My mother wiped a tear from her cheek and whispered, “You look like a queen, honey.” “Your father and I are extremely proud.”
In the expansive back gardens of the estate, the wedding was expertly planned. There were hundreds of spotless rows of white wooden chairs. A specially constructed archway was climbed by white roses. I could feel the weighty stares of two hundred politicians, CEOs, and socialites as my father led me down the aisle to the swell of a string quartet. In the front row, I noticed Catherine, her lips tightly pursed in disgust. I saw Amanda talking to a bridesmaid in a whisper.
Then I noticed Daniel, though.
He was quite attractive in his well-tailored tuxedo as he stood at the altar. His face lit up with an expression of pure, unadulterated wonder as his eyes met mine. The crowd disappeared in that same moment.
The vows were a mixture of deep happiness and sadness. He pledged to love me just the way I was. I pledged to be both his partner and his protection. I felt a tremendous sense of victory when his lips found mine to finalize the marriage. The mechanic had her fairy tale in spite of everything.
On the large stone patio of the mansion, cocktail hour began. The sky was painted in vivid orange and deep purple by the setting sun, the jazz band was playing at a calm beat, and champagne flutes were clinking. As we thanked a bunch of investors, I was finally letting out a sigh and leaned into Daniel’s side.
The hair on the back of my neck then stood up.
I followed a group of servers moving around with silver trays. They had a profoundly incorrect posture. They were excessively inflexible. They locked shoulders. A actual waiter moves through a throng, looking for cups that are empty. These men were marching, their gazes following the perimeter, the exits, and the security personnel.
Just before a breach, I had witnessed that particular strain in the soldiers’ eyes.
I tightened my grip on Daniel’s bicep. “There’s a serious problem,” I muttered, maintaining my grin for the visitors.
His face furrowed in perplexity as he gazed down at me. “Sweetheart, what do you mean?”
“Those servers by the east access doors. They don’t work in catering. They have no place here.
Daniel patted my hand and laughed softly. You’re just running on adrenaline, Sarah. It’s a huge occasion. Feeling overwhelmed is perfectly normal.
I wanted to submit to him. The blushing bride was what I wanted to be. My internal alarms, however, were screaming. My mind instantly switched to a tactical overlay with four enemies in sight. There are two choke points. Three badly positioned security officers with guns. There is a lot of people. The possibility of a crossfire is crucial.
I discovered Jake by scanning the throng. He was holding a scotch that he wasn’t sipping while he stood close to the bar. He was staring at the same servers. His jaw clenched as he saw me looking across the terrace. He nodded at me once, sharply and almost imperceptibly.
He sensed it as well.
In an instant, heaven gave way to purgatory.
Only the ornamental string lights in the trees illuminated the terrace when the huge floodlights suddenly went out, leaving us in a dense gloom. A woman let out a scream. There was a loud crash as a tray of champagne glasses struck the stone floor.
Over the commotion came a voice that was devoid of compassion and unnaturally amplified.
“EVERYONE’S FACE IS ON THE GROUND! RIGHT NOW!”
Six men emerged from the darkness, their faces hidden by black balaclavas and clad in dark tactical gear. They moved with horrifying, coordinated accuracy while brandishing silenced submachine guns. They spread out, creating a deadly circle.
They weren’t robbers searching for Rolex watches. This attack team was extremely well-coordinated.
Panic exploded. As they dove for the stone floor, guests yelled. I watched as Catherine Harrison collapsed like a puppet with its strings severed. Amanda curled into a fetal posture under a table and let out a loud cry. William lifted his hands in surrender as he stood motionless in complete disbelief.
With his rifle surveying the crowd, the lead shooter yelled, “This is a simple wealth transfer.” “Phones, wallets, and jewelry in the bags. You get to go home if you follow instructions exactly.
It was untrue. A mislead from a textbook. For a jewelry robbery, you don’t send out a tactical squad of six men armed with silenced firearms. They had a high-value target in mind. For Daniel, they were present.
Daniel tried to cover my body with his own by grabbing my shoulders and dragging me to the ground. He was shaking. “It’s alright, Sarah,” he gasped in fear. “Just follow their instructions. Give them everything.
He and I were no longer breathing the same air. In fact, my heart rate had decreased. My eyes narrowed, intensely concentrating on the dangers. Six goals. Beneath their jackets, body armor is apparent. MP5s were suppressed. The indoor access has not yet been secured.
Just inches from my face, a bulky pair of military boots stopped.
“You. A muffled voice snarled, “The pretty bride.” A gun barrel tapped my shoulder. Remove the diamonds. Take them off.
I started to obey, pretending to be the scared victim as my hands moved gently to unclasp my necklace. Daniel was struggling desperately with his watch’s clasp next to me.
