Is this destiny?

From the other sniping point, Imani heard the familiar sound of rifle with a silencer and immediately noticed that Masika is in trouble.

\'POP! POP! POP!\', Imani swiftly took three men down who were rushing toward Masika, but two of them were only wounded. Imani was unable to aim properly because she was in a hurry to save her friend.

Masika was closer to them, but she was under the pressure to decide if she will take down first the ones who are aiming their guns at her, or the the closest ones.

If anyone wondered what that first \'pop\' wound was, after few more they all understood that those are gunshots and the whole area erupted in a gunfight.

Few seconds later, Masika saw remaining three men who rushed toward her just fall down, and she exhaled in relief with the knowledge that drones took them out. She connected with her lens to the drone above her, to ensure that nearby attackers are dead before turning toward the resting area and sniping down the enemies at the resting spot.

The van they noticed earlier further away, reached the resting area. Men rushed out of it and mixed with their previously-hidden companions and it was difficult to figure out who is shooting at whom.

Masika\'s attention got drawn to few people who were in-between her and the resting spot where most of the commotion is. She saw that it\'s Zack and four enemies after him, exchanging gunfire. Why is Zack here? He should be there in the center.

\'POP!\', Masika took out one of four men who were after Zack.

\'POP!\' one more fell down.

Masika realized that she needs to reload her gun, but she does not have time for that. Considering that Zack and his two pursuers are now just below the hill where Masika is, she pulled a pistol from her belt and aimed.

\'BANG!\'

Two gunshots sounded at the same time, one enemy fell down, and Zack fell on the ground as well.

\'BANG!\', Zack took out the last guy when he hit the ground.

Masika saw that Zack is holding onto his leg.

"Go, help him!", Imani sounded in Masika\'s ear. "He is exposed. I will cover you."

Masika swiftly slid down the hill toward Zack. When she approached him, he thought that it\'s the enemy and he snapped toward her. A second later, Zack lowered his gun.

"Don\'t sneak up on me!", Zack growled.

"You are welcome.", Masika said sarcastically while putting his arm around her shoulders and pulling him up. "Why are you here?"

"I saw that you are in trouble, so…", Zack didn\'t finish his sentence due to pain. He also didn\'t say that as soon as he saw that there are enemies behind Masika, guilt washed over him because he is the one who suggested for the girls to go as far as possible.

Zack was shot in the leg, just above the knee, and Masika supported him to the nearest bush where she laid him down.

"Your belt!", Masika demanded.

Five seconds later, she tightened the belt around his thigh, to slow down the bleeding. She can\'t do much more until they get the first aid kit from the van. And with all this shooting, there is no way she will make an attempt to reach any of the vans.

Masika turned toward the commotion and took down several more enemies down with her pistol.

Zack saw an enemy sneak toward them from the side, but his gun was out of bullets.

"Watch out!", he warned Masika.

Masika exhaled when she realized that her pistol is empty as well. Seeing the enemy rushing toward them, she threw the pistol down and lunged herself at him.

Zack didn\'t blink while watching Masika beat up the man with swift and precise movements. He is not sure how long it lasted, but to him it seemed like it was only two seconds before man fell on the ground and Masika was back by his side, reloading her pistol.

Few minutes later, it was over.

Eric organized his squad to pull bodies of the enemies away from the resting area, into the forest. He instructed them to remove any valuables, especially identification before they dump the bodies. Another group was in charge of getting things from the vans which belonged to the enemies before disposing of them.

Four of Eric\'s men had injuries: two were with bruises, one was grazed by the bullet on the arm and Zack was with a gunshot in the leg.

Masika took her first aid kid and swiftly gave Zack local anesthesia, removed the bullet and stitched him up. Zack watched her work without a word. He concluded that she knows what she is doing, and based on her movements, she did it many times before.

By the time they finished removing bodies from the resting area, Zack\'s leg was treated and bandaged.

Imani treated the man who had a bullet wound on his arm. But he was only grazed, so a medicinal cream and a bandage were enough with some painkillers.

Eric\'s squad (and Imani and Masika) watched from the side as fifteen semi-trucks reached the resting area, drivers got out, used the restroom, spoke to each other, laughed, and about ten minutes later they resumed their travel. The resting area was quiet again, like nothing happened.

Ride back to the compound was done in silence, at least in the van where Eric, Zack, Masika and Imani were. Three other men with injuries were with them as well.

…

In the compound, Eric assembled them all with a goal to discuss the mission.

"What do you think it went wrong?", Eric asked twenty one men and two teenage girls who were facing him.

"The kids were discovered unexpectedly.", one main said, and everyone understood that \'the kids\' are Masika and Imani.

"You sound like they are the problem.", Eric shared his thoughts.

"Are you saying that they are not?", another man asked.

Eric sighed. "Out of thirty-seven enemies, the two of them took down nineteen. That means that two teenage girls got nine-and-a-half kills each, while other eighteen targets were to be shared between twenty-two grown men. That is roughly 0.8 kills each. Also, they treated Zack\'s and Tod\'s wounds. They are young, but based on the stats, those kids how you call them, are more capable than any of us and... we should not underestimate them. Now you tell me who is the problem."

Eric looked at the people, ready to take the blame for poor leadership. "Nobody? OK. I…"

"I am the problem!", Zack said from the back, making everyone turn to face him. "I asked Eric to place girls as far as possible from the target area. I saw them as a liability, and I wanted them out of the way. Unfortunately, that decision put Masika directly in the way of nine enemies. Instead of pointing fingers and shifting blame or panicking, Masika and Imani took down all of them and then turned to help us." Zack looked at Masika. "I am sorry, Masika for putting you in harm\'s way. You had every right to be angry and not to help me, but you saved my life more than once and also treated my wound. I owe you, a big one."

Masika didn\'t respond. She was angry, of course she was, but this is no time to show it. She went through too many missions to be phased by this. What matters is that it all ended well. Masika is grateful that Imani was there to cover for her when those men unexpectedly showed behind her. As for next steps, Masika will submit a detailed report to Sarah who will decide what to do. Masika sees no value in Zack\'s apology or saying that he owes her. She does not want anything from him.

Zack looked at Masika and he regretted that she is wearing that mask over her face because she is not looking at him and her current posture does not tell him anything. To him, that indifference is much worse than if she is cursing and hitting him for being irresponsible and putting her in danger.

"It\'s my fault as well.", Eric broke the silence. "Zack suggested it, but I agreed. I don\'t know how to make it up to you…"

Imani raised her hand, interrupting whatever Eric wanted to say. She does not need apologies or excuses either. They will settle things later with Sarah.

Now that everything is done, and they need to go back home, Imani realized that Masika and she have a problem (that is why she raised her hand). "There is one thing…"

"Yes?", Eric asked.

"If you can drop us off to the city, that will be great.", Imani saw that everyone is staring at her, so she explained. "We are not old enough to drive, and we can\'t call a cab to come here to pick us up without exposing the compound, so…"

Twenty two men exchanged confused glances. Not old enough to drive? They are younger than sixteen?!

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