The Royal Contract

He checked the seconds on his watch ticked by as he waited for his men to go give them the go signal to roll out. But his man was taking his sweet time in investigating the movement outside.

"Hurry up." The leader said impatiently on his mouthpiece. They were squandering valuable time just by standing inside the corner of the building when they should be moving to their next target.

Although, he also understood that the safety of his men was also invaluable in their mission. Still, he could not waste time since it was the only commodity they lacked. Every second counted in a situation like this.

"Wait." The man again said. He adjusted his night vision to get a good glimpse of the shadows hidden behind the darkness.

He was not letting his team move out without confirmation of who the man was and how many men he was with. Their opponents might be carrying heavy artillery that could put their teammates in jeopardy.

"What is the problem?" The team leader once again asked as he grew more impatient.

He knew that the more they prolonged their stay in one place, the more he was risking the lives of his men in danger. The longer the mission was delayed, the risk of them being caught by their enemies became higher.

"I said wait. I see a lot of movements not far from here." He repeated when he saw that his leader was about to take his team out to the open field, a bit impatient to accomplish their task.

"How many?" The leader asked him as he stopped on his track. He was conflicted about taking the risk or just waiting it out.

He believed he was missing an opportunity by sitting in their ass. He could easily tackle whoever it was, delaying them from performing what they set out to do.

Then, all of them heard Tim on their earpiece. "Stand down. I think I saw Prince Alex." His voice echoed into the ears of his entire team, making them all stop.

He had decided to move a bit closer to the perimeter. He found a slope that had a better angle of the grounds. From his position and using high-powered binoculars, he scouted the place without anybody noticing him.

When he checked out what his man was talking about, he believed that he saw the image of their boss, limping behind the big man. He was being carried by a small frame, who he thought might be the princess.

"Yes, I also think it is him and the princess standing behind the big man." The lookout finally confirmed what Tim had seen on his side. "What are they doing with that man?" He wondered aloud.

The team leader finally went up to the second floor and checked out what the fussed was about. From his angle downstairs, he could not see anything because something was blocking his view.

"Is he helping them escape?" The team leader was perplexed by what he witnessed, but he could not be sure.

However, it was what their posture and actions suggested to him at the moment. From the way the big man was protecting them, it appeared that he was on their side.

"I want you to watch them thoroughly. Do not let the prince out of your sight. Tell me what the man will do next." He indicated the big man that was leading the couple somewhere.

"Try to intercept them," Tim instructed his men, also unaware of what the other man was planning to do with the captives.

He could only hope that the unknown big man was leading them to their salvation and not to their doom. As for them, they had to figure out how they could facilitate their escape.

But at least now, he had seen that both of them were alive. He could breathe just a bit easier, but he knew the battle was still far from over.

They could only relax when the couple was safely back in their hands, the enemies were eliminated, and the masterminds had paid for their crimes.

"Yes, Sir." The team leader responded and listened to what Tim had to say. He realized that Tim had to improvise and change their plan. It was the only way, given the change in their circumstances.

He was glad that Tim had joined them in this mission despite his health condition. He believed he was still the best in creating on-the-spot strategies and gameplay.

He had to admit that he was still a long way from becoming anywhere near as great as Tim. Their leader would always be an asset rather than a liability to them.

Now, he had to confer with his team about the new plan. "Ok. Any questions?" He asked his team before concluding the brief meeting.

Finally, he led his team out of the barn and followed the group of three, still unaware of their presence too. He could see that they were going in the opposite direction, away from Tim.

He figured that if the big man was helping them escape. Then, he might have a different escape route in play. He just hoped he was aware of the danger that might be waiting for them on the other side.

He signaled for two of his men to take care of a guard on their left. So far, the lone man was still unaware of their presence as he continued to smoke, and he wanted to keep it that way.

He was just glad, for whatever reason, most of the guards disappeared by the time they had entered the premises. Only a few remained to keep watch for the night.

"Sir, I think they are heading in another direction on the other side." He reported to Tim. "But we are closing in on them before they reach the perimeter fence. I think that is where they are planning to exit."

He could not see any other way out except for them to climb the tall fence. He could not let them out of his sight. If they were to catch them, they had to move fast. They already had a headstart.

They almost caught up with them if not for the guards that kept blocking their path. Luckily, the trio seemed to escape the eyes of the patrol. Maybe the man guiding them was familiar with the routine.

"Wait. You see those men." He spoke to his team, pointing to a group of men coming from the other direction. They quickly hid again in the shadows to avoid being spotted.

He believed he had spoken too soon. He wanted to warn them, but he was too late. A group of men was walking in the direction of the three and moving fast.

He could count at least ten of them, but there could be more right behind. It was just a matter of time before the patrol saw them and captured them again.

He could already see their fate once they were caught. The big man would surely die on the spot for aiding them. The couple would surely suffer first, making them regret thinking of escaping.

But the ultimate punishment would be harsher than death.. There would be no mercy for any of them, that was for sure.