Sabre’s lifeless body fell on the floor. “You have spirit, I’ll give you that!” Rahim laughed. “How could you betray us? We are your team!” Velcro shouted. Pacman stayed silent. “It wasn’t easy. For years, I wanted a baby. And the night my wife was due, some stuck up politician wanted a Z security for his Mumbai trip. Commissioner forced me to go, even after I told him I was on leave.” He stopped for a moment, closing his eyes. “ My wife and died that night. Because no one could take her to the hospital fast enough”.He finished quietly. “ I decided I was done, right then, right there!” “You have made a good choice, my friend!” Rahim laughed. He motioned to a henchman, and he nodded. He went out and came back with a large bag. “75 lakh Rupees, for all your service. Plus a fake ID and ship tickets, with my compliments” Rahim handed him the bag. Pacman took it, checking its contents. “ Pleasure doing business with you” He turned. “Ah Mr Prakash! One more thing. Your change” And before Pacman could turn, Rahim raised his pistol, and fired at Pacman. The bullet hit him on his lower back. With a cry he fell down, bleeding. “You psychopath!” Velcro crawled to Pacman. Rahim motioned the henchman, who stepped in to stop him, to stop. “This pistol” he caressed the pistol “American made Desert Eagle, chambered in .45 ACP rounds. It’s not possible to survive a .50, original calibre, but this was a special gift from a friend from Pakistan.” He turned to Eagle, walking over to him, pressing the barrel at his forehead. “Would you like a taste of it?”
Velcro cradled Pacman, bleeding out of the gaping wound. “You should have come to us, Pacman. We are your brothers!” “I’m sorry Velcro” he spluttered. “I just wanted to–” “It’s okay. You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s okay. Just relax” Velcro’s vest was soaked with blood. “In my lower pocket…” Pacman whispered. “ In there…” he trailed off. Velcro slipped his hands into Pacman’s pocket, slowly. His fingers wrapped around a cylindrical object. “Rahim!” He shouted. Rahim, his pistol pressed against Eagle’s head, turned. “Calling to beg for your life? Perhaps you want a deal, like your friend? Tough luck, my friend” he sneered. “See” he nodded towards Eagle, “the thing about luck is, it changed in a FLASH!” And in a fluid motion, he pulled out the flashbang grenade in Pacman’s pocket, pulling out its pin and tossed it at Rahim. Before Rahim could react, the flashbang exploded, blinding everyone who saw the blast. Eagle, who had his eyes closed the moment he saw the flashbang, lunged blindly, grabbed the pistol, while Rahim was disoriented, disarmed him, with his eyes closed. He swung Rahim around, wrapping his arm around his throat, using him as human shield.“Take one more step, and I’ll blow his head!” he shouted. Velcro lifted Pacman, and rushed to Eagle’s side, his pistol drawn. By the time the henchmen had come to their senses, the squad now had Rahim as their hostage, and were slowly backing away towards the window.
“What’s the plan boss?” Velcro asked. “Devil or the deep sea.” “I vote sea” Velcro nodded. He snatched the flash drive hanging from Rahim’s neck. He thrashed, protesting, but Eagle pressed his pistol harder. “Make me pull the trigger! Come on!” “Drop you weapons or he gets it!” Velcro shouted. The henchmen hesitantly dropped, backing. Eagle turned to Velcro, his face grim. “Now!” Velcro nodded, and tossed a grenade towards the henchmen. Immediately they scattered. Eagle kicked Rahim away towards the grenade, and dove out the window. Velcro, followed, Pacman still on his shoulders. They landed on the ledge, just as the grenade exploded. Velcro lost his balance as he landed, but Eagle grabbed him. The leapt down the ledge, landing on the ground. Velcro landed first, with Pacman’s unconscious body, then Eagle. Some of the henchmen survived, and they craned their necks out the window, shouting, firing their guns. Eagle looked at Velcro. “I’m calling it in! Clear the zone okay?” Velcro nodded grimly. “I’m behind you, go”. In the moonlit countryside, they started running away from the house.
“Angeldust, the op has gone south, send the package right now, danger close!” Eagle was shouting in his radio. “Come again Gold Eagle. What happened?” “Rahim fucking knew about the op. We lost Sabre. Send the package now!” “Roger Gold Eagle, standby, 30 seconds”. They were still closeby, when, the first bullet grazed Eagle’s arm. “Damn it! Argh!” He stumbled, fell. “Eagle!” Velcro stopped. The henchmen had gathered, and were pursuing them on foot. “I’m okay I’m okay, go just go!” He got up, covering his wound with his hand. “Angeldust where is the–” Just then a loud boom rang throughout the countryside. Eagle turned back to see the house they just escaped from, a burning smokestack. “Whooo Rahim ain’t getting outta that!” Velcro whistled. They stopped to rest, and Velcro put Pacman down. “Yes but Sabre.” Eagle looked down. “It’s okay, Sabre knew what he was getting into. We all do. Atleast he didn’t die for nothing.” Just then, another round of bullets whizzed past them. “Angeldust, confirm you see a clearing one klick south of the target building?” Eagle called. “Affirmative Gold Eagle” “I need you to level everything from there to the house. We are being pursued by hostiles.” “Copy that” Five seconds later, more explosions blew all around them. “What about Pacman boss?” Velcro said, checking his wound. “I know about that day. Pacman is a hero. You get it?” Velcro nodded. “Come on, lets get to safety”
“So you not only blotched up the mission, lost a team member, caused a mess when it was supposed to be a quiet op, and you have no confirmation if you executed target?” The Director was furious. Velcro and Eagle stood in attention in front of him in his office. “That is correct sir.” Eagle responded. The Director, a grizzled man in his seventies,nicknamed as The Bear, a figure of authority and fear, got out of his chair. “And is there anything else you boys have to tell me?” “We managed to get a flash drive that was hanging from Rahim’s neck. Must be something!” Velcro pipped up. The Director turned. Velcro pulled out the flash drive, blood and dirt dried on the plastic body. “Well, looks like you weren’t a total failure after all. Get it to the boys at the tech lab. If they find something useful, I might think about letting you live.”
Pacman lay on his bed in the ICU ward. Eagle and Velcro were sitting beside him. “It’s my fault Sabre’s-” “Shut up Pacman! Sabre knew the risks. We all did.” Eagle barked. “But if I hadn’t betrayed-” “We forgive you. I know the system. Anyone in your place would have done the same.” Velcro spoke softly. “After all, you did save us with the flashbang” “We told The Bear we were made and Sabre got taken out. And you got shot. We covered it up. We need you Pacman. We know how it went down that night” Pacman closed his eyes. He took a deep breath. “I’m quitting the force. I can’t take it anymore. The guilt.” “NO!” Velcro and Eagle stood up, shocked. “I’ve decided. Besides, the bullet damaged my spine. I can’t walk properly. There isn’t any option left.” Velcro and Eagle looked at each other. “So do you wanna activate code Lazarus?” Pacman nodded. “I’ll take care of Sabre’s kid, and get everything else in order.” Eagle nodded. “I’ll inform The Bear. And Pacman?” He turned. “It’s been a privilege to fight with you” He saluted Pacman. So did Velcro. Pacman nodded, then closed his eyes, as his pain medication kicked in.
Stories are meant to be told 
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