The shooter became impatient. “Go faster, bitch,” I shouted.He growled.
In an attempt to pull me up, he reached down and grabbed my arm violently. His hold was so strong that it ripped the delicate white fabric of my dress, tearing the sleeve halfway off my shoulder.
The façade broke the moment his palm tightened around my skin. On the stone terrace, the peaceful mechanic from Milfield passed away.
Sarah Mitchell, a staff sergeant, awoke.
The phenomenon of muscle memory is both beautiful and scary. Any conscious thought was overshadowed by twelve years of rigorous, unrelenting Special Forces training. The millionaire in-laws, the spectacle, and the dread all vanished into icy, crystal-clear concentration.
The shooter thought I would cower. He anticipated crying.
I secured his arm by clamping both hands over his wrist in a single, powerful action. I violently twisted my torso, snapping his wrist joint with his own downward momentum. I used pile-driver force to propel my knee upward and bury it in his solar plexus as he grunted in unexpected anguish. In a moist gulp, the air shot out of his lungs.
I took the submachine pistol from his lifeless fingers, flipped it, and dropped the heavy steel stock at the base of his skull before his knees even touched the ground. He collapsed into a pile of worthless combat gear.
For three seconds. It only required that.
The five other gunmen froze. The visual information was just too much for their minds to handle. A woman in a ripped bridal gown had just surgically disassembled their point man.
Daniel’s voice cracked as he muttered, “Sarah…” from the floor. His eyes were wide and scared as he gazed at me as if I were a stranger.
I didn’t even look at him. The shock of the enemy would not linger.
“CLING TO THE DOORS AND STAY DOWN! GO!My voice echoed with parade-ground authority as I yelled at the throng.
Behind the upturned catering table, I gave Daniel a strong shove. On my right flank, two gunmen snapped out of their daze and lifted their rifles. I checked my background, raised the captured MP5 to my shoulder, and fired a precise, controlled burst of suppressive fire. The stone planters dove for safety as sparks erupted from them. The lovely event has turned into a battleground. The scent of cordite blended with the feathers from the centerpieces, which floated through the air like snow.
Jake slipped over the stone floor and crashed into the table next to me. He was grinning viciously while holding a stolen firearm in his fist.
“Little sister, I tried to tell you!Over the shouts, he yelled.
“Jake, look out! Put an end to the lecture!I responded with a shout while examining my weapon’s magazine. “Count?”
“There are three active out here. At least one entered the interior of the house.
My tactical map was promptly updated. Behind the enormous outdoor bar, the remaining adversaries on the terrace were pinned. To stop the retreat into the mansion, they were attempting to set up a fire line.
I scanned the shadows and said to Jake, “They’re hitting the choke points.” “The visitors are unimportant to them. They want Daniel captured or killed. Here, we maintain the line.
Daniel tore at my sleeve. “Sarah! What on earth is going on? How are you able to accomplish this?”
I turned to face my spouse. I needed him to be active, not immobile. “Listen to me, Daniel. Please get Amanda and your parents together. Lock the steel door after escorting them into the reinforced wine cellar. Don’t leave until I give the all-clear. Do you get it?”
“I won’t abandon you here!With a hint of panic in his voice, he shouted.
Daniel, I’m not a damsel. “I am the cavalry,” I yelled, my eyes flaming. “Go!”
I emerged from cover, hiding behind the broken tables and strewn chairs. I flanked wide to the left, moving with the grace of a predator. I was never seen by the hostile person nearest the bar. He fell hard after two suppressed bullets to center mass.
Two remained on the patio. However, a significant change in the battlefield dynamic was about to occur.
I could see Catherine and Amanda through the smoke and low light. They were still far from the doors. From the side, they were fully visible as they gathered behind a magnificent marble fountain in the middle of the terrace. With her makeup smearing, Catherine was crying uncontrollably. Terrified, Amanda was clutching to her mother.
They were noticed by one of the surviving gunmen. Seeing that his main objective was out of reach, he turned and aimed his weapon at the two helpless women, hoping to take hostages or perhaps inflict casualties.
I had an option in that moment. These were the women who had made fun of me, denigrated my family, and attempted to devalue me. I could have remained hidden. Tactically, I could have defended it.
But Daniel’s blood was in them. Thus, it was my responsibility to keep them safe.
I broke cover and ran across the terrace’s wide open space. “Hey!I made myself the biggest target imaginable by roaring.
The gunman pressed the trigger after snapping his aim at me. As his rounds followed me, stone chips burst close to my feet. I slid behind the enormous, multi-tiered wedding cake and jumped headfirst. Under a barrage of gunfire, the cake burst, dousing me with plaster, vanilla icing, and spun sugar.
