Page 6 of Coveting Catherine

The team made suggestions, and once they nailed the plan, he ordered the group to rest. Saint took the first watch, and they switched until oh-one hundred hours to start their ascension to the compound. Ragu seemed better. Leo ran a last-minute check on gear when he approached.

“I drank all my water, getting everything out of my system. I'm dying of thirst. I think my CamelBak has a hole. Can I grab some from you?” Ragu asked.

With a nod, Leo jerked his head toward his supplies. “Help yourself. You feeling better?”

“Yeah, man. A bit shaky, but it's under control,” Ragu assured him.

Thirty minutes later, Leo made his way down to set the chargers. Usually, Whiskey ran the explosives, but he needed him to grab Avie with Olaf. At the checkpoint, he ordered the second team to get into position.

Olaf's voice came over the coms. “Just reached Miller. Do we have eyes on Budweiser?”

“That's a green, Olaf. Start sledding.” Leo ordered.

“Watch your ass, Brother, or I'll catch hell from my sister,” Olaf joked as he moved into position.

“Back at ya, brother.” He grinned as he watched Taco moving behind a vehicle. What the hell? Leo shook his head to determine if he imagined Ragu coming up on the opposite side after he pulled him from the op.

“Ragu, did you tend to the meatballs?” Leo sharply demanded. He hoped his teammate sighted something they missed. When it took forever for Ragu to respond, he became irritated.

“Meatballs are broiled, sir,” Ragu's voice wavered.

“I'm starting the oven,” Leo informed the team as the explosives went off. Men began running from all directions as the second blast went off.

“Man down, man down,” Taco yelled into the coms.

Leo searched out his team. Whiskey and Olaf headed to Avie, but Taco was in trouble. Shit. Where did Ragu go?

“Pick up the bread, Taco. I'll grab the meatballs.” Leo ordered as he weaved his way through dead men and chaos. “Be advised Whiskey and Olaf are getting Miller alone. Ash cover.” Leo ducked behind a barrel and searched the grounds for Ragu. The fire spread, giving off more light than they preferred, but it was too late to turn back. He spied a man weaving between the buildings, similar to Ragu. He took off toward him.

Ragu leaned against the second building. A bullet wound in his arm. “Ragu.” Leo yelled into the coms as he pulled on his vest. He didn't fight. He stared at the growing flames and laughed out loud.

He turned Ragu to face him and noticed the glassy eyes. He couldn't string two words together if he tried.

Olaf's voice came over the radio, “What the fuck?”

Leo heard Olaf grunt before a blast from a grenade went off.

“SITREP,” he commanded.

“I have the first meatball and the second,” Taco's voice came over the coms. The ordinarily easy-going Taco sounded panicked. “Man down.”

“Picking up a six-pack, Taco,” Ash replied.

Leo pulled Ragu to the edge of the compound behind crates and garbage. “Stay the fuck there.” Giving him a jerk on his vest, he let him fall to the ground as he rounded the corner.

Another blast made him pause as he put his arm up to see through the fire and smoke. Shadow carried Avie, and she held a tiny bundle in her arms. He walked out shirtless, his back shredded by a whip. Blood flowed from his chest and legs, yet he remained upright. Taco held his six.

“I'm going in for Whiskey and Olaf, Ash SITREP.” The coms went dead. “SITREP.” He moved through the corridor of the blown-up building. Leo fell to the ground denying what he saw. Olaf's burned body lay under a pile of rubble. The only way to identify him was the embroidered snowman inside Olaf’s helmet rolling next to him. Catherine made it herself for her brother. Placing it in his pocket, he removed the debris from the top of Olaf and pulled him from the wreckage.

He hefted him over his shoulder and made his way around the other side of the wall. A lump formed in his throat. Leo's heart pounded in his ears. Ducking around another corner. Leo made out the sound of Ash's voice. He dove to the ground as bullets whizzed around him. Laying Olaf beside the wall, he ran toward his teammate. Ash sat against the wall covered in blood. Bits and pieces of body parts stuck on his helmet, and blood spray dotted his face. He held a boot and a hand.

Leo shook Ash hard. “Are you hit?” Ash shook his head and opened his hand as his face crumbled. He slowly removed the tags and opened his palm. His thumb wiped away the blood to read Liam “Whiskey” O'Neil. Leo swallowed as he stuffed them in his pocket, grabbed the boot and hand, and shoved them into his pack. Yanking Ash by the vest to his feet, he yelled into the com. “Get your ass moving.” Bullets tracked their path. Taco rounded the corner and grabbed Ash by the arm. Leo turned, and Ash jerked him back.

“We need to bug out; they've called in reinforcements.” Taco headed out of the burning building.

“Go to the extraction. I'm going for my brother,” Leo ordered grimly. Crawling to Olaf's body, he raked more debris off. Blood coated him as he lifted his brother over his shoulder. Two men came around the corner, and Leo pulled his gun and shot before they realized who he was. He made his way out. Tears stung his eyes, and his body turned numb.

He carried his brother away from the group until he knew no one followed. He slid Olaf down to the ground and pulled out his sack. Locating the bag, he lovingly wrapped his brother. “Damn it, why did we get separated? I love you, brother.” He rested his head against Olaf as he broke down. How did everything go wrong so fast?

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