Chapter 68 Left Behind
The team arrived at 9 PM.
Elena watched from the window as vehicles pulled belonging to Marcus, Leo and three others she'd learned their names during the yesterday's briefing. They were all armed, wearing tactical gear and moving like men about to go into combat.
Pierce was already outside, doing the final weapons checks. Elena saw him talk with Marcus, both studying something on a tablet screen, then nodding.
Derek appeared beside her at the window. "You should eat something."
"I'm not hungry." She said sharply.
"You need to keep your strength up." Derek said. "We've got a long night ahead."
Elena knew he was right but the thought of food made her stomach turn. Instead she moved away from the window, unable to watch Pierce prepare to walk into danger.
Twenty minutes later, Pierce came inside.
He'd changed into dark tactical clothing, weapons kept at his hip and thigh, a vest covering his chest. He looked like a soldier, like someone heading into war, because he was.
"We're leaving in five minutes," Pierce said, moving toward her.
Elena nodded, not trusting her voice.
Pierce pulled her close, his arms wrapping around her. "I'll be back before you know it."
"Be careful," Elena whispered against his chest.
"I always am." He pulled back, his hands framing her face. "Derek will monitor communications. You'll hear everything. But Elena if something sounds bad, if you hear gunfire.."
"I know." Elena's voice was tight. "Trust that you know what you're doing."
"Exactly." Pierce kissed her forehead, then her mouth, slow and deliberate. "I love you."
"I love you too." Elena's hands gripped his vest. "Come back to me."
"I promise."
Then he was gone, walking out the door to join his team. Elena watched from the window as they loaded into vehicles. Pierce glanced back once, meeting her eyes through the glass.
Then the vehicles pulled away, taillights disappearing into the darkness.
Elena stood frozen at the window, staring at the empty driveway.
"Come on," Derek said gently. "Let's get the comm station set up."
The living room had been transformed into a makeshift command center. Derek had set up two laptops, a radio system, and a large monitor showing a map with GPS trackers for each team member.
Elena sank onto the couch, her eyes fixed on the screen. Six dots moving through the city toward the south side.
"They'll go silent for the approach," Derek explained, adjusting the radio. "But once they're in position, Pierce will check in."
Elena nodded, her hands tightened together.
The clock on the wall read 9:47 PM. Thirteen minutes until the mission started.
Elena watched the GPS dots move, imagining Pierce in the vehicle, mentally preparing, running through the plan one more time.
9:52 PM and the dots stopped moving, which meant they'd arrived at the staging point three blocks from the factory.
Derek adjusted the radio and the static crackled through the speakers, then Pierce's voice, low and controlled. "Team in position. We're beginning approach on foot."
"Copy," Derek responded. "Comm check."
"Marcus here. Good signal."
"Leo, good."
Three other voices checked in one by one.
"All confirmed," Derek said. "Proceed when ready."
The GPS dots started moving again, slower now. All on foot, approaching the factory.
Elena's heart hammered against her ribs.
"We're approaching east service entrance," Pierce's voice came through. "Two guards visible. Engaging."
Elena heard the soft sound of suppressed gunfire through the comm, and then two quick shots.
"Guards down. Moving inside."
Derek made notes on his laptop, tracking their progress. Elena just stared at the screen, listening.
"Ground floor clear. Three hostiles neutralized. Moving to second floor."
She could hear more gunfire, louder this time, not suppressed.
"Contact!" Someone shouted through the comm and it was not Pierce. "East stairwell, multiple hostiles.."
The sound of automatic weapons fire exploded through the speakers. Elena shook, her hands flying to her mouth.
"Fall back!" Pierce's voice, sharp with command. "Leo, cover the door!"
They were more gunfire, shouting. The chaos of combat showing in brutal clarity through the radio.
"They knew we were coming," Marcus's voice was tense. "This was a trap..."
"Doesn't matter," Pierce cut him off. "Push through anyways, Second floor, now!"
Elena sat frozen, listening to the battle unfold. Every gunshot made her shake, every shout sent ice through her veins.
Derek's face was serious, his hands moving across the laptop, tracking positions.
"Boss, west corridor is blocked!" Leo's voice.
