Bolivia
There's lots of things I can handle. Men, I definitely handle. Pooch's driving? I can't handle. When Pooch drives, it's like being thrown in the back seat of a van with no seat belts and I fear for my life.
Clay was sitting in the front seat, looking at our target on his tablet. Jensen, Roque, Cougar, and I were squished together in the back.
Clay brought up the picture on his tablet and lifted it to show us.
"Alright, we got a drug and arms dealer by the name of Fadhil running a homegrown terrorist assembly line down by the river base.", he explained. "We find it, we paint it for a laser target bomb, we get the hell out. No muss, no fuss."
"For that, they need us?", Roque asked. He didn't look overly excited about this mission.
"Would you rather take on fifty dudes with AKs?", Pooch asked.
Roque gave Pooch a look that made him laugh. Roque groaned and put his head backs against the seat and covered his eyes.
Soon enough, we arrived at the base. Pooch came to a stop and we all jumped out. The men changed into their gear, but I didn't.
"You're going like that?"
I turned to see Jensen raising an eyebrow at me. I sighed and stuck my knife down the side of my shorts.
"Jensen, I'll be fine. Don't worry.", I told him.
"Oh, no doubt.", Jensen said. "But I think it would be a lot safer if you changed."
This gave me put a smile on my face. I walked up to Jensen and said, "And I think you should stop worrying about me. I'll be fine. I promise."
I saw he was blushing and giggled. He laughed as well and I walked passed him. I grabbed a pair of binoculars from Roque and looked down at the sight.
"Alright, I got eyes on Monsieur Fadhil.", Roque stated.
"Paint it", Clay instructed.
"Show time, fellas."
"Just call me Michelangelo", Pooch said as he painted the sight.
"Drop kick", Jensen said into the com to our mission control. "This is pinball requesting fire admission l. The target is lazed and you're clear to make a run from North to South. Over."
"Roger, pinball. Target acquired and locked.", a man over the com said.
"Roger. We'll break out the ear plugs."
I raised my binoculars to look at the sight. A truck was pulling in. I noticed some bodies sitting in the back of the truck. The bodies of children.
"Oh shit", I cursed.
"What is it?", Clay asked.
"You may wanna take a look at this."
I passed Clay my binoculars so he could see what I was seeing. He looked at the sight before looking back at the rest of the Losers.
"They're using kids as mules.", he stated. "Call it in."
Jensen raised his walkie talkie and spoke. "Drop kick, children at target sight. Repeat, we have eyes on children at target sight. Please advise."
"Acknowledged. Maintain position.", came the male voice from before. We all looked at each other in astonishment.
"Position?", Roque said voicing everyone's thoughts. "What's he talking about, Colonel?"
"Drop kick, we highly recommend cancellation of the payload delivery.", Jensen tried again. The voice came back with the same instructions.
"Your orders stand. Prep for extraction."
"I clicked the button for the com on my shoulder and snapped, "What the hell is wrong with you?!"
"Teddy.", Clay warned. I let out a pissed off sigh and crossed my arms. Clay turned to Cougar.
"Cougar."
Cougar understood. He stood up and drove the butt of his gun into our equipment. Jensen stood quickly and some sparks flew. I covered my face with my arms so none of the sparks came back and hit me. I backed up and ended up falling over a rock. Jensen was down from the vehicle in seconds to grab me and stand me back up.
I looked into his eyes. "Thanks...again."
His reply, "You owe me."
This made my face turn red. When he saw this, he smiled. I simply nodded and he let me go. This man is gonna be the death of me one day. I noticed that Pooch and Cougar were looking at us smiling. I flipped them off and looked forward.
"Drop kick, this is pinball.", Clay said into the com. "Target equipment has suffered catastrophic system failure. I'm calling a sight abort."
There was silence. A voice soon returned, but it wasn't the same voice as before.
"Well that was just stupid."
The Losers looked at one another. I could by everyone's faces that we were all thinking the same thing: Who was this guy?
"Is this mission control?", Clay asked.
"This is Max, Colonel Clay.", said the voice.
"No one uses names on coms. This is a secure military channel."
"Goddammit, listen to me! Their are children on sight!", he snapped into the com.
"And you think I didn't know that?", the Max guy said. "We locked coordinates the moment you painted. Delivery will occur on schedule.
"You can't just-", before Clay could finish, Max was gone. "Shit! Jensen, contact the plane directly. Call an abort."
The sound of static was coming from Jensen's com as he tried to contact the plane.
