Chapter 24

"Do you see them?" Sterling asked as he, Eliot and Hardison stood beside their parked car about half a kilometre away from the entrance to the compound, waiting for Charles and his bunch to arrive so that could mount the rescue attempt. It was early morning and the dawn was only an hour away. Eliot was hoping to get the show on the road before daylight robbed them of cover.

"Nothing yet." Eliot said holding the binoculars to his eyes. "Hardison any movement from the compound?"

"Nope." Hardison replied staring through his binoculars watching for any movement whatsoever. "Just the normal guards patrolling."

"Ah here they come." Eliot said focusing on three cars that were headed their way. The cars dimed their lights as they approached and came to a halt behind Eliot's truck.

"Sterling." Charles Du Plessis said as he exited his vehicle. "Jacob…" He said holding his hand out in greeting as he recognised Eliot from his and Sophie's visit to his office earlier. Eliot noted that the man had not made an effort to shake Sterling's hand. He smiled to himself slightly. "Another one Sterling has managed to piss off" he thought wryly. "Who is this?"

"Charles meet Hardison." Eliot answered before Sterling could. "Hardison is an asset that has agreed to help us."

"Fine." Charles said looking from Hardison to Eliot. "What is the situation?"

"Girls are in the large building to the left, not sure how many. Men are spread out through the different cabins I would estimate about 15 in all, four patrolling guards." Eliot said breaking it down for Charles.

"Anybody seen Derby?"

"No." Sterling answered him earning him a withering look from the man.

"So do we have a plan?"

"How many men you got?" Eliot said in response.

"Six, all of them good."

"Right then this is the plan." Eliot said going down on his haunches and drawing out a map of the compound as they knew it.

"Seems good." Charles said impressed at Eliot's thoroughness as he finished off his presentation.

"It will work." One of Charles's men agreed.

"It all depends on timing." Eliot agreed.

"Yes, and that you are right about the number of men, and where they are, also where the girls are and how many are in with them." Another of Charles's men chipped in.

"Not to mention how many guns we are dealing with, and what type of weapons we are dealing with." A third man commented.

"Yes but Jacob is right we have the element of surprise." Charles told his men.

"It will all come down to timing and speed of execution." Eliot said to the group.

"Right well let's get moving before they do." Charles said turning to his men and instructing them to get their gear together. The barest flicker of dawn breaking had started to show and this plan would not work if they did not have the cover of darkness to aid them.

"You can't make a move until I have secured the girls." Eliot reminded Charles as Hardison handed out the coms to each man.

"We won't make a move until you give the all clear." Charles agreed. "And if Derby is here, we take him alive and he belongs to me… this is my collar…understood?"

Eliot nodded agreement and then he and Sterling set out on the short walk to the compound. When they reached the fence Eliot expertly cut it allowing him and Sterling to move through into the compound.

"Guard coming." Hardison's voice came through the coms warning them of the approaching danger.

Eliot and Sterling fell to the ground and listened for the approaching guard. Eliot tensed up like a tiger ready to pounce and as the guard passed by them he sprang. In a matter of seconds the guard was on the ground rendered unconscious Sterling gathered up the man's weapons and he and Eliot started towards the large cabin again. Coming to the side of the cabin Eliot motioned to Sterling to wait. He slid around the corner and peered through the one and only window. He could see at least ten girls all huddled together taking a quick scan of the area he could see he determined that there was no guard with them in the room. Eliot moved back to the door where Sterling was waiting. Reaching out Sterling tried the door handle and as expected it was locked.

"We are going in Charles. Remember, before engaging we need to get the girls out."

"Acknowledged." Charles replied watching the two through his binoculars.

Eliot nodded and indicated to Sterling they were a go and then in one swift motion kicked the door in and was inside before Sterling could move. As expected they found only the girls with no guard inside.

"We are here to help." Eliot said addressing the very frightened girls who had moved into the far corner of the room.

Not one of the girls made a move or answered him they just moved as far back and away from Sterling and himself as they could.

"Do any of you speak English?" Eliot asked.

"I speak little." One of the girls said moving slightly in front of the rest of the group.

"I am here to help, we are going to get you out of here do you understand?"

The girl looked from Eliot to Sterling and nodded turning back to the group she said something and they all nodded.

"We go with you?"

"Yes…but you must be quiet and move quickly. Just wait until we give the word OK?" Eliot affirmed.

The girl nodded that she understood.

"We got company." Sterling hissed.

Eliot looked at Sterling who indicated that two men were approaching the cabin.

Eliot turned back to the girls and put his finger to his lips indicating that they should remain as quiet as possible.

"Hardison?"

"Two men coming your way. Can't see any weapons at least not big ones…but that don't mean they don't have any." Hardison informed him.

"Be quiet and stay in the corner. If I tell you to run you run…understand?" Told the girls.

Eliot moved to the opposite side of the door to Sterling and waited.

"They going to come in…" Hardison's voice came over the coms.

Eliot tensed up as he heard the two men approach and then the push on the door sent him into action.

Pulling the door he grabbed the one man and pulled him into the room silencing him almost immediately, Sterling grabbed the second one but was sent flying with a heavy punch, Eliot turned and grabbed the second one but not before he had his gun out and was aiming it at him. Eliot grabbed for the gun pushing it to one side and landing a blow which sent the man backwards, instinctively he pulled the trigger, the bullet flew harmlessly into the wall of the cabin and then the man was down but the damage had been done as the sound of gunfire brought others out.

"Damn…" Eliot said peeking out of the door and seeing the men flood the compound all heavily armed.

"We got you covered." Charles informed him. "Just say what you need."

"Distraction so we can get the girls out."

"Consider it done." He replied turning to his second in command and nodding giving the go ahead for his men to open fire, drawing the attention of the men in the compound towards them and leaving a small gap for Sterling and Eliot to use to get the girls out.

All hell broke loose then with men streaming from the buildings and Charles' men firing on the compound, drawing the attention away from the building at the back and giving Eliot and Sterling time to get the girls out.

"Hardison?"

"Ok, you have a clear run all eyes on the main entrance where Charles is doing his thing. Time to go." Hardison informed him.

"Ok…"

"Wait…"

"What?"

"You got one headed your way, I think he is on to you."

"No I doubt that, just checking on the assets." Eliot said shaking his head. He had hoped that nobody would think to look their way what with the ruckus going on outside.

"Well… wait he has been joined by a second guy and they on their way moving quickly."

"We still gotta go…" Eliot said making his decision. "Sterling get ready."

Sterling nodded and turned to the girls to get them ready to go. Then he came to stand beside Eliot at the door ready to make his move.

"Go… and no matter what happens keep going and get these girls out." Eliot told Sterling as he collected the weapons from the two men he had dealt with earlier. Sterling still held the one he had taken from the guard at the fence.

Sterling watched him and then nodded, he knew Eliot did not like guns, but he also knew the man knew better than most how to use one.

"Thanks Eliot." Sterling said quietly holding out his hand to the Hitter.

"Just make sure they get out." Eliot growled back at him shaking his hand firmly. Then he moved and swung the door open stepping out as a barrier between Sterling and the girls who were out seconds after him and running for the fence.

Cgarcia555 sorry it took so long to post… had a bit of trouble writing it…next one coming up soon I promise