Protect and Defend Pt. 00: Prologue

Prologue

Kabul, Afghanistan

Leo Yamasato came through the door and looked into the eyes of the enemy with a calm he did not expect he possessed.

He took several steps forward slowly and come to stop in the middle of the room. The door closed behind him, its light wood frame made almost no sound except the latch catching. Leo stood with feet just shoulder-width apart, as his glance captured every relevant detail of the 3 guards in the room all pointing an AK-47 at him... and the merc holding a Glock 17 to Amira's head.

Leo is acutely aware of his accelerated breathing and heartbeat, and his mouth is running dry, but he concentrated on the merc with a completely neutral expression. The stench of sweat and cheap cigarettes permeated the air. The cheap overhead fan, spinning slowly, only stirred the smell further. The three guards are just hired local yokels. Not dangerous unless they get lucky. The Western merc though...

"Leo, we meet again," the merc smirked, as he jammed the muzzle into Amira's temple again. Amira's eyes locked on Leo's for a moment, making his heart ache, but he forced his face to remain neutral.

"Donovan, what do you want?" Leo replied in the coldest tone he could muster, as he had to look up slightly to Donovan's 6'6" height, even as he left his hands relaxed at his sides. He came unarmed. Donovan looks like one of those muscle beach brutes, but he's also smart, which makes him dangerous.

"What, no chit-chat?" Donovan chuckled, as if he told the funniest joke in the world, even as his choke hold on Amira tightened. Amira's tiny head, is almost hidden in the massive arm of the rogue merc. Donovan continued, "Come on, Leo buddy, you and I are mercs. We both just want to be paid our worth."

Leo frowned and Donovan froze, as if the temperature in side the room dropped 20 degrees. Leo haven't moved a muscle, but his body posture now exuded the "don't f*** with me" look. Donovan's face blanked, then went serious. Playfulness has left his voice. Donovan continued coldly, "All right, I want tonight's radio scramble key to your patrol radios. That's all I need. Give it to me, and I'll let your local squeeze go."

Leo scanned the room again as if he's contemplating the request. He knows that if he gave up the scramble key, these rogue mercs can listen in on the patrols and use that information to infiltrate his security perimeter... and Assassinate Amira's father, the local mayor. That's why the city, with some private donations, hired Sandy Creek Security to train their own guards and run the perimeter initially. What they did not expect is the other side is serious enough to hire the rogue merc Donovan, to help breach the security.

And while Amira was NOT his lover, Amira had indeed snuck off with him many times to learn English and other subjects under the stars that indeed Amira has a piece of his heart. Damn Donovan. He must have had an observation post that caught them in a meeting at night on a rooftop.

And Leo knew perfectly well Donovan will very likely kill them both any way.

Leo turn right 90, took a step, turned 180, and took three steps, as if he was considering the offer. He stopped at his chosen spot

Eight seconds left.

Leo turned back toward Donovan, letting his shoulders slump as if defeated, "all right, scramble code is 25038. Just don't hurt her."

Donovan let out a predatory toothy grin, as he just shoved little Amira into Leo. Leo sidestepped and grabbed to almost limp Amira by the waist and set her down slowly. Amira held on to his arm.

"I know you'd see reason, Leo." Donovan sneered, as he turned sideways to get on the radio for something, probably to pass on the code to see if it works.

Leo went to one knee and just held Amira. Leo looked into those bright gray-blue eyes again. Amira's tears fell steadily and silently, and Leo saw the eyes of betrayal, as if they are saying, "How could you betray my father?!"

Two seconds left.

"Trust me," Leo whispered to Amira.

Leo took one last look at the room. Donovan is on his radio, talking to someone. The other guards had not moved, but seem to have relaxed slightly.

Leo's watch beeped.

Donovan looked over in annoyance, and for a moment, Donovan locked gaze with Leo. Donovan's eyes widened in shock as he flung himself to the ground, at the same moment as Leo flung himself on top of Amira.

The wall next to the door exploded and hundreds of paintballs full of pepper juice splashed the interior of the room.

