The Dark Wolf

He leans in and kisses her deeply. When he pulls away his hand is on the hilt of the knife. For a moment Valencia can't believe what he is going to do.

"Leandro?"

"Sorry love, but you've become a liability."

He rips the knife from her throat, shredding it. Blood spurts out. She reflexively reaches for her throat as she gasps for air. Within moments she is on the floor dead.

Doug groans, but the pain in his chest is tolerable. He'd only have some bruising, but the vest did its job and stopped the bullets. Leandro rolls him over and steps on his chest sending a new roll of pain through his body.

"Still alive?"

Doug is reeling in too much pain to give an answer. Leandro aims his gun at Doug's head. Doug closes his eyes waiting for the trigger to be pulled.

——

Roger peers around the corner leading to the auditorium. There is a large opening set before the doors leading to the auditorium. Six brick pillars are spread out through expanse and Roger is able to see two guards standing near one of the pillars.

Roger rushes from around the corner, M4 Carbine raised he fires two rounds into each of the soldiers, dropping them before they have time to react.

As he passes the last pillar, a knife lashes out cutting his upper arm. Roger leaps back bringing his carbine to bear. A foot lashes out kicking the gun wide and out of his hands. The same foot thrusts out into his stomach. Roger falls back and regains his footing.

The soldier rushes him, throwing a combination of kicks and punches. Roger blocks and dodges the attacks until he sees an opening and counter attacks. Roger sidesteps a punch and grabs the soldier's arm. He pulls the man's arm across his chest causing the bone to snap at the elbow.

The soldier starts to yell out in pain, but he is quickly cut off when Roger strikes his throat cutting off the scream. With the man almost incapacitated Roger drives his knee into the soldier's groin. The soldier falls to his knees. Roger slips behind him and with a quick twist, breaks the man's neck.

Roger recovers his carbine and slips toward the door. He doesn't know where the soldiers inside the auditorium are located and he hates to attack blindly, but there isn't much time.

He will just have to improvise.

——

Three shots ring out then Leandro's body is falling to the floor, landing right next to Doug.

"Doug! Are you alright?" Sam yells running up to them and kicking Leandro's gun away.

"Now that he's off my chest, yeah."

"Come on let's get you to your feet," she says pushing the terrorist off.

"We need to get to that bomb," Doug groans.

His chest aches and his breathing is heavy, but he doesn't know how to back down.

"Roger? We're headed to the cafeteria now. We have eight minutes left."

"Copy that. Shut it down, I'll have the hostages released in a minute."

"When this is over, you're buying me a beer," Sam says as she helps carry Doug.

"When this is over I'll buy you two."

——

Roger kicks the doors to the auditorium open and fires two rounds in quick succession into the first set of soldiers he sees. The remaining three soldiers are slow in their reaction time and Roger drops two more of them. The third manages to grab a hostage, a teacher, and uses her as a human shield, pressing his pistol against her head.

"Drop your gun or the bitch dies!"

Roger complies and tosses his carbine to the side. He holds his hands away from his body in a nonthreatening gesture.

"Leave the way you came," the soldier commands.

"I can't do that," Roger replies.

"No?"

The soldier pulls the trigger, splattering her brains. He drops her body and quickly grabs another hostage.

"Can you do it now? Would you like to see a child die?"

"Alright. Alright. I'm leaving," Roger says waving his hands in front of his body. Using the hand waving as a distraction, he pulls his own pistol and fires a round at the soldier. The bullet hits dead center of the soldier's head dropping him where he stands.

"Threats eliminated. Hostages safe," Roger says over the comm unit. "Status?"

"Bomb disabled. Doing a sweep of the school, making sure it's all clear," Sam answers.

"Good job you two. I'll see you on the outside."

——

He was willing to risk lives instead of doing the job by the rules," Stogard says. "I want him out of my division Frank. You should consider booting him from the FBI in general."

"You of all people should know you have to take risks to get the job done George."

"You're siding with him?"

"You've been with the FBI for what thirty-five years now?" Frank McMillan asks.

"Are you firing me?" Stogard asks looking shocked.

"Retirement. Full retirement, benefits and all. We are making a few department changes and it would be the perfect time to retire."

"Fine. If that's what you want, then I'll do it," Stogard says slipping into his vehicle and driving away angrily.

"Not a happy camper," Roger remarks walking up to join McMillan. "Look, I apologize for disobeying my director, but—"

"Hold it there," McMillan says holding his hand up. "You did what you needed to do to get the job done and you saved countless lives in the process. What I said about department changes was true. We are closing down the CTD and replacing it with one that's more effective. We're calling it CATU or Covert Anti-Terrorist Unit. There is a director position available and I would you to take on the job. Besides let's face it you're getting as old as me," he says with a chuckle. "If you need time to think it over..."

"No, I'll take it."

"Good. We need more leaders like you to run things."

"I appreciate that," Roger remarks smiling.

——

What's up boss?" Sam asks as she enters Roger's new office.

"Boss?"

"Well yeah that's what you are now," she answers with a lopsided grin.

"I called you in because I have someone I want you to meet," he says ignoring the remark. "This is your new partner, Spencer Reeds."

"Nice to meet you," Spencer says offering his hand.

Sam takes it and smiles. "Pleasure's mine."