Chapter 21 - Shoulder to Shoulder
They descended the rusted ladder like twin shadows, dropping onto the damp concrete between rows of towering steel containers. The sound of lapping ocean water and the rhythmic thrum of the ship’s auxiliary generators masked their footsteps.
Mia raised a fist, signaling a halt.
Ten paces ahead, two contractors stood near a generator cart, their rifles slung casually across their chests as they shared a lit cigarette. The orange embers glowed like beacon fires through the night-vision optics.
Mia signaled Dylan: *Two targets. Left is yours, right is mine. Synchronized takedown.*
Dylan nodded. He had never engaged in hand-to-hand elimination outside of base martial arts training, but adrenaline burned the fear from his veins. He drew his combat blade with his left hand, keeping his sidearm drawn in his right.
They moved simultaneously.
Mia closed the distance instantly, slipping behind the right-hand sentry, clamping her gloved hand over his mouth while driving a hardened combat knife precisely between his cervical vertebrae. He collapsed without emitting a single sound.
On the left, Dylan lunged, tackling his target into the shadows between two containers. The man thrusted an elbow backward, catching Dylan across the jaw, but Dylan didn't flinch. He used his Marine wrestling technique, hooking the contractor's lead leg, sweeping him to the asphalt, and driving the heel of his tactical boot into the man's throat before applying a rear-naked choke until the operative’s body went completely limp.
Dylan rolled off, breathing hard, checking the man’s pulse. "Unconscious."
Mia looked down at him and offered a single, respectful nod. "Clean work, Corporal."
"Learned from the best," Dylan whispered, wiping blood from his split lip.
They moved toward the boarding ramp of the *Caspian Tide*. But as they reached the edge of the shipping pier, the silence was shattered by the sharp, electric click of a public address speaker mounted on the vessel's bridge wing.
A familiar, booming voice echoed over the dark harbor waters.
May you like
"Mia. Dylan. Put down the weapons and step into the light. You really didn't think I would leave my harbor without a personal welcome for my favorite niece and nephew, did you?"
***
