I Never Left You

21. Bitter rescue

We've been driving for almost an hour now, my legs begin to twitch from sitting long in the behind seat of the leading SUV. Four more are behind us. The road slowly turns narrow the city becomes less. The cold breeze sweeping above us informs us that were near the beach. The captain is in front with another soldier. Am behind with Kevin and keep giving the directions to the captain . Am surprised the GPS in the car doesn't not have this route. It says it's off the map. Kevin besides me is  quiet, he hasn't spoken much during the ride. He looks different in the army uniform, I guess we all do.
"Any problem man, your awfully quiet?" I question glancing at him from the corner of my eyes.
"Am worried about you man, just don't get yourself shot again. " He expresses his worry.
"We shall come out of this in one piece, I will do whatever it takes," I pat on his shoulder assuring him.
"Nice piece of consolation behind there, I guess we could all use it at the moment". The captain says smiling back at us. I must admit he's a caring man. We agreed on doing a surprise attack so we waited till darkness engulfed the place.
They won't see it coming,  humans have a tendency to let their guard down when the sun goes down, tiredness and fatigue from the day slowly catches up with them. When we're a few blocks from the target area, we park our cars and trek the remaining distance in order not to raise any alarms. The captain takes us through the plan; "We are first going to scan the area, try to figure out how many people were against, once we know that, we find the possible entrance and exits. Be sure to properly have your gas masks on such that the knock out gas doesn't get to you"
"Yes sir" we all reply in unison showing that we're all set.
"That way we shall easily enter without giving alarms to the enemy, whoever you come across and is armed, shoot right away. I don't think any bastard in this place wishes to live. Is that clear" Captain finishes off.
"Yes sir," we all reply once again.
He then asks me to show him a picture of Azra to which I pull out my phone and show him. I inform him that there could be a possibility of other hostages here.
"Am coming to get you Azra," I  mutter to myself. I thank everyone for agreeing to this mission and on short notice. This delegate is really patriotic.
***
Azra's POV
I have lost count of the days I have been here, lying in the dark. I slowly feel sanity seeping it's way out of my body. For what ever instinct struck me tonight,  I feel a buzz of hope in me, my spirits all of a sudden are lifted. " why am I feeling like this today, is there a chance of freedom out there for me, Did the Police finally find me." I begin to wonder. I hoist myself up on my weak hands ignoring sharp pains piercing throughout my muscles, listening out into the night for any noise. Utter silence greets me, just as it has for every night.
"Christa", I picture her warm smile and my high tensed body tries to calm itself. I haven't bathed in days,  there are no bathroom breaks in this place. There's a small trench where the liquids percolate, for stools, there's a small bucket in the other corner. The guard who brings in food inspects it and if there's a deposit, if there's, it's taken ,cleaned and brought back. So there's no reason for stepping out. I haven't bathed in a while, my hair is covered in knots, my dress is stained and the stench coming out of me is unbearable but still I have to get accustomed to it.
"Ray?" I don't know why but I can feel his presence. Maybe it's one of my other hallucinations. Even if he's here there's no way he could find me. He maybe a soldier but he can't do it all. Am destined to be sold into slavery. At the thought of that, my body crumbles into the ground forcing the feeling of hope to fade away. I can feel Adele's sky fall playing in the background reminding me that this is the end.
***
It's now or never, the captain gives us a signal to get going. We put on our gas masks and start firing the gas inside, a few seconds later we climb like gekyos over the walls, we're met with a huge mansion. " I don't know what's behind these doors or if this is a trap. But I rather die in there than not come out without Azra" I mutter to myself under the mask.
Gunshots are exchanged right away as soon as we break in. While we were thinking this is a trap, it more looks like we ambushed them. The other party is in for a surprise and we're not expecting us. I must say am relieved. By the time they recover from the shock, we have already released the knock out gas on them. We don't want much blood shed so we try to fire guns only where it is necessary. The knockout gas is capable of sending one into comma when inhaled.
I scan the room trying to identify the man who meets my dad's description but he's not among these. "Hey kiddo let's get going", captain taps on me. We head upstairs and are almost shot. We dodge the bullets and start to take on the three men guarding what looks to be a long corridor. More soldiers join us up on hearing the gunshots. They maybe good with the guns but we're taught to dodge bullets better. Captain takes the first step to the corridor, I equally feel sure that Azra must be in one of these rooms. We immediately get to knocking out the doors on the rooms. My door exposes a figure curled up in fear in one corner. She lifts up her head and on seeing my covered face, she screams loudly. I raise both my hands to convince her that I come in piece. I raise my mask revealing my face and assure her that am here to rescue her, not to harm her. I call another solider to tend to this young girl as I find Azra.
The second door I open has an Asian looking girl with black long hair. She must be like eight years old. Her reaction is similar to the previous girl. "How many girls are held hostage here" I wonder while convincing the girl to come with the soldier for safety. There are so many rooms here and time is not on our side. How do I find her.
"Azra?" I call out, at least she must have heard the commotion going on in the corridor. "Ra? " I call out again using the name she knows I  call her maybe she will easily get the hint that it's me. Soon enough I hear weak bangs on the second last door. I rush and listen it's her calling. I assure her that it's me and ask her to step away from the door. Either am out of energy or her door is stronger, I continue to hit the door, soon a fellow notices my fruitless efforts and lends me a leg. Thanks Kevin I say after recognizing his body shape. The door opens revealing her shape. She throws her self at me that instant. It is her, I can't believe my eyes, I tightly embrace her back.