Chapter 9
Hassan appeared at the end of the hall through the steam.
He had blood on his temple now.
His pistol was in his hand.
And his pride had turned into desperation.
“You are not leaving,” he shouted.
Alexis pushed Daniel behind the wall.
The hostages dropped low.
Hassan aimed at her.
“You think because soldiers are coming, you have won?”
Alexis stood in the open.
Bruised.
Bleeding.
Still in a torn medic uniform.
“No,” she said.
“I won when you underestimated the woman you dragged into your prison.”
Hassan fired.
Alexis threw herself sideways as the shot hit the wall behind her.
Raven Team answered.
Three operators emerged from the smoke like shadows.
Laser sights found Hassan’s chest.
“Drop it!” one shouted.
Hassan froze.
His pistol shook.
He looked at Alexis.
At the hostages.
At the soldiers who had reached the hallway he thought no one could find.
Then he made one final mistake.
He turned the pistol toward Daniel.
Alexis moved before anyone else could.
She drove her shoulder into Daniel, knocking him behind the doorframe.
A shot cracked.
Pain ripped across Alexis’s side.
Raven Team fired.
Hassan’s pistol flew from his hand as he collapsed against the wall, wounded but alive.
Alive enough to stand trial.
Alive enough to answer for every cell.
Every hostage.
Every execution order.
Every lie.
Alexis hit the floor on one knee.
A medic from Raven Team slid beside her.
“Captain Reed!”
She pressed her hand to her side and grimaced.
“Not as bad as it looks.”
The medic cut open her torn uniform.
Blood soaked his gloves.
He frowned.
Alexis looked at him.
“I said not as bad as it looks.”
He shook his head.
“You medics are the worst patients.”
As Raven Team secured Hassan, he lifted his head from the floor.
His eyes found Alexis.
There was no arrogance left.
Only disbelief.
“One medic,” he rasped.
Alexis looked at him from the floor.
Her lips were pale.
But her voice was steady.
May you like
“Still counting?”
Read Part 10 to see what happened after the medic Hassan mocked became the reason everyone survived.
