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hope you enjoy this chapter. x

Chapter 53

A Mission in Their Midst

1800

Toni Blythe met up with Georgie for dinner. She had been able to spend a bit of time with Spanner before Elvis' team was summoned. The petite blonde wore a professional mask, but her blue eyes were a window to the worry in her heart. Both women were thoughtful throughout the meal, both wondering what was transpiring unbeknownst to them. All they were certain of, was that the men they loved were on a mission. It was a mission in their midst and both were powerless as to the outcome.

Georgie's medical progress was moving along nicely. She felt better, her appetite had returned and at least up to this point, she was sleeping properly. She doubted Elvis would be discovered lying next to her this particular night however. Something was definitely happening for the men to be incommunicado so rapidly. Nothing was reported by the news media and of course nothing was openly talked about within the walls of the MOD. But there was speculation. The atmosphere surrounding them was ominous. The tension in the air was palpable. Toni was no longer assigned as Georgie's "bodyguard." Georgie was free to move about, although she was ordered to stay within the MOD. Were they closing in on Gaani? Georgie wondered as she rested her elbows on the table top, lifting a tea cup to her lips with both hands. Her eyes were looking off in the distance as her mind played back her encounter with Elvis in the courtyard. He was right. She had placed herself in harm's way, but where was he now? Her musings were interrupted as Toni returned to the table with two slices of apple pie.

"Does this not look fabulous?" She said delightfully placing Georgie's portion in front of her.

"It certainly does!" Georgie chimed in.

"I secured the last two!" Toni said as she sat down and pulled in closer ready to devour her treat.

Georgie grinned and poked her fork into the apples. A small slice of enjoyment despite the hidden anguish the two were experiencing.

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2100

Fife's team were en route to engage the enemy. Intel had confirmed Gaani and his soldiers were inside of the safe house adjacent to an old tenement structure. Under the cloak of darkness the SFCT Unit stealthily moved between the alleyways and approached undetected. It was a clear night, the full moon had passed and it was ideal conditions for a covert operation. The back-up teams, including Elvis were poised to move out if the need arose. They were off site at an undisclosed location awaiting orders and possible mayhem. They watched the advancement on video from cameras attached to the engaged team's gear. Regular forces were deployed to assist from the rear and provide additional fire power if necessary. Elvis wondered what Mukhtar would do after Gaani was captured or neutralized. Would all of this have been enough of an assault for him to back off for a while? Elvis watched intently as the team moved closer. Jeremy Fife called in over comms that he was preparing to breach. All present tensed. Elvis felt his heart rate escalate. It was as if he were out there vicariously engaging the enemy through Fife's video feedback.

At 2120 Special Forces CT Unit was inside of the safe house. There had been a guard easily put down upon their breach of the threshold. The team quickly and quietly moved from room to room clearing their pathway to Gaani. But, no Gaani.

"Zero Oscar to command. Over." Came Fife's crackled voice over comms.

"Command acknowledge. Over."

"Rooms cleared. No sign of Gaani. Heading towards rooftop. Over."

Elvis' brows creased. "Nah. Gaani would not seek refuge on the rooftop. There would be no means of escape." He thought to himself.

"Command copy. Proceed. Over."

"Zero Oscar copy. Out."

Those were the last words uttered over comms. There was an eerie silence and the assault team's advancement could be seen over video. The night vision images were cloudy and mimicking the uncertainty of what was unfolding. Elvis chewed on a thumbnail briefly, his eyes never swaying from the screen. Spanner was next to him, just about ready to voice his concerns when…

There was an enormous flash of white light! It was blinding and those viewing shielded their eyes. The horrible, crushing sound of an explosion could be heard and then…the screen went black. Did they actually feel the percussion from the blast? Elvis was stood still, his body and senses incorporating what he just witnessed. There was momentary chaos as Command desperately began to re-group and re-assess the grave situation. Fife's team was lost. There was a portion of London's night sky that erupted into a flash of daylight as the massive explosion riddled the seemingly quiet late evening.

