Rainbow Six: Bloodlines

"HOTEL CEUTA" - Chapter 2

     Jackal, Ash, Ying, Thermite and IQ were right behind her, pressing themselves to the vehicle to stay hidden.

     "Captain Vivas?" Ash shouted. "We need to move!"

     The man nodded briskly, worry etched on his face. "My men will assist with the breach."

     Ash shook her head. "Negative, sir. Rainbow will scout the first floor, and then G.E.O. can move in and secure it while we proceed upward. I want police to tighten the perimeter. Have your sharp-shooters watch the windows for snipers. Patch in for radio contact."

     Captain Vivas nodded. "Very well." He relayed the orders via radio. Local police and G.E.O. teams obeyed immediately, preparing to move. Vivas turned back to Ash. "I have your radio frequency. All yours, señora."

     Ash gave a thumbs-up before looking to Mira. "Take Blue Team to the roof. Recon rooftop exits, proceed at your discretion."

     "Copy."

     "You taking Glaz in, or putting him on overwatch?"

     "He's coming." Mira gestured to the rooftops of tall buildings opposite the hotel. "The policía have enough snipers already."

     Ash nodded. "Let's roll. Watch yourselves up there."

     Mira's eyes met Jackal's for a solemn moment. The man gave a slight nod of reassurance. Elena wasn't quite satisfied, but she turned and rushed down the sidewalk to reunite with Blue Team.

     "Ryad," Ash said, turning to Jackal, "are you-"

     "Good?" he interrupted coolly. "Sí. I need to be in there, Eliza. They can't hide from me, after all."

     Ash bit her lip hesitantly. "Siu? Monika? Jordan?"

     Ying and Thermite both nodded. IQ brushed a stray strand of blonde hair from her icy blue eyes. She studied Jackal's face. "Promise me you're good for this, Ryad."

     He scratched at his stubbled chin. "I promise. Enough talk. Let's begin."

     Mira's voice crackled over the radio. "Blue Team is ready to move on your mark, Ash."

     Ash switched the safety off of her R4-C. "Affirmative. Red Team is moving in. Weapons free. Repeat, weapons free. Watch your background for civilians."

     "Blue Team copies. We're a go."

     "HQ confirms: mission a go," came Director Six. "Unknown number of hostiles. Still no confirmation on whether the bomb threat is real. Proceed with caution."

     With the G.E.O. and police covering their advance, Rainbow moved fast. Red Team - Jackal, Ash, IQ, Ying, and Thermite - sprinted to the front entrance. Blue Team - Mira, Rook, Doc, and Glaz - followed before breaking off to the far corner of the hotel.

     Jackal and his teammates stacked up on the front entrance. IQ made a quick sweep with her scanner, the blue light reflecting off her eyes brilliantly, even in the daylight. "We're clear."

     "Drone it."

     Ash's order wasn't even needed, as their training kicked in like second nature. She and Ying sent drones in under the front door, which Jackal and Thermite covered while IQ watched their backs.

     "Moving to ascend," Mira informed, her voice soft in Jackal's earpiece.

     Ryad looked over to Blue Team. "Stay safe, amigos," he offered as they prepped their ropes.

     As Mira and her squad began to climb the hotel, Ash tapped Jackal's shoulder. "Try a scan," she murmured, never taking her eyes off the drone's camera feed on her phone.

     "Mm." Ryad switched on his Eyenox and got low to the ground, peering carefully under the doorway to look for recent footprints. "Nothing."

     Ash steered her drone back outside and scooped it up. "Lobby looks deserted. Large open area, visible from walkways on multiple floors. Two sets of stairs in each direction. I don't like it."

     "Agreed," Ying chimed, her eyes narrowed in concentration. "Six, this is Ying. I stationed a drone upstairs - second floor, view of the main lobby and much of the interior. Requesting a dedicated monitor."

     "HQ copies. We'll have eyes on it."

     "Thank you, Six."

     Jackal stood. "Suggest we ascend and leave the first floor to G.E.O."

