The Shift: Book II of the Wildfire Saga (9 page)

Thinking of the doctors back on base brought an image of Brenda to his mind.
 
He remembered the concern on her face as she reminded him: "
Make sure you use your helmet—this thing is a closed system.
 
It may save your life.
 
We haven’t fully mapped the genome of this strain.
 
I know you said you were sick during The Pandemic, but that might not be enough to protect you now.
”
 
Cooper had tried not to smile at the little wrinkle appeared between her eyebrows.
 

She had gripped his arm and as his eyes met hers in surprise she said, “
Remember, they’ve modified the genetic structure of this thing, okay?
 
It’s not the same critter
.
 
You need to pay special attention to those on your team who weren’t infected ten years ago.
 
They're going to be especially susceptible to this one.
 
If they start coughing or sneezing, isolate them immediately. It might be your only chance
."

Sparky’s voice snapped him back to the present: “
Germans approaching.
"

The sniper’s warning shook the vision of Brenda from Cooper's mind.
 
Headlights brightened the cracked pavement of the street in front of him as the vehicle grew closer.
 
He amped up the external mic on his helmet and could just barely make out radios crackling and voice speaking German.

They had stopped.

Cooper moved ever so slowly until he was able to see around the corner of the building.
 
Not 20 yards away, the German truck had parked in front of the very apartment building that he and his men had been about to search.
 
Three soldiers stood around in wary silence as they eyed their surroundings.

"That’s just perfect."

"
More foot mobiles exiting the truck
," warned Sparky.

Instead of three soldiers, there were now
seven
milling about in front of the apartment building.
 
The only one without a rifle stepped forward and opened up a map to spread on the hood of the truck.
 
He picked up a radio and began talking.
 
After a few tense moments, the German nodded to himself.
 
He gave some terse orders to the soldiers gathered around him.
 
As he folded up the map, the men with rifles formed an orderly line and entered the building by twos.
 
They left the driver with the idling truck.

Cooper frowned.
 
What were the chances?
 
The Germans were interested Dr. Boatner—he knew that from his briefing back at Denver.
 
But for them to show up at this particular location just as he showed up…

"Stay frosty, boys.
 
The Germans must think Boatner is here.
 
Team Two, you ready?"

"Locked and cocked.
"

Cooper smiled at the sound of Charlie's voice from the other side of Boatner's building.
 
He and his team covered the emergency exits.

"Okay, Team One will take out the driver and breach the front.
 
Go on my mark."

"
Roger
," was Charlie's reply.

Jax shuffled up in the shadows across the alley and peered at the truck.
 
In his all-black HAHO suit, he was practically invisible except for the reflected headlights on his visor.
 
"
Probably got armored windows, man
," his voice said in Cooper’s helmet.
 
"
Gotta get that driver out in the open.
"

Cooper thought for a moment.
 
"Sparky, keep your eye on the driver.
 
I'm gonna draw him out."

The radio broke squelch twice in Cooper's ear.
 
The sniper was ready.
 
Cooper stood up, wincing at the creak from his knee brace.
 
He tossed his rifle to Jax.
 
"Hold this for me.
 
I'll be right back."

"Hey, what the hell?"

"Trust me," Cooper said, as he stepped out of the alley.

He was already halfway across the street before the driver noticed him.
 
Cooper was not impressed.
 

The German driver opened the door to his Mercedes armored troop transport, his hand on his sidearm.
 
He shouted for Cooper to halt in German and English.
 
He never noticed the red dots that appeared on his forehead as Sparky took aim from the rooftop down the street.

Cooper froze and raised his hands.
 
"Okay, okay, you got me," he said, wondering what the German must be thinking, seeing a man in black body armor and a sealed helmet walk out of the shadows.
 

The German shouted again, his words cut off as a red flower blossomed on his forehead.
 
The sound of the impact echoed down the street.
 
Cooper dashed forward to catch the body as it fell to the pavement,
 
bright crimson blood spreading on the sidewalk.

He dragged the body to the apartment’s entrance and left it there as blood began to pool and run down the steps.
 
That should serve as a nice little surprise.

Cooper glanced over his shoulder and said, "Team Two, move.
 
Jax, secure the vehicle and bring it around back.
 
We’re going to need some wheels in a few minutes.
 
Beaver, on my six.
 
Charlie, prep for runners.
 
Let's go ladies!"

"
Roger that,
" said Charlie.

Jax made it across street in four strides and tossed Cooper his suppressed rifle before sliding into the driver’s seat of the German truck.
 
Mike appeared and he and Cooper entered the building, weapons up.
 

"Stay tight," muttered Cooper as they entered darkness of the apartment building.
 
"Go green," he added.
 
The voice command turned on his HAHO helmet’s night vision mode and the world around him flickered to life in the familiar green tinge.
 

They crouch-walked to the first stairwell.
 
Cooper had previously memorized the interior layout of this five-story building and knew that Boatner currently lived on the third floor.
 
They would have to go up the stairwell behind the Germans.
 

“Let’s see if anybody's home…"

As they slowly approached the wide marble steps in the center of the building, Cooper heard shouts in both English and German from the floor above.
 
The locals sounded argumentative.

“
That a fight?
” asked Mike in a whisper despite the helmet making his voice inaudible outside.

