Page 138 of Pretend
Pure, thick silence consumes the room, and it’s full of tension.
It’s like everyone knows the Reaper is near, and we can’t do anything about our future that has already been sealed.
“We’ve gone over the plan a hundred times already. We got this.” Grim tells us.
“Hooyah.” We all say synchronized.
Admiral Ravenmore walks into the room, and the atmosphere changes. Everyone knows I’m with his stepdaughter. It’s been a couple of months since that day in his office when he asked me to promise to stay away from Alessia.
He’s bitter about it and hasn’t talked to me like he used to since.
Rightfully so. He knew I was married. It’s something that’ll eat me alive for not being honest with Alessia. But I never cheated.
Grim looks tensed up. We all have our armor plates on, gloves, kits, and our waists littered with weapons. We’re ready to fight. We’re ready to win.
We’re swimminginto the area. The HVTs are hiding on an island, and we’re in the ocean. We make it to shore after agonizing minutes of swimming through strong currents. The black sea is an element even I know not to underestimate, but we all make it to land with all our limbs intact.
Grim takes the lead, of course. Other SEAL teams and Delta operators are on standby for QRF. But we’re ready.
The sand is unforgiving. Our boots sink in, but we’re vigilant and determined. We set up in the place Intelligence authorized us to. Lopez has comms ready. Slaughter, Rooker, and Grim get settled in their spots. We’re in deep with the trees. Right away, it’s my cue to get to work. As expected, there are enemies surrounding the beach. There are two of them, already aiming their weapons straight at us.
I take the initiative.
They’re in my crosshairs.
Goodnight.
My finger is on the trigger as Grim calls my name through the mic. They all start to shoot at once, and I begin to hum.
“Creature.”
“Already on it,” I respond quickly.
I send it. I pull the trigger, and the kickback rolls into my shoulder.
The target goes down as the bullet pierces his face. Then the next one falls, and the next one. The silencer on my weapon made the shots quiet.
The world grows quiet. The sound of the ocean surrounds us. Insects and the wind rattling the trees is almost soothing. I love the outdoors, but right now…it’s biting back, and the eerie sounds scream at us.
Something is wrong.
Something is very wrong.
Suddenly, there’s shouting from a distance, and in a split second, we’re surrounded by bullets. The enemy releases havoc, and we’re pinned down in a spot with little fallback cover.
I keep spraying, hitting enemies left and right, but they just keep coming.
It’s an army.
“Bro, what the fuck!” Lopez shouts and starts to radio in our location for support.
“I don’t like this, Grim! I don’t like it at all!” Rooker exclaims as we all return fire. The bullets look like mini fireflies through the darkness, but they’re flying fast, and they’re not missing a beat.
“Shit!” Grim shouts.
“What’s going on? Talk to me, Grim!” Kane shouts into the mic. He’s in the center of us all, and Grim is on the far left.
“I’ve been shot in the side.” Grim rasps in the mic. “I’m fucking good, though. Keep fighting!”