     Ash nodded. She quickly informed Captain Vivas of the plan, and two teams of G.E.O. operatives raced across the street to stack up with Red Team on the front entrance.

     "Lobby is clear," Jackal informed them. "We have a camera inside, second level. We're going to rope up. On our mark, insert and secure."

     Lieutenant López, the G.E.O. team leader, nodded with a wry smile. "Ryad Ramírez giving us orders. Never thought I'd see the day."

     Jackal grinned. "Good to see you too, Adrian."

     "We've got this. Just say the word and we'll sweep it. Stay safe."

     Jackal and his team readied their rappelling ropes. On Ash's mark, they began their climb, being careful to stay out of full view of the hotel's bedroom windows. A slight wind breezed through the city, bringing with it a hint of ocean spray, and a part of Ryad took comfort in the nostalgic smell as he made his way upward.

     "We've droned the rooftop access point," Mira informed. "No sign of activity. Preparing for quiet entry."

     IQ had her scanner open as they ascended. She suddenly stopped her advance. "Careful," she warned. "Device detected, fourth floor. EDD of some kind on the window."

     "Copy," Ash whispered. "Heads-up, Mira. Enemy EDD detected. We'll join you on the roof for insertion."

     "Received. Hurry it up."

     Tension weighed down upon them all. Jackal and his teammates quickly ascended to the top of the hotel. He and Ash pulled themselves up on the roof, followed by Ying. Thermite and IQ were just behind them.

     As he unfastened his rope, Ryad saw Mira and her team posted at the rooftop access that led down into an enclosed stairwell. He readied his rifle and had only taken two steps when all hell broke loose.

     The bullet hit before they heard the unmistakable deep boom of a .50 cal sniper rifle erupt from somewhere in the distance.

     IQ cried out when the hotel exterior just inches from her head exploded, scraping her face with bits of concrete. The debris barely missed her eyes.

     Her rope snapped with the bullet's impact. She fell.

     Thermite's eyes widened behind his goggles. His heart jumped into his throat as IQ plummeted toward him. He instinctively let his rifle fall to the street, steeled himself, and braced for impact with open arms.

     IQ slammed into him, knocking the breath out of the man. The force of the collision sent them tumbling down the face of the hotel, spinning and kicking wildly at the wall to slow their descent. Thermite hugged her desperately, and IQ gripped his shoulders for dear life.

     G.E.O. and police were scrambling at street-level to find the shooter. The Rainbow operators on the roof rushed to the aid of their companions with astonishing calm. Glaz swept the opposing building with his thermal scope, commanding his adrenaline to a standstill.

     Jackal leapt forward, scooped his rifle under the fast-unwinding rope holding both Thermite and IQ, and lifted with a grunt, trying his best to slow their fall. The rope hissed against the gunmetal. Doc was at his side to aid him.

     Thermite heard none of this. He was vaguely aware of the hotel's windows rushing by alarmingly fast. In that moment, IQ's safety was his entire world. Her life was his to save... or lose.

     Their rope would soon run out of give.

     IQ's wide eyes told Thermite that she knew what was about to happen. He felt her cling to him, her hands clutching the top of his vest.

     The rope stretched taut, finally running out of excess. The force of the sudden stop jolted them from each other's grasp.

     The harness around Jordan dug into his waist and hips, and he cried out in pain as Monika slid from safety. She fell with a shout. Jordan reached for her desperately with clenched teeth.

     His hand found hers. They grasped each other's forearms, dangling perilously high above the street.

     "Hold on!" Thermite called. With the last of his strength, he kicked off the wall, and like a pendulum they swung outward before arcing back toward one of the tall windows. IQ brought her knees up to her chest, making herself a human wrecking ball. They crashed through in a shower of glass, rolling violently and slamming into the king-sized vacant hotel bed.

     Jordan rolled over on his back with a grunt, holding his head. "Fuck."

     Monika sat up dizzily. "This is IQ," she managed. "We're okay." She paused. Tried to blink away her blurred vision. "Doc, we need you."

     She was wondering where on earth her weapon could have gone before she fell back to the floor and passed out.