Page 86 of Bound By Valor

“…Zarek!” Sebastian shook my shoulders. How did he get to me? Wasn’t he just near Officer Grayson?

I turned around, painfully slow, and glanced at the hole in the tunnel ceiling. Flames licked the warehouse floor. I kept repeating a chant in my head so as to not forget again.

Logan is gone.

Logan is gone.

Logan is gone.

“Rivera, look at me,” my unfocused eyes were suddenly filled with Sebastian’s frame. His hands on my shoulders. He unclipped my helmet and took my goggles and balaclava off.

“Breathe, man,” he said and I did as I was told. Suddenly, the air rushing through me cleared my vision. Was I not breathing?

Panting, I watched as Leora regained consciousness and I ran to her.

“Logan?” She asked expectantly.

My whole body trembled. I immediately pulled her into my embrace and I felt her head frantically moving.

“Where is he?” She screamed.

“Baby,” I whispered in her ear, “He’s—”

“No. No. No.No!” She cried.

She got out of my hold and stood up, swaying afraction as I held her.

“Find his location! We have to get him back,” she said. Her voice was shaky and uncontrolled.

“Leora—”

She cut me off, “No! Kabir, find him.”

Kabir looked at me, pleadingly. Suddenly, Dylan collapsed to his knees and let out a painful roar.

That’s when Leora caught up to where we all were. She took off her helmet and balaclava as she ran to Amelia who had the tablet. One look and her face changed. Her eyes turned lifeless and she turned to Dylan, now crumpled and broken, then her gaze shifted to me. I couldn’t bear the sorrow in her eyes and instead, watched Dylan.

He removed his helmet, holding it close to his chest in a silent tribute to the lost comrade.

???

“Hi, I’m Logan Carlton,” the man in front of me introduced himself with a grin that seemed to stretch for miles. His eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief, as if the CIA’s Special Operations Group was his personal playground rather than a serious assignment.

I shook his hand, “Zarek Rivera. And this is Dylan Desmond.”

Dylan nodded, his towering presence and stoic expression contrasting sharply with Logan’s vivacious demeanor. Dylan and I had started a comfortable camaraderie. Despite only knowing him for a few weeks since joining the CIA, Dylan became the only person I didn’t distrust. Now, with our impending deployment to Afghanistan, AD/MS had added to our troop. One Logan Carlton and a former detective, Maxton Prescott.

“What do you think they’re gossiping about?” Logan pointed at Maxton and another officer who were talking and laughing.

I frowned slightly at Logan and said, “Not our business.”

We were mingling at the CIA’s closing dinner party in Washington DC, where formal attire and whispered secrets were the evening’s main courses. Logan’s gaze roamed, clearly appreciating the elegant dresses and the allure of the female associates, while Dylan remained an unmovable fortress of calm.

Logan smirked at me, “You’re not a man of many words, I see. Trust me, once we’re all brothers, you won’t shut up about yourself. I have that effect on people.” He took a sizable gulp of his drink.

I gave him a mock smile and nodded, “I’d rather get to know you first before starting on our said brotherhood. But let’s focus on getting through our assignment without killing each other, shall we? I don’t want any animosity amongst us.”

“Animosity?” Logan’s eyes widened animatedly, “Brother, we’re going to be best friends.”

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