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Georgie and Toni heard the blast from their respective locations. The very building that was their haven virtually shook from the blast. Georgie shuttered and then abruptly stood. "Oh my God! Oh my God!" She kept saying over and over, each time sounding more desperate. She clasped her hands together so tightly, her knuckles were beyond white. Her heart thudded against her rib cage…bounding and pounding. "Elvis!" She wailed. "Oh please! No!"

She was so beside herself.

Toni banged her fist against the door as she panted, having run a distance to regroup with Georgie. The repetitive banging brought Georgie out of her state of panic. She flew to the door and flung it open. She was met with the sight of her own terror in the eyes of Toni Blythe.

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"Fuck!" Elvis spat out. His face lit up as he pounded a fist against a metal file cabinet. At the same time Spanner barked, "Bloody hell!" And Spunks yelled, "Fucking wankers!" The four man unit instinctively drew together in a circle, each checking their ear pieces and communication equipment. There was equal commotion in the room from the other SFCT Unit sequestered along with them. Elvis grabbed a chair, almost knocking everything in sight over just to be able to sit down and tap onto the computer. He brought up live images of the carnage surrounding the blast. The safe house was completely gone. Through the menacing flames they could see concrete and rubble. The tenement was properly on fire and the blare from the emergency response sirens could be heard, the cadence becoming louder and stronger. Elvis clenched and unclenched his jaw. "They were good men." He seethed. His trio exchanged glances and they all knew it could have easily been them.

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The two women clutched each other. They were trembling and trying to console one another.

Alarms were sounding in the building and they knew they had to report for an emergent briefing. Georgie mentally prepared herself for the potential prospect of being called to duty. Casualties were not known at this point and dear God, did she really want to go out there, not knowing what happened to Elvis? Part of her wanted to run, run to wherever that blast took place just to know whether Elvis was involved or not. That was the nightmare, not knowing where he was. They hurried to the briefing. This was beyond a declaration of war. Her soulmate was out there and she could not lose him again.

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0430

The sunrise carried hues of reds and blues. It was striking to behold as the remnants of smoke continued to rise up despite the inferno being extinguished by the London Fire Brigade. Elvis' eyes scanned the entire area. General Reardon had ordered his team to go in and assess the aftermath. There needed to be answers. Where was Gaani? Military Intelligence confirmed the bastard had indeed entered that safe house. Was someone disguised as Gaani? "Nah," Elvis thought to himself. He saw the video surveillance. It was definitely Gaani himself who walked through that door. Elvis thought of Georgie, remembering when she identified Gaani as the cell commander back in Kenya, when she ventured out with Special Forces. Georgie. He knew she would be worried. Elvis furiously blinked back the almost insatiable urge to contact her. He swallowed hard as he stared once again at the remains of the safe house. Gaani would not have allowed himself to be red misted. There had to be a means of escape.

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Georgie's hands were shaking as she finished donning her uniform. She stared at her reflection in the mirror. "Was she up for this?" She stared hard at herself. Purposefully willing the fear and trepidation of what was ahead of her, away. At this point she knew there were casualties, military and civilian. She was aware a SF Unit had gone in as well as regular forces. She did not know the details. The search and rescue teams had been entrenched all night and still no word from Elvis. No one came to tell her that her husband had perished and she kept reminding herself of that. Perhaps they don't know yet…her mind toyed back at her. Georgie lifted her left hand and fondled her wedding band with her thumb, then she smiled, remembering Elvis on their wedding day. She then re-enacted the same response he had to his ring….she lifted her hand and tenderly kissed the golden band that signified their undying love for one another….

AN: If I had to add a soundtrack to this chapter it would be "You are the Reason" - Calum Scott cover by Alexandra Porat. I think that's where Georgie's heart is at the moment. x