Chapter 1-4
1006 Words
“Two entrances visible, three windows. Do we have any idea if he’s being held on the upper or lower floor?” Mike whispered.
Maggie was crouched beside him, looking through binoculars at the small two-story building. It was townhouse style, sandwiched between more houses on either side. “Upstairs, supposedly.”
“I think we should circle around to the back and see if there’s any better access there.”
It was a few hundred feet to the far end of the row of houses. The passage that ran between that row and the next was narrow, almost thin enough for Mike to touch both sides if he stretched out both arms. Trash bags and other miscellaneous items were scattered along the way, and the smell was not too great. They ended up counting windows to make sure they stopped behind the right house.
Mike and Maggie took a peek through the small window in the rear door. Two men could be seen, one drinking from a bottle and another smoking a cigarette. A radio could be heard playing in the background. Mike ducked down and went several steps further down the alley. Maggie followed.
“I don’t see any obvious guards,” Maggie said. “I did notice a window in the second story.”
“Unless you have a handy ladder in your back pocket, I don’t think that’s an option.”
“You’re tall. You can give me a boost.”
“And while you’re flailing around trying to get inside, you’re apt to get shot.”
“I don’t flail and I’ll have my Glock in the holster on my hip.”
“Maggie, I don’t like the odds,” Mike said. He had visions of hearing shots and knowing she was dying without being able to help her.
“Trust me.”
Mike heaved a sigh. “If you get yourself killed, I’m going to be mad.”
“I won’t.” She stole a quick kiss.
“Okay, presuming you get in without arousing suspicion or being seen, what about McCoy? Supposedly he’s injured.”
“I’ll come down from the second story and take out the two guys on guard duty. They’re slacking anyway. Once we have a clear field, then we grab him and go. Between the two of us, we can probably carry him.”
Mike squeezed his eyes shut for a moment trying to decide if this was suicide. It wasn’t like they had a ton of options. “For the record, I still don’t like this.”
“Duly noted.”
They crept across to the back of the house and Mike boosted her to the window ledge roughly ten feet up. She hesitated on his shoulders for a second or two, then levered herself up the rest of the way. He watched with great trepidation as she vanished through the window.
Silence, well, if you didn’t count the sound of the radio and some light conversation between the two guards. There was a barely audible “thump” from somewhere above. Had Maggie put a silencer on her Glock? He stood to one side of the back door, waiting, damn near tempted to cross his fingers. A dull thud was next and he yanked the back door open stepping in. One guard already lay on the floor and the second was lunging for the gun that was visible on the table. Mike pulled the trigger and the second man fell.
Maggie came darting out from the staircase. “Come. There was one upstairs, but he’s no longer a problem.” Mike followed her hurriedly up the steps, stepping over another body along the way. McCoy was lying on a dirty mattress in an upstairs room. The man looked like he had been severely beaten.
Maggie knelt in front of him and cut the tape binding his hands and feet.
“Who sent you?” McCoy asked, his voice a bare croak.
“The US government. We’re gonna get you out of here,” Maggie reassured the man. “Any chance you can walk?”
“Maybe.” McCoy said.
Mike stepped forward and carefully pulled McCoy to his feet. Pulling one of McCoy’s arms over his shoulder, Mike helped the man shuffle to the top of the stairs.
“We need to get out of here fast,” Maggie said. “Before anyone shows up for a sitrep.”
Negotiating the narrow stairway was awkward, but Mike and McCoy finally made it to the ground floor.
Maggie peered out the back door into the alley they had used for access.
“Is it clear?” Mike asked.
“As far as I can see,” she said and gave Mike a signal to follow.
The three of them made it to the end of the alley before McCoy’s very limited strength began to fail.
“Hold up,” Mike said softly. He eased McCoy to the ground.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” McCoy apologized. “My knee, I can’t hardly put any weight on it, and my ribs.”
“We have about four blocks to go. I can carry you,” Mike said.
“Give me two minutes to check him out,” Maggie said. She knelt down and ran her hands over McCoy’s arms, legs, and chest. “He’s got significant swelling in the knee. There’s probably something torn. And have a deep suspicion he’s got broken ribs. Pick him up as carefully as you can.” To McCoy she said, “This is going to hurt but we have to get you out of here.”
“Do whatever needs to be done. Just get me the f**k to a base or back to the US,” McCoy said.
It took Mike and Maggie both, to get McCoy back to his feet. Mike bent his knees and leaned McCoy’s torso across his shoulders in a fireman carry as he stood up.
McCoy made a small sound of pure pain, then mumbled, “Just go.”
“Can you carry him that way until we get to the car?” Maggie asked as she started walking.
“I’ll manage,” Mike said.
* * * *
Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany was the go to hospital for injured U.S. military. Maggie and Mike accompanied McCoy in the airlift. Their mission was fulfilled and Maggie was given a short break before going to another intelligence assignment. Mike and Maggie met with Admiral Lang for a debriefing of the rescue.
When Mike walked out of the office where the debriefing had occurred. Maggie fell in step beside him.
“Where are you off to now?” he asked. “Or am I allowed to ask?”
She smiled. “Afghanistan. That’s about as specific as I can be.”
“Do you think we’ll run into each other again?” God, that was a lame line, he thought, but he was genuine in his interest.
“Given what we do, I think it’s entirely possible.”
“Stay safe and in one piece, okay?”
“Thanks. You, too.”
The building they were in was on base. He wanted to kiss her, but didn’t dare, instead he had to settle for a brief hug.
- Writer
