Ice (Elite Forces #1)(20)

JJ nudges me, his fingers coding that he’s spotted two men climbing up the roof of a building across from us. I aim my rifle, find my target, and take them both out, their shit bodies falling to the ground.

I have no idea how many more we kill. I do know the instant I see three women coming out of a darkened building, I hold off and watch them. Fuck. Sweat starts to drip down my back and forehead. “Goddamn it,” I say while covering my microphone with two of my fingers.

One of them places her hand inside her dark-colored clothing. Threat or not, they have to go. JJ takes out two of them, and I hit the other. I sigh in relief. Minutes go by quickly. All we hear is the firing of guns from inside the building where we know our main target is. The beautiful moment we hear Kaleb announce it’s done is the second JJ pulls out his bomb. He does his thing to set it and we're gone.

Crawling across the hard pebbles of this soon-to-be destroyed building is one of the hardest things. We have to get our asses out of here now. Our shit will blow up if we stall too long. JJ hits the steps alongside the roof first, and I follow close on his ass. Feet planted on the rusty steps, rifle slung over my back, I haul ass. We hit the ground and run for the empty field we've been instructed to meet in.

I hear his voice once again. Deep, dark, and dangerous as he asks each one of us to give our code word. I’m the last one to rattle mine off. Each of us was given a word we were to check in once the mission was complete. "Hunger,” I say loudly, my breathing rapidly picking up speed the faster I run.

The helicopter approaches; one by one, everyone jumps in. Except me.

I can’t explain the sudden urge of panic that catastrophically hits me in the gut. It’s as if my sensors are telling me something is wrong. I turn my body sharply in the direction of the small village. Kaleb, Harris, and Roberts are still running toward us.

“Did you see that?” I yell over the top of the blaring engines of the helicopter.

“See what?” one of the guys yells back from inside the chopper.

“There’s someone running behind them. Fuck!” I scream as I snatch my weapon, aim my scope, and crouch down low.

It’s a damn young boy. My hands begin to shake and my eyes start to water. Everything happens so fast. I watch the young kid, who can't be over the age of twelve or thirteen, stop running. He aims two guns in our direction. Then quickly, his arms shift and he’s pointing them at Kaleb, who's the last one of the three.

“Shoot him, Elliott! Now! Damn it!” JJ roars. My mind is racing as I watch his every move.

“Please put the guns down, boy,” I whisper. He doesn’t. Of course he won’t. These children are brainwashed to believe we are the enemy. Some are stolen from their families, only to become trained killers. Not in the way we train. No, they train to hate and even kill their own flesh and blood if told to.

With perfect hands, I shoot. The young boy flies backwards, but not before he fires off two shots. I can’t think. I can barely see. My vision blurs, and I drop my weapon. My entire being is trembling as the reality of what I've done slams into my chest.

The last thing I allow my brain to remember as I stare into the hard eyes of Kaleb Maverick is the sound of the bomb. The echo of the aircraft as it lifts and shoots round after round from the attached machine guns and the fact that not only have I killed a child, but I’ve been shot.





CHAPTER SEVEN


JADE


“Sir, you can't be back here.” My restless mind is desperately trying to decipher the female voice. I’m groggy, light-headed, and confused. I blink rapidly, fighting the blinding light as I try to open my eyes and focus.

“Elliott.” I try to sit up at the mention of my name, only to have soft but firm hands hold me still. “Captain, please stay still.” I turn in the direction of the female voice.

“Where am I?” I question, my mouth dry. Jesus, my head hurts. Pain shoots through my forearm when I try to lift it to my aching head. White gauze is wrapped around my arm, the tightness constricting me from moving it up or down to inspect what the hell is happening.

“To answer your question, Captain, you're at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany.” I look down to her name tag that reads Dr. Vivian Brooks.

“How the hell did I get here?”

“You were injured. Are you capable of telling me what you remember?” My head whips around to the other side of the bed where I lie stiff and sore when a deep voice clears his throat.

“Kaleb.” My eyes speak for themselves. They look him up and down. It’s the first time I’ve seen him dressed this casually. His dark jeans and white t-shirt stretch tight across his manly chest. I may be somewhat disoriented, but my god, he is just so damn beautiful. His blue eyes are vibrant and his arms more defined than I remember. His tattoos have my mouth watering when seconds ago it was dry.

“Hey,” he speaks quietly.

“Hey,” I say back, then turn my eyes away from him. He shouldn't be here. I remember everything; all of it. Every f*ck, every thrust, every kiss.

I jerk my hand away from him when he reaches for it. He retreats his without a word. I focus my attention on the doctor. “I was shot,” is all I say. It’s all I can say, all I’m aloud to say.

Her mouth smiles kindly. “You were grazed by the bullet. It did not hit you. You have five stitches, and you will be in pain for a few days, Captain.”