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“Stay sharp and be ready to move,” I ordered. “Lo, Matteo, you’re on the perimeter. Miguel, you’re our eyes and ears. Any movement, any change, you report it.”

“Affirmative, boss,” Miguel replied, setting up the RPG and getting into position.

“Teams, now,” I commanded.

Matteo loaded his gun and cracked his neck from side to side. “Time to fuck shit up.”

I turned back to Miguel and said, “Get ready to blow the fucker down.”

He gave me a curt nod and a sly smirk.

We slipped into the shadows, moving through the trees like ghosts. Every step brought us closer to the house, where a guard stood with a machine gun.

I grabbed a snow-covered rock and tossed it to the left. The sound alerted the guard, who started walking in that direction with his gun raised.

“On my mark,” I whispered.

We waited.

When the guard was further out, I directed Lo, “Now.”

With one swift motion, Luca aimed the silencer at the guard and pulled the trigger. The guard slumped to the ground.

“Lo and Matteo, secure the rear. Luca, you’re with me,” I instructed.

They both nodded and quietly crouched down to move around the trailer.

“Let’s go,” I told Luca.

As I pushed the door open, loud music filled the space, and clouds of smoke hung in the air. I wrinkled my nose at the stench of weed and piss.

Two guards gathered around a table laughing and playing cards. Following my lead, Luca and I advanced. We raised our guns, fingers curling around the triggers. With a subtle nod, I signaled the countdown: three, two, one.

BANG!

The guards slumped forward, lifeless, their heads flopping on the table. Blood began to ooze from the fatal wounds, spreading across the table.

“We need to hurry. There could be more guards somewhere inside,” I whispered to Luca.

With Luca watching my back, we trudged deeper into the house. The dark-lit hallway ahead of us was lined with rooms on both sides.

A man stumbled out of the room beside me with his fly open. His green eyes widened in shock, and he started to open his mouth as if to scream. I whipped out my blade, and with a flick of my wrist, slashed his throat, and he went tumbling down.

I raised my finger to my ear and activated my earpiece. “Sweep every room,” I commanded my men.

I threw a quick look over my shoulder. “Luca, you’re on the left. I’ll handle the right.”

“Got it,” Luca replied as he set off down the narrow hallway.

I pushed open the door to the second room and saw a middle-aged man butt ass naked as the day he was born. He barely had time to register my gun aimed at his heart. Without hesitation, I pulled the trigger and he crumpled to the floor.

My attention shifted to a teenage girl huddling in the corner. Her face was marred by bruises, she had needle marks on her arm, and her ragged clothes were soiled with vomit.

“Easy now,” I whispered. “What’s your name?”

“Na-Naomi,” she croaked.

“Naomi,” I affirmed, keeping my gaze steady on hers. “Stay put, we’ll get you out of here.”