"Sorry, can I have a word with you outside?" Harris asked Nathan, who had his eyes fixed on the ongoing interview.
Nathan regarded him with a puzzled expression.
"Huh?... Alright."
The mont they stepped out of the observation room, Harris’s expression darkened, and he fixed Nathan with a warning look.
"What on earth are you doing here? And now, you are acting as a bodyguard? When did that happen?"
Nathan averted his gaze.
"Well, yesterday."
"Why are you hanging around him? What is your mission?"
"Nothing. Just another commission."
"Another commission? You are a top rcenary! How much did he pay you, then?"
"First, I cannot tell you, it is top secret. And besides, I am not a kid. I am nearly thirty, damn, I am getting old."
"Oh. So you have been in this line of work for about seventeen years? It still amazes how soone like you survived and climbed to the top of this business."
Nathan straightened his shirt and smirked.
"Talent, old man. Talent."
"Amusing, but at least I am glad to see you are still alive."
***
Nathan crouched low behind a ridge, pressing against the sand as his eyes traced the periter of the compound below. Floodlights swept slowly across the grounds, revealing ard n moving in patrols, and he morised every position, door, and window for the operation.
The timing, distance, and potential escape routes were calculated ticulously, stored clearly in his mind for the seconds ahead. He understood instantly that hesitation would cost the lives of the hostages and that certainty had to govern every movent.
Two young rcenaries flanked him. Both had been trained rigorously from childhood, mastering combat, infiltration, and situational awareness before their teenage years, just like him. One monitored a tablet displaying live heat signatures of the guards, noting patterns of movent and response tis. The other adjusted the suppressor on a sniper rifle, checking alignnt and scope calibration repeatedly. Nathan gave a subtle hand signal, and the three advanced towards the outer fence, keeping low and silent as the patrols passed overhead.
The floodlights went out abruptly, creating pockets of darkness in which they moved. A few guards shouted, but the sounds were quickly silenced by controlled, accurate shots. Nathan slid down the ridge with precise steps, covering the distance without raising any alarm.
When they reached the breach point in the wall, Nathan led his team inside, dropping down without a sound.
The corridors within the compound were narrow, forcing deliberate movent. Guards attempted to regroup and respond, but Nathan neutralised them swiftly, moving in ways that allowed him to react without exposing his team. His colleagues cleared adjoining rooms in synchronised motions, communicating through gestures to report status.
In the central chamber, Harris sat tied to a chair, bruises beginning to darken his skin. Nathan approached slowly, lowering his rifle but remaining ready for imdiate action. Two guards tried to intercept him, but both were incapacitated within seconds, taken down silently. Nathan knelt before Harris, cutting the bindings cleanly with a small blade and helping him rise without causing imbalance.
"Can you walk?" Nathan asked flatly.
"Yes," Harris replied hoarsely, straining to stand.
Nathan guided him through the corridors, signalling to his colleagues to maintain security along the route. Guards outside attempted to respond to the intrusion, but every movent was countered efficiently with rapid fire. The extraction point remained within calculated distance. The vehicle for transport was hidden in a prepared position, ready for departure. Covering fire was applied sparingly and coordinated to eliminate any threats that might endanger Harris or the team.
Once they reached the ridge and the open terrain beyond, Nathan surveyed the surroundings carefully, ensuring no additional threats were present. The team continued towards the rendezvous point, while Nathan maintained constant vigilance.
Harris remained quiet during the extraction, observing Nathan and his team without attempting conversation. The precision, speed, and control displayed by soone so young defied his expectations, leaving him surprised and wary. Nathan made no effort to explain or respond, keeping his mind fixed entirely on the safety of the hostage. The convoy moved smoothly to the extraction point, where authorities waited to take custody of Harris.
Even after the handover, Nathan did not relax fully. Harris gave a single nod in acknowledgent of the mission’s success, still absorbing the extraordinary skill and discipline of soone so young. Nathan gathered his team silently and departed, leaving no room for conversation or unnecessary interaction. The mission concluded with complete success, no casualties, and the target returned safely.
Harris could scarcely believe the age of the person leading the operation. Top rcenaries and operatives were rare, but soone still in their teenage years coordinating an extraction of this scale, neutralising threats, and maintaining complete control was extraordinary. He opened his mouth to question Nathan but hesitated when he saw how detached the young man remained from personal recognition.
The vehicles moved through the desert terrain, carrying the team away from the compound without incident. Nathan maintained full awareness, scanning the surroundings while ensuring Harris remained secure.
When the convoy arrived at the designated extraction point, Nathan verified the area before allowing Harris to disembark safely.
Harris remained silent.
Nathan checked all angles of the periter one final ti, ensuring that nothing and no one threatened the safety of those involved. He then stepped back, allowing authorities to escort Harris while maintaining distant vigilance, ready to act should any complication arise.
’He is quite vigilant.’
Harris observed Nathan’s thods and the restraint he displayed. Even after the mission’s success, Nathan stayed focused, refusing to engage in idle conversation. Harris’s respect for the young rcenary grew, tempered by disbelief that soone of his age could coordinate an operation with such clarity and skill. His mind raced with questions.
***
Although all this had happened a decade ago, Harris could never forget the face of the person who had saved him.
He pulled out a cigarette and smiled.
"I am glad to see you, honestly."
"Yeah, yeah, old man."
"You damn brat, your personality has changed. Also, I am not old, you fool."
anwhile, Jason remained stuck in the investigation room with the female detective. They both regarded each other intently.
Monroe rested her back against the chair and asked calmly,
"Do you have more ti to spare today?"
"Sure. I am free. Well, I do not know why I am being investigated despite being a witness and a family mber of the victim, but I am fine with you being here," Jason responded cheekily.
She furrowed her brows and scoffed.
...
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