SAS: Duty Calls

Chapter 3

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MacDaniels was finished eating, so he made his way over to the Training Course building.
Knowing he would be tested soon, he had taken time to change into is regular army fatigues."
Opening the side door the Lieutenant pointed out earlier, he stuck his head inside and looked around.
Across the complex standing next to a series of what looked like Offices was five guys with Lieutenant Edwards standing about twenty meters above on a raised observation platform. The retort of assault rifle fire echoing from the far end of the course.
It sounded like the other guys that were here to run the course, were already at it.
The men standing by the offices turned their heads toward him when the door banged shut behind him as he stepped into the building. John knew the moment he saw him, with his handle-bar mustach and cigar. He was looking at Captain Pierce. In his mind, there was no better special forces operator alive today.
Captain Pierce waved him over, distubing the ring of cigar smoke around his head.
"Captain Pierce... Good to meet you lad." said Pierce, as John walked up to him.
"Sir." MacDaniels nodded, standing at attention.
Pierce chuckled heartily, looking at the other men standing around him. "At ease lad. We are a loose bunch around here. How are you feeling this morning? Nervous?"
"A bit, Sir... not much sleep last night." said MacDaniel.
Pierce smiled. "Well don't be. You'll do fine lad. I've been watching you for awhile now, that's why your here." He pulled his cigar from the corner of his mouth, then pointed to a table in front of the armory room. "Take one of the rifles from the table, and get ready."
On the table was a G36C. MacDaniels picked it up, checking the weapon over and adjusting the grip. The weapon felt goodin his hands, even though he was used to the C8 carbine.
The G36 is a 5.56x45mm assault rifle, designed in the eary '90s by Heckler & Koch. Meant to replace the heavier 7.62mm G3 battle rifle. This one is gas-operated, feeding a 30-round detachable box magazine or a 100-round C-Mag drum magazine. It is used widely by special forces operations teams around the world.
From the shooting range platform above him Edwards waved him forward. "You know the drill. Head to station one and aim your rifle down range. Shoot each one in succession.
MacDaniels did what he was told. Two targets came up, and he dropped each one with perfect shots.
"Now, shoot each target from the hip!" Edwards hollered from above.
Same thing, two more targets came up. Hitting each one Rambo style.
"Great!" He complimented. "Now follow the Captain into the course starting line, I'm reseting it for your run now."
Captain Pierced motioned for him to follow, while complimenting his range shooting. "Good shooting. Let's see how you fair on the course."
MacDaniels nodded. "Thank you, Sir."
MacDaniels followed Pierce out of the Range area, his eyes taking a look once again around the legendary base. Beyond a high chain-link fence was a highway. Traffic could be seen moving by. Military vehicles, buses and civial cars could be seen. Off to his right was a helicopter landing pad, and field with several Black Hawks sat waiting like sleak insects.
MacDaniels made his way around the building following the Captain, with the others behind. Pierce didn't stop until he reached Hanger-1.
Captain Pierce motioned him inside. "Ok, MacDaniels, it's time for your CQB test lad. The rest of you lot head on up to the observation deck. You will be running the cargoship solo. You'll have sixty seconds once the bell rings."
"Lieutenant Edwards current has the fastest record in the SAS at twenty seconds." One of the guys in black blurted out, his heavily bearded face breaking into a grin. "Good luck mate."
Pierce pointed at a ladder near a sign posted START, in green letters. "Climb that ladder and wait for the bell."
MacDaniels moved up and began climbing the ladder all the way, about twenty meters to the top. Sitting on the platform was a small table with an MP5 waiting with four flashbangs. Picking them up when Pierce instructed him to do so.
"On the bell, you are to repel to the deck below and rush position one. Next, you will take the stairs as quickly and quietly as you can to position two. Then three and four following by exact instruction at each. Any questions?" Pierce asked as himself and the other three guys went over to the monitors.
"Grab the rope when you're ready."
MacDaniels takes the paracord rope in his gloved hands and slid down to the deck below.
Pierce yelled just as a loud bell rang somewhere above his position. "Go, go, go! Take out the targets!"
MacDaniels rushed to position one with the ferocity of a tiger on the hunt. Immerdiately the cardboard silhouette of a little blond girl with a book bags pops up. He turns away from it as two more pop up to his left resembling what looked like Taliban Insergents. He puts two rounds quickly in each and has hit the stairs before Pierce could yell 'Flashbang on position two! Go!"
MacDaniels leaps down the entire five steps, lightly land in a crouch to the right of door. Then tossing in a flashbang, waiting a three count, then rushing in. Straight ahead was the stationary silhouette of another insurgent. He popped a round in his head as two more came up to his right in the corner of his eye. One round in the head of each, and he sprinted silently to position three.
Just as MacDaniels hit the door of room three, a silhouette of an Insergent hold an AK swung in front of him blocking his path. Instictively he pulled his Sykes blade from the seath on his thigh. Grabbing the Insurgent and running him through the throat and moving on.
Position four was blocked by an Insurgent with a hostage in front of him. Without think twice MacDaniels put a between the eyes shot to his head.
"Sprint through the finish!" Pierce yelled.
When MacDaniels hit the finish line, Pierce was smiling broadly, looking very impressed. "All right, Sergeant, thats enough. Gentlemen, this our man. MacDaniels come on up here to the monitors to be debriefed and meet the team."
Slightly out of breath MacDaniels took the stairs up to the observation deck. The guy that hollered about Edwards course record was the first to approach him as he reached the top of the stairs. "Impressive run mate." He said, offering him his hand. "The names Paul Baker. Me mates call me 'Chef'. I'm the sniper."
MacDaniels shook Bakers hand. "Thanks mate. John MacDaniels, it's an honor to be here.
Hank shakes went around and he meet Sergeant William Langston, aka 'Bull', on account that he was the size of a bulldozer. And then Sergeant Rowland Thompson, aka, 'Trigger', the explosive expert of the team. He kind of had the techie nerd look, but don't let that fool you. MacDaniels noted the iron grip of a hand shake. And of course he had already meet Lieutenant Edwards. Who came over with the results fromhis course run.
"Amazing lad! Cap, he just ran the course in eighteen point three seconds! Congrates on breaking my record." He said. Clapping MacDaniels on the shoulder.
Captain Pierce was beaming at him. "Your gonna fit right in here lad. Come on." He said, waving for him to follow. "Lets go get you squared away with a real room. Edwards, let those other two guys know we are sorry but we have found our guy."