That was a true warning. I loved every moment with my weapons but not in such a scenario. And considering Neil, he'd ensure I don't hit a single target correctly.

"Sorry, sir." I said laughing to myself and following him.

The mission has just started but I wanted it to end soon. I got a lot of leg pulling to do.

Firing had gone down enough for us to hear the moans of the captives. Our team was really commendable. Every person was talented and they fucking knew it and used it to save others' lives.

We had crawled upto the warehouse, ahead of the hot zone. The capturures definitely didn't know of our arrival. We were smooth.

Neil turned to me and pointed at my gun. We took our weapons off at the same moment and placed it down. Knives were out and we sneaked right outside the warehouse. I was given right wing and he chose left.

The warehouse was dark from inside. We were at disadvantage because we were going from light to dark zone. Our eyes will take atleast three seconds to adapt to the lack of light. Three seconds. Enough to end six lives by one man.

We closed our eyes for five seconds and then banged open the door. We wasted no moment and rolled inside from opposite sides.

There were fire shots at the common point we crossed just milliseconds ago. Stupid shooters. They were not even half prepared.

Our knives slid quicker than their eyes sending info to their brains about the two new faces under the roof.

I sliced three and Neil handled two. There was absolute silence except the groans of the captives lying on the floor in one corner.

Neil pointed at the tied people while he went to guard the entry. It was a smooth decision making. I had laughed earlier when he said he was born to lead. But going on missions with him has made me realise he's right. Instant decisions and crisp commands without any sound - it's not everybody's cup of tea.

Why not take the guns inside? Good question. Answer - there were civilians tied inside the dark room. If they heard shooting, they'd panic or even pass out. Moreover if any of my or Neil's bullet would hurt or kill any of them, we'd die in guilt. So no thanks, we were okay with sharp steel.

I took fifteen seconds to cut down the rope of half of them. "Too slow!" Neil hushed. I didn't miss the 'too fucking slow!' tone.

I paced quicker this time and cut the ropes tied around their hands. They can untie their feet themselves.

"Headcount?" Neil asked. "Eighteen." I answered without having to count again.

"There were seventeen." Neil turned back and suddenly the hair on my neck arose.

I jumped and caught the odd one out who was about to slip his arm around a girl. He thought he'll get away by threatening me with her life and his pistol.

I punched on his face hard. He fell back and didn't get up. I checked his pulse. Still there.

"Status?" "Inactive."

Firing outside had stopped completely. I heard few footsteps approaching us. I pushed all the crowd behind me, ready to face whoever was coming.

Neil stood like a pillar for few moments. Then he let loose.

"Status?" He asked loudly. So they were our men.

"Eight diffused. Ninth didn't launch." "He's sleeping inside." Neil said casually.

He turned around to look at the unconscious boy lying at my feet. "Looks young. What was the pulse?" He asked.

"Above 120." "Scared. Good. Pack him up. He'll vomit the truth."

Ah great! Rest of the team came and did a quick on-spot examination of all the captives. IDs were matched and minor injuries dressed up. They were given water and some food.

I tied the boy's hands and feet and checked for any other weapon in his pocket. There wasn't any. I lifted him up and carried him on my shoulder. My back will be cursing me for the long dragging course back to base.

It took us thirty minutes to report back while keeping all seventeen of them safe and hydrated. None of them spoke a word inside the warehouse because they thought they'll be killed any moment. But all of them had thanked us a hundred times since we started walking.

I walked ahead, getting annoyed by their wishes. Mission I/C stood tall and we debriefed him from A to Z. A chopper stood ready and all of us wanted to just be thrown like sacks inside.

It's been three days since our adrenaline peaked maximum and now it was waring down.

"Captives first." Neil reminded me as I looked at the helicopter with hope in my eyes.

"Thirteen dead. This one is alive. He should reveal a few things during interrogation." Neil reported as I laid that boy down at his feet and stretched my back. This boy better starts talking as soon as he opens his eyes or he's going to curse me red and blue.

"Good job, boys. You can board the next chopper." Senior said and I turned to Neil begging with my eyes. Let's fucking go now!

"Captives first, Sir." He repeated his words sternly. And I sat down with my eyes closed.

This meant we were going no where for next three rounds of the heli. Though I looked uninterested but I kept an eye on all 17 of them. There's no way we'd let anything happen to any of them after spending three days and nights awake, hungry and thirsty for them.

The last one boarded and there was space left for just two more. Senior told Neil to let two of his guys join them.

Neil turned to me. I nodded a no. There's no way I'm leaving the team behind.

"You join them, sir. We'll come in the last round." Neil said proudly after getting similar response from all his team members.

He was right. We were a pack. His pack.

************************************ A pack huh? 😁

Who else is loving this brewing friendship between these two crackpots? I sure as hell am!

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We're going to have a fast forward soon. So buckle up for your cute Carter to make an appearance! 😉