Patience. That's what was killing her. Waiting for the call to take action and do what was needed. She truly didn't need to wait, had no reason to yet the more time slipped by, the more the children were in danger and that was making her more pissed off by the minute.
Zamir gave her a glare as she saw the men walk by, laughing at each other as the rest laid within the building. She glanced back over at him, watching as he gave a warning to her and to stay where she was. This was bullshit. There were children in there, soon to be sold off and used for god knows what and they were wasting time on Yusuf and Ilir to get to the loading points with the trucks. Raja was a sitting duck within the damn place as she tried to bait what she could out of the building. So why the hell were they outside waiting like dogs?
Feriah mentally counted the men she saw earlier as she checked the number of bullets in her gun and in the holster. She had to be fast and precise about each move she made, had to be silent and unseen. Unless shit hit the fan, then it was all out war.
Two more left the building as the chirp of the headset gave way to the men, stating that the trucks were ready for delivery. Now it was time. With a wave of his hand, Zamir and her quickly flew into the building, checking every corner and door they came across.
"Remember, three holding cells on the second floor and another at the bottom, each should contain about ten kids if not more. Get them to the doors and make no noise." he ordered.
"Got it." she replied just to feel a hand land on her shoulder.
"I mean it." he hissed in her ear, "I don't want a repeat of Almaty."
"The bastard veered in and started screaming." Feriah defended herself, "If it wasn't for that, I would have been fine."
"You are just too-"
"Enough you two." she heard Father Jabari over the radio, "Just get the children and get out, end of the mission."
Zamir shook his head at her as he moved back to his position. With a quick sight of her gun, she was off. Searching the halls for any sign of life and men they missed outside, she scurried as fast as she could, hoping to hear the familiar sounds of whimpers.
Her heart raced as she flew around the place, checking door after door, praying that they didn't miss the date of shipping. Finally turning a corner, she heard it. Tiny whimpers of children as older ones tried to calm the little ones down, knowing the cost if they were heard. She paused for a moment, looking up and down the hall, hoping that she didn't miss a thing. With a quick kick, the door flew open, making the children cry out in fear as she came in.
"La tukhafini, 'ana huna lilmusaeadat." she told them in a hushed whisper.
Only then did they realize that she wasn't one of them. Tears fell passed their eyes as she gathered them all together, Feriah laid her hand on the oldest looking one as she nodded to him.
"'ayn albaqiata?"
"'iilaa hunak." he told her as he pointed to the door.
Of course, she chose the path to the basement, now let the nightmares begin. She gave him quick directions to find Raja and get to the trucks as she grabbed the others. He took off with the others, trying their best to keep quiet and escape hell, just for her to face her own.
"Alright Feriah, you can do this." she coached herself as she opened the door, "Just like the ones at home."
Slowly, she descended the stairs, cautiously checking everything before her as she tried to calm her mind. The musty smell of decay and blood hit her as rattling caught her ears, yes there were children in this hellhole. Once down, she made her way over to the sounds as she tried not to imagine the site she couldn't see. Her light was dim but enough to see the door from the stairs, and that's where she kept it. She could hear little whispers within, sharp Arabic to be silent. A world she knew too well of.
Cracking open the door, she let her light peer in as she saw ten dirty, scared faces looking at her in horror. No matter how many times she did this, whatever nation or continent of a foreign language, she would never get used to that sight of children so afraid that their hearts could just stop. Opening the door wider, she showed herself as she explained to them what was happening, yet they didn't move.
"Ma hu alkhata'a?" she asked them.
The littlest girl raised her hand, pointing behind her as it trembled with fear. It was then Feriah realized her mistake. Twisting around, she saw a large man hiding in the corner, knife pointing at her as a sick grin came to view.
He dodged at her, trying to take her out yet he had no way, she was trained way too well. With a turn of her shoulder and a lift of her leg, she dropped him on the floor as she twisted the hand that held the blade in a sharp manner.
"Tashghila, aintaqal alana!" she shouted at the children as she pinned him down.
She held him down as long as possible, trying her best to make sure the children all escaped, leaving her with the big ugly brute. He threw her off as the final child escaped, pinning her to the dirty floor as he held the knife above her throat. He was strong, more than she thought at first, but she was wiser. With a quick movement of her knee and arm, she found herself free and kicked him back to the floor, yet he was back up again as he raised the knife over his head.
Before she realized, four bullet wounds formed on the man as she held her gun up in defense. The radio was going mad with the gunshots heard as Raja gathered the children out of the building and Zamir searched for any stragglers and herself.
"Bok."
Fuck, she messed up again. Gathering her wits and items, she flew up the stair and down the hall as more voices filled the air.
"Feriah, get moving!" she heard Zamir on the radio.
"I am moving!" she shouted back only to pause when she heard a faint cry.
Zamir came to her sight as she looked down the hall, "Don't even we don't have-Feriah!"
She dodged into the room where it came from, just to find an infant within, it's tiny fist balled tightly as it cried its lungs out. Without hesitation, she gathered the baby and ran out the door as more gunshots echoed the hall as he shot more men coming their way. Finally outside, the ran up over the hill and under the wire as men scavenged the land of them. Feriah didn't stop, couldn't. It felt like her own escape all those years ago as she got herself into the truck.
The heavy vehicle lurched forward as the other went speeding forward. No words needed to be said as she held the baby close to her. The child's face dirty and smudged with what seemed to be blood, her heart ached as she searched the one bag she knew would be there. Her fingers gripped the plastic bottle, giving her a quick sigh of relief as she gave the baby what it wanted most.
"You do realize what you could have done, Feriah?" she heard Father Jabari ask.
"I am aware, but I couldn't stop. It happened before I realized it."
"Another episode?"
"I was fighting to get those kids out of that hellhole and he was hiding in the room, doing god knows what to them. All I focused on was getting them out."
"You could've cost the-"
"Mission, yes I know." she sighed as the baby calmed down.
"Yet you got them all out along with an extra it seems." he smiled as his hand rested on the blanket, "God has plans for you, child."
"Always does for the strongest, yes?" she smiled lightly, thinking of her parents.
"They would be happy of you. Not your recklessness but how you do whatever it takes to save others from the world you all escaped." he told her.
"I know." the familiar burning hitting her eyes.
"Well, speaking of that, there is another ring we have found. This one not far from the sea, nor your home nation."
Now that caught her attention, he normally wouldn't bring up birth places unless it meant something serious, "What are you getting at?"
The old man sighed, "I was speaking with leaders of this nation and they believe that there is a slave-ring being run around the Mediterranean and with that, there is no one else that knows the nation better than-"
"No." she cut him off, knowing what he was angling for.
"Feriah, please. Just go for the sake of the children." he pleaded, "I know you dream of the nation. It was always there for you and you were giving those dreams for a reason, act upon it. You never know what could be out there."
"Oh, I know what's out there. Rapists, pedophiles, murderers, conmen, sadistic pieces of shit that hurt others. I know what's there."
"Feriah, you are the only one I really trust for this."
"Why not Raja?"
"I got in enough trouble for sending her as is."
As is? "What do you mean?"
Father Jabari sighed, "She's pregnant."
"Are you kidding me?"
"No, she and Ilir are expecting. So it's why I'm asking you." his dark eyes begged her. "Feriah."
Her head met the back of the seat, the sights of the women and times not her own flashed before her eyes as the hellish nightmare came to her as well. It was always there, no matter what the cause or time, only this time, she actually could find some answers.
"Fine." she sighed, "I'll go to Greece and get the ring to end. Then I'm back at base."