Rainbow Six: Bloodlines

"EL LEÓN" - Chapter 14

     Jackal and Caveira grappled for control, rolling on the floor and trying to outwit one another.

     Vigil and Nomad entered carefully, followed by Dokkaebi, Ela, and Midas. Clearly lethal force was not favorable, but they were unsure of how far either Ryad or Taina were willing to go.

     Caveira wrapped her legs around Jackal's torso and tried to wrench him to the tile, but the man shrugged nimbly out of her vice and tried to pin her down.

     Ela was the first to move to Caveira's aid, but she stumbled to a halt when a flash of steel glinted in the soft moonlight. Jackal had drawn a blade.

     Pereira's gloved hands shot up to grip Ryad's wrist. He made the mistake of instinctively tugging at her forearms with his free hand.

     The woman let go for a fleeting moment, just enough to swiftly draw Luison from her thigh holster. She sat up in a flash of strength, headbutted Jackal in the face and wrestled him onto his side, trying to gain a reverse choke hold from behind.

     "Stop!" ordered Ela. "Ryad! Stop!"

     Ryad kicked at the floor, twisted again out of the woman's hold, and whirled on top of her with frightening speed. He pushed the flat of his knife to her throat, but winced when he felt her handgun's suppressor press upward into his sternum.

     Caveira willed herself to wait to pull the trigger. "Ryad," she urged breathlessly, "stop. It's me. Calm yourself."

     Jackal froze, ignoring the blood trickling down his face.

     Nomad stepped forward. "Give it up, buddy. There's six of us. Know your odds."

     "Not that I'd need them," whispered Taina. "Listen to me. It doesn't have to be like this."

     An uneasy silence bled across the showroom. The other operators looked on as Caveira and Jackal maintained their holds on each other and tried to catch their breath, both panting with fatigue.

     "Ryad... please. We're on the same team."

     He couldn't believe it, but Ryad had to stave off tears. "I just want justice for Faisal," he murmured shakily. His eyes pleaded further words unspoken.

     Taina nodded. "I know. I've been there." Her normally fierce gaze softened. "I'm gonna lower my gun."

     "Turn me in if you want." Ryad sighed heavily. "Just let me talk to the Senator."

     "Ryad, I can't-"

     "Two minutes." Jackal finally relaxed his stance and slowly withdrew his blade from the woman's neck. He placed it on the floor and raised both hands in an offer of surrender. "Please. I need to know if it was him."

     Caveira was still on her back beneath Ryad's weight. She matched Ryad's gesture by lowering her handgun slowly. "Let me up."

     The man obeyed. Keeping his hands up, he stood unsteadily and stepped away so Caveira could get to her feet.

     Ela, Vigil, Dokkaebi, Nomad and Midas watched the pair as they faced off. Both Ryad and Taina's chests were rising and falling with labored breathing.

     The sounds of vehicles starting up outside snapped everyone back to the present. The muffled voices of Senator Costa's men could be heard through the walls.

     "We're out of time," Nomad voiced impatiently.

     Ryad kept a hand above his head, but gestured at the large painting behind him. "Costa is there. Panic room behind the painting - entry trigger is somewhere on the lower left corner of the frame. He's armed and alone."