The custom AquaStinger breach charge from AquaRam worked exactly as advertised. A set of shaped charges detonated against the liquid completely disintegrating the wall next to the door instead of just leaving large chunks. This version however, had enhancements that also scattered pepper-juice and pepper-juice balls all over the place. The pepper-juice balls were just like paint balls in paint ball guns, except they contain pepper juice instead of paint. And you don't want to get hit any near your face.

Leo had his back to the door to shield Amira, but also kept his eyes and nostrils clear of the pepper juice that's affecting everybody else in the room. Leo knew eventually he won't be able to see or breathe either, but a few seconds was all he needed. He already had the room memorized. Pepper juice does exactly what you expect it to... it's basically pepper spray you use as a personal defense weapon, except this one is weaponized and military grade to disable an entire room in seconds.

Leo knew that his vision won't last, as he felt the sting of the pepper juice against his eyes already. He sprang up from his crouch and rushed the closest guard who was rubbing his eyes and defenseless. Leo kicked the guard in the groin, which caused the guard to move the hands lower and start to bend over. Leo followed with a knee strike into the guard's chin. The guard flew up and back from Leo with a broken neck then collapsed against the wall. Leo bounced off the wall toward the next guard. He had a bit more time and almost got his gun into position, but Leo moved inside his reach, and with a quick reverse twist on his elbow, got him in an arm bar when the third guy opened fire blindly with full auto fire.

Leo, using the arm bar, forced the guard toward the third guard as a human shield, and felt the guard took multiple impacts and went limp even as he felt a round hit him on the left arm, and his entire arm went limp. He dropped the body and went low, ignoring the pain in his left arm. He slid below the third guard and kicked his feet out from under him, then as the guard fell fell he grabbed the guard's head with his right hand and slammed it into the floor. The crack was very loud in the room, and the guard went still.

He turned around just to see a shape scramble out the door. It can only be Donovan. Leo let him go.

He rushed to check on Amira, "Amira, are you..." and felt his blood ran cold. He slipped to a halt on the hard floor, as he double-checked what he saw. There are two dark circles on her... one on her chest, one in her stomach. His eyes are stinging. He can't focus.

"Amira! Amira!?!" He gently cradled her head with his only good hand.

Her bright gray blue eyes fluttered open and focused on him. He can't quite see her... it's blurry... "Leo... My lion..."

"Hold on, Amira. Help is on the way. Just... hold on..."

Leo's zen calm abandoned him, even as he hold himself still, feeling and sensing the life draining out of Amira, the daughter of his employer, the girl he was not supposed to love. Tears swelled in his eyes. Amira wanted so much more out of life. She learned English. She wanted to go to the university for women in Herat. She wants to study in America for an advanced degree. She deserved to live on, not die in a shithole like this.

Amira coughed, and a trickle of blooded exited the corner of her mouth. The punctured lung seeped blood into her lungs, and the other bullet wrecked tremendous damage in her abdominal area. She was bleeding to death internally, and there was nothing he can do. The only thing he can do was hold on to Amira and feel the blood drain from her body. Tears washed some of the pepper juice from his eyes, and his vision cleared momentary. He looked closely at Amira's fine features, the mane of shiny black hair hidden under the scarf, the almost delicate nose, the cheekbones. He traced them with his eyes, for his other hand is no longer his to command. Amira's lips moved. He lowered his head to listen, and the delicate jasmine scent mixed with the coppery smell of blood...

"My lion... We will see each other again... In... shah... lah." As God wills it.

Voices in front of Leo. English, friendly. Sandy Creek had arrived... too late.

"Leo, are you... Oh SHIT." "Doc" Johnson, wearing a face shield, slid on his knees next to Leo even as he reached into his pouch for packets of QuickClot.

Leo closed his eyes, as he knew it was already too late. He saw the life leaving Amira's gray-blue eyes, and the spark faded into nothing. He could feel Doc Johnson tore open Amira's robe to get at the wounds. Doc was not worried about religious sentimentalities of clothing when lives are at stake. He could hear more medical personnel running into the room, and others reported that they have not seen Donovan. He no longer cared.

A piece of Leo Yamasato died that day, in that room that smelled of blood, old sweat, cigarette smoke... and cordite.

(to be continued)