Chapter 7: Not too late for hope
A team of six people entered. All of them were wearing masks, but one of them stood out. He was wearing a cloak. That person was their leader. The masks hid the agents' identity, making their sharp, calculating eyes the only distinct feature. However, since the commander's voice must be clear so the orders can be received properly, the leaders don't wear the mask, but they wear a cloak instead.
The team searched the perimeter with perfect coordination and ease gained from years of fighting together. One of them, a man with kind eyes, approached the kids and tried to calm them down as his teammates scanned the room for any possible threats. One can't imagine their confusion or the pain within those little souls. The man's voice was reassuring and gentle, golden rays at sunrise in this infernal storm. Talking to them while his team handled the rest. At first the children were wary and cautious of him. Jack's influence, a shadow bathed in terror, guided their actions, making them doubt even the purest acts of kindness and warmth. His voice carried through the room like a soft breeze of summer, each word carefully chosen.
As soon as the team gave the signal, he and the rest guided the kids out. Movements rushed by time but softened by care and people who didn't even want to think about what hell those little ones have been through.
The corridors were long, and the walls were gray and cold. The halls were well illuminated, gray with black doors, behind which you didn't want to know what danger was lurking. The agents separated into three teams.
Two agents, one with emerald green eyes and one with sky blue eyes, were clearing the way. Their task was to take down any threat before the others came. Another two, the man with kind golden honey eyes and a woman with eyes like sapphire, were leading the kids. Their job was to keep them grouped, fend off any danger that might jump their way, and ensure the kids' safety. And the last two, the cloaked agent and a woman with eyes as dark as the night sky and as deep as a forest, were following behind them, ready in case any guards would attack from behind. Blackstone was a cunning place full of mysteries and tricks. You can't ever be too careful when dealing with them. Whether it was an understatement or an overstatement, only time will tell... that is, only if they live long enough to see.
The mission was going smoothly, so smoothly. Perhaps fate was finally on their side after so long. The ones in front were receiving instructions about the layout of the building from their other teammates via the earpieces connecting everyone. Their only worry was the patrolling guards and keeping the kids in one group. Hurried small steps echoed through the never-ending corridors, a subtle rebellion against this cruel system, a rebellion for the freedom they long forgot what it tasted like.
The bright white surgical light turned crimson, reflecting off the floors in a deep blood-like color. The alarm was triggered. The entire building knew about the intruders. From now on their actions must be more vigilant than they already were. The mission took a total 180, and not in the good way. Their greatest advantage was now gone.
"Of course this just had to happen." One of the agents, the one with emerald eyes, complained under his breath. Aiden hoped for a peaceful mission at least once. Was that too much to ask for? Just a mission, just one where everything goes according to plan. After a week of mission after mission, he hoped that at least this one would go smoothly.
"Cut it! Stop complaining and focus!" His commander's voice boomed in his ear. His mind was already running through all possibilities, calculating an alternative plan, and Aiden's complaining was nothing but a headache he didn't want to deal with at the moment.
Aiden immediately stopped. His leader was right. One wrong move and it's game over before it even begins. He could complain all he wanted later, but it wasn't the right time or place. They passed through the huge hallways swift and silent, caution guiding every step. Now that their presence was exposed, the longer they took, the higher the chances of being discovered and the higher the chances of not leaving that place alive.
They lost their most important advantage, the element of surprise. Staying there for longer than necessary would endanger lives, which was not an option for them. Fortunately for them, although their presence was revealed, the enemy didn't manage to pinpoint their exact location, as the hacker of the team looped the cams, masking their entrance. Before the team infiltrated, they double-checked it just to be sure.
The lights, on the other hand, were a different story. They were a double-edged sword, as the agents could see the enemy from afar, but this went both ways, as they could easily be spotted from that same distance. As the sharp-eyed team handled everything with ease thanks to their commander's plan, their teammate's panicked voice came through their earpieces.
"Get out there! The place — to— in Jack's—" He was trying to warn them, but right at that moment their communication was intercepted.
"Fuck it. This damn thing is fucking useless! THAT..." Aiden cursed in annoyance at this slight inconvenience, already frustrated by the alarms. Just a few moments later, seeing that the communication was truly down, he let out a colorful string of even more vicious curses that made his partner's ears wither.
"Let's regroup with the others. Together we'll figure it out, and it's not a good idea to be separated when our communication devices are useless." His partner spoke some reason into him. He began going back but stopped, not facing Aiden. "Also watch your language. There will be kids." He warned him.
"Oh yeah, a traumatic experience of slavery and human trafficking is fine, but some random curses they might pick up are outrageous." He replied sarcastically at the stupidity of this messed-up logic. His vocabulary should be the last of their concerns, especially now that they lost contact with the others.
"You know what I mean." The one with sky blue eyes, whose name was Carter, said softly, imagining what hell those kids must have been through.
"Whatever you say, Mr. Goodie Two-Shoes. I'll try, okay?"
The two of them joined the others. Without the instructions from the other side, there was no navigation. The six regrouped and started whispering frantically, trying to devise a plan while giving the impression that everything is fine. They didn't need the little ones getting agitated.
The situation was dire, and despite their efforts, the children knew. They were young, not blind. The tension was thick, so thick you could slice it with a knife. The lights somehow seemed to shine brighter, suffocating. The agents' discussion began to heat up. Worry started spilling in the air like poisoned smoke.
Even good intentions have consequences no matter how pure they are. Even in the darkest storms, the truth always comes to light. Protecting the kids from the gravity of the situation didn't protect them. It just made things harder for all of them.