Page 70 of Alexander's Heart

We’re using ropes and a harnesses to lower into the depths of the well, Jackson and Cuddy battled it out this afternoon on who enter first, in the end they flipped Cuddy’s lucky silver dollar and he’ll be the first going in, he’ll carefully descend while we maintain support and keep lookout. Once he’s at the bottom, he will send the all clear for the rest of us to proceed down the well and into the tunnels, each of us are filled with anticipation and heightened adrenaline as Cuddy starts his descent, knowing we’re about to follow into a potentially hostile environment.

:Joint Comms, all clear, green light, green light.

One by one we all lower and enter the tunnel, it’s quite narrow due to people being a lot smaller in prohibition times only wide enough for single file through the stone passageway, we’re having to crouch due to the low arched ceiling.

We move swiftly and silently, each team member on alert and ready for any threat we face. Our strategy is to methodically clear each section, checking every corner and shadow for signs of Rob. Our communication is precise, our movements coordinated, as we navigate the labyrinthine of passage precisely and with extreme caution.

:Joint Comms, this is Alpha 2, I hear movement.

:Joint Comms, this is Alpha 1, do you have eyes?

:Joint Comms, this is Alpha 2, negative.

:Joint Comms, this is Alpha 1, copy that, any heat signatures?

:Joint Comms, this is Alpha 2, I’m picking up a small ball of heat possibly a pet curled into the back right hand corner of the space. It’s hard to tell from here whether there’s any other rooms off the space. I need to get closer.

:Joint Comms, this is Alpha 1, copy that, proceed with caution, we’ve got your six.

:Joint Comms, this is Alpha 2, good copy.

Inching forward each cautious step at a time is painful, but also necessary, ‘Slow is smooth, smooth is fast’ we live by this motto and it’s saved our lives many times.

:Joint Comms, this is Alpha 2, there is a heavy wooden door, gear up.

An explosion sounds as soon as Cuddy says gear up, and the walls rattle with debris falling on our heads.

:Joint Comms, this is Alpha 2, smoke grenade, door was rigged, move, move, move, vision compromised.

We all haul ass forward toward the doorway, was that a scream I just heard? Fuck.

:Joint Comms, this is Alpha 1, Do you hear that?

:Joint Comms, this is Alpha 6, Sounds like a female cry, Tiny replies.

As I go through the door and enter the room the ceiling opens up and it’s hard to get a clear visual but it seems to be set up like a living space. I’m looking through my scope for any movement when I hear another grenade go off and I move toward the back right corner towards the scream and find another door. I kick it in, sweep the room, and see no adult person but the crying is louder.

The sick fuck has another female down here, I hear the shot then the sharp pain in my right side, fuck I’m hit. I reach out and come in contact with a body and slam them into the wall.

“Ya not takin’ her.” A male voice says.

I punch him hard in the gut and send an upper cut to his jaw and follow through with a punch to his left temple and he drops.

:Joint Comms, this is Alpha 1, I’ve been hit. There’s a female back right corner and a male inside the doorway on the ground right side, I repeat on the ground.

I move my way toward the sound of crying coming from the top left corner and visualize a small figure and when I reach out, they scream, she screams, it’s a small child, Fuck!

Two more shots this time to my left side, and I roar.

:Joint Comms, this is Alpha 1, two more hits, taken three slugs, file in.

I lean forward and shield the girl the best I can, two more bullets ring out and my body is jolted with the impact on my body armor just as my brothers enter the room.

The bullet must have pierced something vital; I feel warmth flowing down my left side freely. I hear commotion and muffled yelling but it’s becoming more distant as the darkness takes hold.

“What the fuck you napping for Chief?” Doc’s voice yells.

“Where’s the child?” I groan out in response as I come to, Doc is busy packing my side and I can hear her crying but it sounds muffled.

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