“Sounds like the Germans don’t know what apartment is Boatner’s.
 
That’s good.
 
All we need to do is slip past them…”

The staccato report of an automatic weapon shattered the relative silence around them.
 
Cooper and Mike froze, halfway up the first flight of stairs.

"I got gunshots,"
reported Charlie's voice from outside the building.
 
"
Coop, you okay?"

“Yeah—wait one.”
 
Cooper felt Mike tap his right shoulder twice, so he looked up and to the right.
 
A German soldier had his rifle trained on someone out of sight.
 
His back faced the stairwell—he hadn’t seen them.
 
The German shouted a command and motioned with his rifle.
 
A woman screamed.
 
It looked like they were going room to room, searching for the professor.
 

“
We gotta do something
,” said Mike.

Cooper gripped his rifle tighter.
 
If they started a firefight, he and Mike might be able to take out at least a few Germans in the confusion.
 
That would even the odds, but there were a lot of civilians—collateral damage would be a foregone conclusion.

“Coop
,” urged Mike.
 
“
We can’t ignore this
…”
 

Cooper considered his options—if something where to happen and they missed their shot at Boatner—or God forbid, Boatner got caught in the crossfire…millions of lives would be lost to the flu.
 
He clenched his jaw and aimed his rifle at the back of the German.
 
Are the lives of these civilians worth risking the lives millions around the world?
 
Maybe billions?
 

Another scream.
 
This one had the high pitch only little kids can create.
 
Fuck it, Mike’s right—we can’t walk away from this
 
Boatner might not even be here.

Cooper lifted his foot off the step and prepared to assault the first floor landing when Charlie's voice broke in over the radio:
 
"
Runner!
 
We got a runner out the back door!"

Cooper brought up his HUD map and watched the blinking blue dot that represented Charlie move away from the target building down a side street.
 
His XO was hauling ass.
 
He was about to ask for a sitrep when he heard panting, scuffling, and then a muffled grunt followed by someone moaning.
 

“
Got ‘im
,” reported Charlie.

On instinct, Cooper motioned with his hand down by his side for Mike to watch their retreat.
 
Mike tapped him on the right hip twice in silent confirmation and the two SEALs backpedaled down the stairs, around the corner, and into the dark shadows of the interior of the building.

Jesus
, Cooper thought, we got him.
 
He blinked and focused on the back of the German.
 
The invader swung the butt of his rifle and Cooper heard the sickening crunch of someone hitting the floor.
 
We can stop this.

A gunshot rang out down the hall and the German returned fire.
 
Cooper’s finger started to apply pressure on the trigger.
 
Every moment he had sweated and strained and suffered through during BUD/S had been to teach him that his sole purpose on the earth from henceforth was to defend America and her citizens.
 
Right there in front of him, not six feet away, foreign aggressors were assaulting Americans, in Boston—the very cradle of America.
 
He could hear his instructors screaming at him:
Take the shot Braaten!
 

But Brenda’s face returned to haunt him—she was back in Denver, doing everything she could to fight the weaponized flu—the real enemy.
 
If he jeopardized Boatner’s escape by starting a firefight…

"
We can't let these people fight off the Germans by themselves…
" said Mike.
 
He turned and looked up the stairs, like a dog straining to be let off the leash.

"
Coop!
" called Charlie, "
I got confirmation of our HVT—repeat: I have the HVT.
"

Cooper felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead.
 
He never took his eyes off the German—his rifle never wavered from center mass, pointed right at the soldier’s back.
 
All he had to do was apply a few more ounces of pressure to the trigger.
 
He closed his eyes and removed his finger from the trigger.

“Back up,” he said, his voice hoarse.

"
I don't like this,
" hissed Mike.
 
“
We can take ‘em…
”
 

You don’t get the big picture.
 
God, I almost blew it.
 
Cooper blinked the sweat from his eyes.
 
"I don’t like it either, but mission first.
 
We got to get Boatner out of here."
 
Cooper waved for Mike to back down the hallway.
 
“Team One, moving.”

“Dammit
,” growled Mike.

Above them more gunshots crackled and muzzle flashes made the stairwell look like it had been lit by a strobe light.
 
More people screamed and they could heard people running above them.

"We’re out of time," Cooper said.
 
He turned toward the rear exit of the building and pushed Mike from behind.
 
"Move!
 
We gotta be ghosts!"

He switched frequencies:
 
"Jax, make sure that truck is ready to roll!"

“Loading now."
 

Cooper and Mike burst from the emergency exit at the rear of the building and immediately spotted the captured German truck across the alley.
 
"Go, go, go!" he said, shoving Mike forward.
 
Cooper turned and leveled his rifle at the door as he backpedaled toward the truck.
 
He didn't take his eyes off the emergency exit until he climbed into the rear of the German truck and held on as they left the scene.
 

“
Coop, can I get a word?
” asked Mike.

He knew what was coming.
 
“Switch to two.”
 
Cooper switched to a private frequency and waited for Mike to speak.
 
He replayed the events on the staircase through his mind again.
 
Could he have done anything different?
 
Was there something he missed?
 
Could they have gotten Boatner and taken out that squad?
 
Cooper closed his eyes.
 
He longed for the days when he could just carry out orders, instead of having to make decisions that sealed the fates of innocents.