Page 61 of Beta Team-The Saviors: Part two
“Yeah, you let them backtrack you…” Ari trails off. “What the fuck? Do you think this is what this is?”
“I don’t know, but it feels oddly familiar. He’s gotten away every time but now. Even with the software, he’s been moving constantly. Why would he let it all fall now? Setting you up to go in, fine. But actually letting Nolaninis a whole different story.” This just makes things even more complicated. “I just thought I’d let you guys know to proceed with caution. This guy is toofucking good for us to be able to get into his programs this fast. Nolan is so deep in this guy’s hard drive that it’s not even funny.”
“Fuck,” Ari sighs. “Thanks, Holden.”
“No problem. I’m going to be listening in and watching your cameras with Nolan.”
All eyes turn to Tivon, and he shrugs. “Same plan, but ask questions first before we start shooting, unless you’re in danger. We will try to take Cryptic alive.” Tivon turns to address the rest of us. “Shadow and Phantom, head towards the house, but don’t enter until you get the all clear. Ari is with me, and the rest of you need to split into teams of two or three to cover as much area as possible.” Tivon directs as he grabs his sniper case from the back of the SUV. “We’re going to find somewhere to get eyes on this house.”
“There’s an old barn like thirty feet to your left. Should be enough to give you a visual,” Nolan suggests.
“Thanks, my adorable computer nerd,” Tyler says. Axel's hand lashes out faster than Tyler can react, smacking him in the back of the head. “Damn it, Axel. That fucking hurt.”
“Good. Quit fucking calling him that.”
Tivon and Ari disappear into the treeline, and all eyes turn to our team. “What the fuck is going on there?” Cole asks, jerking his thumb toward where Tivon and Ari disappeared.
“A new development,” Tyler says, and, honest to God, fuckinggiggles. “Doc just gave Ari the all clear, and he’s nervous about going back into the field and putting us through what happened last time. Tivon is his calm.” When he giggles again, I slap him this time. “This is abuse.”
“You deserve it,” Tivon says through the comms. “You seem to forget everyone can hear what you say. We’re in place.”
“Can someone with a vest camera break through the treeline so I can get a visual?” Nolan asks. Shadow and I nod at eachother and make our way to the edge. “Perfect. Nothing on the camera, and no heat signatures.”
“Nothing on our end,” Ari replies.
“Start getting into place,” Tivon instructs. “Let’s get this over with. Remember, they could be covering their heat signatures.”
The teams start splitting up, and Shadow and I wait for Tivon’s instructions. I hear a thump through the comms, and he’s telling us to move. Just like we’ve practiced so many times, we melt into the shadows. It’s as easy as breathing now.
“Phantom, go to your left,” Nolan says, and I smile behind my mask at the new name. “Shadow, to your right.”
We get thirty or so yards from the house when people start materializing out of nowhere.
“Goddamnit,” Tivon barks. “They were masking. Take them out!”
I pull my AK up and start firing, feeling bullets whizzing past my head. I hear a pained grunt through comms, and have to shake myself from the visions of Ari flooding my mind.Get it together, Gavin. I drop two bodies and start moving at a fast clip back toward Shadow.
“Call out!” Ari yells. I start hearing the names start pouring over comms of people checking in except for one.Tyler.“Tyler?” Nothing. “Tyler!”Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.“Tyler. Report in.”
“He was right with me!” Keon says over gunfire. “He’s gone.”
“What?!” I bark. “Find him!”
I crouch beside Shadow’s form and wait for anyone to walk around the back of the house. My hands are sweating and shaking. Was that Tyler that I heard through the comms? Did he get hit?
“Phantom,” Shadow whispers. “I need you here with me, man. He could be not answering for many reasons. I can’t do this alone.”
I take a cleansing breath and grip my gun tighter. “I’m with you.”
“I’m circling back,” Axel says. “I’ll find him.”
“Phantom and Shadow, breach the house,” Tivon instructs. “Find Cryptic. We’ll cover you from the outside. Keep your head on a swivel.”
Stealth is out, so Shadow kicks in the back door. We turn back to back, turning as we walk. The house is eerily quiet, and it sends a heavy dose of unease down my spine. We search the main floor and then make our way upstairs, checking each room as we go. This place looks like it was abandoned in a hurry. Clothes are strewn everywhere, a laptop is still open on a computer desk, a curling iron is still laying on the bathroom counter. Shadow and I go downstairs and approach what can only be the basement door. We can still hear the complete chaos outside, and I have a hard time focusing on the task at hand. Shadow counts down to one on his fingers, then slowly opens the door to the basement. He's met with a black figure hitting him with a flying tackle. I lift the gun, fire, and kick the guy off him.
“Thanks,” Shadow says, taking my hand so I can pull him to his feet.
We start down the stairs, and what we find makes bile rise in my throat. There’s blood everywhere, and the smell is overwhelming. “What the fuck?” I whisper.
