Chapter 8 - The Ghost Unit
A bright red laser beam suddenly pierced the darkness, resting squarely on the syndicate boss's chest.
Before the boss could pull his trigger, the silent night erupted in a deafening symphony of gunfire.
Three of the syndicate's armed guards dropped to the snow, completely neutralized before they even knew what hit them.
The boss screamed in panic and dove behind his armored SUV for cover.
Out of the freezing shadows, figures in white winter camouflage stepped into the clearing.
They moved with absolute precision, carrying advanced suppressed weapons and night-vision goggles.
They were my father's elite black-ops unit, men who owed him their lives from a dozen classified deployments.
My father had not just called for a helicopter; he had activated a distress beacon linked directly to his personal squad.
"Perimeter secure, Colonel," a masked soldier said, kneeling beside my father in the snow.
My father nodded, finally letting out a long, heavy breath of relief.
The soldiers dragged the terrified syndicate boss out from behind the SUV and forced him to his knees.
My father walked over to the man, staring down at him with eyes as cold as the ice beneath their feet.
"You threatened my family," my father stated quietly.
"You will spend the rest of your life in a military black site where no one will ever hear your name again."
The soldiers hauled the crying crime boss away, loading him into one of their tactical vehicles.
My father rushed back to my side just as the most agonizing pain I had ever felt tore through my body.
"The baby is coming right now," I screamed, clutching my stomach tightly.
We were miles away from civilization, and there was no time to wait for another medical transport.
The unit's combat medic dropped his gear next to me and prepared his sterile trauma kit.
My father held my hand, his strong grip keeping me anchored as I pushed with everything I had.
The forest was completely silent, except for the sound of my ragged breathing and my father's encouraging words.
May you like
Then, a beautiful, piercing cry echoed through the trees.
The medic wrapped my perfectly healthy baby boy in a thermal blanket and placed him on my chest.
