Page 99 of Yours

“Seamus,” I said, turning back to the group. “Let’s give them something to chase.”

He grinned darkly, his weapon at the ready. “With pleasure, boss.”

We moved quickly, slipping through the trees as the faint sound of footsteps and voices grew louder behind us. The Russians were close now, their movements deliberate, but hurried, like wolves on the hunt.

I motioned for the team to fan out, positioning ourselves to ambush the incoming group. My grip tightened on my weapon as I crouched behind a tree, the adrenaline surging through me like a live wire.

The first of the Russians came into view—a dark figure moving carefully through the underbrush, his rifle raised. I waited until he was close, my breath steady as I lined up the shot.

The silenced round dropped him instantly, his body crumpling to the ground without a sound.

“Target down,” I murmured into the comm.

“More coming,” Seamus said, his voice calm, but edged with tension. “Looks like they’re spreading out. Watch your six.”

The next few minutes were a blur of suppressed gunfire, each shot taking another Russian out of the equation. But for every man we dropped, another seemed to take his place.

“We’re running out of time,” Declan said in my ear. “They’re closing in on your position. You need to move.”

“Seamus, Kieran, on me,” I said into the comm.

The two of them materialized out of the shadows a moment later.

“What’s the play, boss?” Seamus asked.

“We take them out,” I said flatly. “Fast, clean, no mistakes.”

A faint grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Thought you’d say that.”

“I can get behind that too,” Kieran added, with a smirk of his own.

The rest of the team moved into position, their movements silent, their weapons ready.

Declan’s voice came through the comm, sounding urgent. “They’re splitting into two groups. Six coming in from the west, four from the south. You’re going to get boxed in if you don’t move now.”

“They’re not boxing us in,” I said coldly. “We’re boxing them.”

I motioned for the team to fan out, splitting into pairs to intercept the incoming groups. Seamus stayed at my side, his steps as sure and quiet as my own. Kieran was just beside me, his sights set on the tree line.

The first group came into view moments later, their shadows shifting against the faint glow of the moonlight filtering through the trees. I raised my rifle, the silencer ensuring the first shot was nothing more than a whisper.

The lead man dropped instantly, his body crumpling to the ground. The others froze, their heads snapping toward the sound. Before they could react, Seamus fired, his shot taking out another.

“Two down,” Seamus muttered.

The remaining four scattered, their movements panicked as they searched for us in the darkness. Kieran was already moving,slipping through the trees like a shadow. He intercepted one of the Russians as the man tried to flank us, his knife flashing in the moonlight. The guard let out a faint gurgle before collapsing to the ground, the sound swallowed by the forest.

“That’s three,” Kieran murmured, his voice a quiet rumble over the comm.

I didn’t give the others a chance to regroup. Another shot dropped a fourth man, the loud crack of suppressed gunfire echoing through the trees.

The last two tried to run, their footsteps heavy against the forest floor, but Kieran and Seamus were faster. Kieran reached one first, his blade finding the man’s ribs in a swift strike. The Russian gasped, his body going limp as Kieran lowered him silently to the ground.

The final man bolted toward the clearing, his movements frantic, but Seamus caught him with a shot to the leg. The man fell with a muffled cry, his hands clawing at the dirt. Seamus was on him in an instant, his blade flashing in the dim light as he finished the job.

“That’s six,” Seamus said, his tone calm as he wiped his knife on the man’s jacket.

“Good,” I said, glancing at Kieran, who gave a brief nod, his face impassive. “Move south. Declan, give me eyes on the second group.”

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