"Then we go through them." Pierce's voice was cold. "Marcus, breach charges on that door. We're not leaving empty-handed."
Then she heard an explosion, more gunfire and someone screaming.
"Man down!" A voice Elena didn't recognize. "Jake's hit!"
"How bad?" Pierce demanded.
"Leg wound. He can move."
"Then move! Second floor objective, we've got two minutes!"
The GPS dots were clustered together now, fighting through the building. Elena watched them inch forward on the screen, each movement filled combat, danger, men trying to kill Pierce.
"Second floor secured," Pierce reported, breathing hard. "Found the supply cache and a server, Marcus, grab it."
"On it."
"Boss, more hostiles incoming from third floor!" Leo shouted.
"Hold them off for thirty seconds."
Elena could hear Pierce shouting orders, coordinating his team under fire.
"Got the server!" Marcus.
"Everyone out. Fall back to extraction point. Leo, cover our six..."
A massive explosion rattled through the speakers and elena jumped, her heart stopping.
"What was that?" Derek demanded into the radio.
Silence.
"Pierce?" Derek's voice was sharp. "Come in."
More silence. Elena's blood went cold.
"Pierce, respond!" Derek tried again.
Still nothing.
Elena stared at the screen. The GPS dots were moving, but Pierce's was not moving.
"Derek..." Elena's voice was cracked.
"Marcus, report!" Derek barked into the radio.
Silence for a moment then Marcus's voice, broken and distant. "There was an explosion, the third floor collapsed and Boss was..."
The transmission cut out.
Elena couldn't breathe, the room spun around her.
"Derek, what's happening?" Her voice was barely a whisper.
Derek was frantically adjusting the radio, trying to reestablish connection. "I don't know. Signal's jammed or.."
"Pierce!" Elena grabbed the radio microphone. "Pierce, can you hear me?"
Silence.
"Pierce, please!" Tears streamed down her face. "Please answer!"
Still nothing. Elena stared at the GPS screen. Pierce's dot was still not moving. The other dots were moving away, going back, without him.
"No," Elena breathed. "No, no, no..."
"Elena, we don't know.." Derek started.
"His GPS isn't moving!" Elena's voice rose to a scream. "Why isn't he moving?!"
Derek grabbed her shoulders. "Listen to me. He could be pinned down. Could be helping wounded. Could be..."
"Could be dead!" Elena choked on the word.
"We don't know that."
But they didn't know he was alive either.
Elena collapsed onto the couch, staring at the screen, at Pierce's unmoving dot, at the radio that remained silent.
Minutes crawled by. Five, Ten, Fifteen.
Derek kept trying to raise the team on the radio. Elena sat frozen, watching the screen, praying for Pierce's dot to move but it didn't.
The other dots were at the extraction point now. Getting into vehicles. Moving away from the factory without Pierce.
"They're leaving him," Elena whispered. "They're leaving him behind."
"Standard protocol if someone's-" Derek stopped.
"If someone's what?" Elena's voice was hollow. "Say it."
Derek's face was ashen. "If the mission is compromised."
Elena stood on shaking legs. "I need to go there. I need to.."
"You can't." Derek blocked her path. "Elena, you can't go to an active combat zone.."
"He's still in there!" Elena's voice broke completely. "He's hurt or trapped or.."
The radio crackled, making both of them freeze. Then a voice, weak and distorted.
"Derek... you there?"
It was pierce's voice.
Elena's knees gave out. Derek caught her, helping her to the couch as he grabbed the radio.
"Boss! What's your status?"
Pierce spoke again, his voice strained. "I'm pinned down... third floor... building's unstable... can't reach extraction.."
The transmission cut out again.
Elena stared at the radio, tears streaming down her face. He was alive but trapped, injured and unable to escape.
Derek was already on his phone, calling Marcus. "Boss is trapped, third floor. We need-"
Elena couldn't hear the rest. All she could see was Pierce's GPS dot, still not moving, surrounded by the ruins of a collapsing building. Still in danger, still fighting to survive and she could do nothing but wait and listen and pray he'd find a way out.
The clock read 10:47 PM.
It felt like an eternity.