Tough Love (ManXMan)

Chapter 13.

Elijah

The past two days have been the busiest in my life, even more busier than final exams week at West Point.

D.C. approved both missions, the faux one to divert the mole and the real rescue mission to get our men back, the operation would be carried out at the same time tomorrow.

I've been in constant contact with the commanding officers of the Marine Unit, Paratroopers, and DEVGRU, especially the DEVGRU .C.O. He's a very nice guy and maybe after we rescue our men I can ask him out for a drink or two.

The rescue mission is classified top secret till execution, only to be informed on a Need To Know basis. But to take extra caution as not to spook the mole and the terrorists that we were coming for them, the Commander-in-Chief was in negotiations with the bastards. They think they got a deal and boom we move in on them like ants on sugar.

Right now we were training and anticipation was building among the members of the unit.

"Why do I feel like there something you're not telling me Colonel?" I turned away from PT to face Feldman, when did she get behind me? And I thought my sense of hearing was superb.

"I'll answer that if you answer me why your shoes are muddy."

She was quiet for a while before responding to my question. "Well I took a walk into the city to clear my head. Now you answer my question."

"There's nothing I'm not telling Feldman, you're abreast of everything going on." I lied smoothly still not taking her bait of a walk into the city. Only a specific place in the area had that kind of mud but what she'd be looking for there is the mystery.

She's looking more and more like the mole to me but no concrete evidence yet. If I wrongly accuse her I'd be out of line and to accuse a fellow officer of  espionage and treason without evidence could as far as get me court martial.

"I'm gonna go change into PT uniform since I'm operating tomorrow." She patted my shoulders before strolling towards the shack. With Captain Butler and others out, the battalion was a little short on leading infantry officers, with special training in Infantry Feldman could lead a unit for the mission tomorrow.

Looking at my watch, I see that we have less than 24 hours to the rescue operation, both of them in my case. Deciding to brush up on my sniping skills too I grabbed my rifle and assault weapons, a pocket knife that Roman gave me for my birthday a year ago. Crazy son of a gun walked up to me with a nicely wrapped gift on my birthday, upon opening it turned to be a Fairbairn-Sykes knife like the one the U.K Special Air Service use. It's very effective though so I always have it with me.

I walked to the makeshift shooting range we had, cleaned up my weapons nice and good and aimed each of them at the head of the target then the chest then the groin area 'don't ask'.

My unit's mission is to scoop up a CIA asset that was thought to be 'double dealing' with the terrorist as he could give us more information on their location and modus operandi. This way the mole is thrown off their scent as though we don't know the actual location, it's actually really genius.

After PT ended we had breakfast as a battalion, I watched everybody start taking care of situations back home with their family, getting into the right head space, running simulations and many other pre-op procedure.

5:30 am Next Morning.

My 'men' filed into the briefing room for a final rundown of the mission before their departure at 06:00 hours.

"They're going to be in a warehouse, armor trucks stop 600meters east side of this warehouse. Suspect is wanted alive! Bravo team and Charlie team will come in from the North East while Delta team and Echo team will come in from the North West around the forest. Lima team will be stationed on the hills to cover the other ground teams." Of course everyone already knew the mission from the briefing and simulations we ran but my job as C.O is to make sure there are no mistakes hence repeating it again.

We huddled together closed fists outstretched as we started our chant "All for one and One for all, United We stand Divided we fall, We don't back down from a fight, Army Strong."

I watched them get into the armor trucks before contacting the DEVGRU Commanding Officer.

"Colonel I was about to call you that the mission is underway, are things okay in your side?" He asked me voice authoritative and commanding like he'd been doing this for years.

"Yes sir all units have been deployed. What's your mission channel number so I can follow it."

Every mission had a channel number so we could communicate with each other and with the commanding officer too. Our radios would be tuned to that channel number and to avoid interception it had to be a secured channel that only the operators knew.

"69 Epsilon-Gamma." I mouthed the channel and frequency to Petty Officer Tierney who tunes in to it immediately and I could see DEVGRU and the paratroopers fast roping into the woods behind the building where my men and best friend were kept. I really miss that buffalo so much.

I watched both screens simultaneously as Major Feldman gave out commands to the unit and given the circumstances I'd say she's damn good at her job. The Marines were fast roping next after the special operators while the air snipers took position with weapons directed down to cover the people going in.

Of course nothing comes easy even when you ask for it. I watched both sides engage in gun fight as the body guards of the CIA asset shot at my men. Asset my butt, what ally shoots at his own 'friends' the other screen had DEVGRU leading the gunfight between themselves and some pretty tough looking guys.

"Colonel this just took a turn." Feldman radios me in, I mouth to Tierney to switch to her body camera. Oh golly what is with bastards wanting to take the cowards way out. Son of a bitch strapped his wife and kid with explosives and wires well enough to take out a small village. "Can we go private Colonel."

I switch the radio to private as per her request. "How's it looking Major?"

"Petty Officer Mane says he can deactivate the explosives but he needs time and cover so I want to split up the team, some of us go after the asset while the others stay with Mane."

"Permission granted Major, tread carefully."

"Roger that Sir." She replied and the radio went off showing she's switched back to service.

"Colonel do you see this, they've breached the door and are en route to getting the hostages." I sighed in relief as I watched the men swiftly move through the hallways, encountering little gunfight from the punks who were stationed there.

"That's why they're the best sir." I replied him beaming at the flawlessness at which his men executed their mission.

I watched the Joint Force search the rooms for the hostages before looking at the other screen at my people. Petty Officer Mane was sweating profusely trying to deactivate the explosives the wife and kid were attached to.

"Jackpot target secured." I turned in relief to the screen as cheers went around the room, one mission successful.

I know it's a lot going on but a little drama is expected right? Right.

Votes, comments, Feedbacks.

Anyways Adios E.A.