"I'm trying. He's jamming us. There's nothing we can do.", he replied.
"Like hell.", I growled and started walking off.
"Where the hell are you going?", Roque called after me.
I spin back to look at him. "To save those kids from that goddamn mad man!"
"No you're not.", Clay said.
"Clay-"
"Not by yourself."
I stared back at Clay. I turned to Roque for the information we needed. I crossed my arms, waiting to hear what there was to be said.
"Alright, here it is. Six against the fortress. We got about, what, eight minutes before an air force sets the world on fire., he told Clay. Clay turned to me and smirked.
"Plenty of time."
I smiled back and walked back to the vehicle.
"I'll drive.", Pooch said and walked to the drivers side. I put a hand out to stop him.
"No, I'm driving.", I told him. "I'll get car sick if you drive."
"As long as it's not on my lap, I don't care.", Roque claimed.
I smirked at Pooch and I pulled myself into the drivers seat. He climbed into the back with Roque, Jensen, and Cougar. Clay sat next to me in the front. I pulled out and drove to the target sight.
I opened the top of the vehicle so Cougar could stand through the roof and start shooting. I floored it, going over every possible bump I could hit, the same as Pooch did. Jensen and Roque laughed as Cougar shot people. Bullets hit he windshield causing it to crack, making it hard to see.
"And you called my driving crazy?!", Pooch called from the backseat.
"I learn from the best!", I said looking at Pooch from over my shoulder.
Once we got where we were going, I slammed in the breaks, bringing the vehicle to a stop. Clay handed me a gun and ammo. I loaded the gun and jumped out of the vehicle. I shot at the people who shooting at us earlier.
Jensen stood at my side. I looked over my shoulder to see a man aiming at him where he couldn't see him.
"Jensen, look out!", I exclaimed. I pushed Jensen forward and shot at his blind side. I shot the guy right in between the eyes. Jensen turned and looked at me in amazement.
"Thanks.", he said
I smirked at him as I reloaded my gun.
"Now I only owe you one.", I said. Jensen smiled back at me.
We continued to shot until Jensen, Clay, Pooch, Roque, and I around one side of the vehicle. We knelt, awaiting Clay's orders.
Jensen and Pooch, make a jump for the kids.", Clay instructed. "We'll be out in five."
"Not to mention an air striker, 4 Clay!", Roque corrected him as Jensen and Pooch raced off to find a new vehicle.
"Alright, 4 then!", Clay called after the two. He turned back to Roque and I. "On three."
The three of us jumped up and ran to the base, guns drawn. Roque and Clay shot the people standing with their guns. The kids were locked behind a cage. I grabbed a hair pin, causing my long blonde hair to fall down over my back. I picked the lock and freed the kids.
Clay, Roque, and I rounded up the kids to get them out. A little girl came up to Clay. She pulled at his shirt and pointed up. She spoke in Spanish.
Clay looked at me. Other than Cougar, I was the only person apart of the Losers who could speak Spanish.
"Her brother's upstairs.", Clay nodded and ushered the little girl towards Roque. Roque looked back at Clay. Clay took his biggest gun and threw it to Roque.
"I got this. Teddy, you come with me as backup."
"Yes sir.", I said.
Roque nodded as well. He turned to the kids and declared, "Alright, who's your Papi? This way, this way. Let's go."
Once the kids were gone, Clay and I drew our guns. We walked out of the building and made our way up.
We came across to men. They had guns pointing at two female hostages wearing only bikinis. Clay and I shot, hitting the men and leaving the girls unharmed. The girls screamed and looked back at Clay and I. Clay smiled at them.
"Ladies."
I rolled my eyes and told them, "He's old enough to be our father and unless you have some serious daddy issues, I think you can do much better."
Clay glared at me as the girls ran off. I gave him an innocent smile.
"Go around back.", he instructed me.
"Got it.", I said with a nod. I made my way around the back of the building, looking for somewhere to enter.
Luckily, there were no men with guns waiting for me and there was a door already open. I peaked in through. All I could see was the back of a man's head and Clay sneaking in himself. I waited a moment until Clay confronted the man.
"Clay.", Pooch said over the com. "We got the kids. Rally point in two minutes."
"Two minutes.", I whispered to myself. "Lots if time."
I watched the scene inside. The man, Fadhil I guess, was the first to speak.
"Max sent you didn't he?", he asked. "I won't commit to his crazy plan and he does this?"
I began making my way into the room. I was careful not to step on any boards and make any noise. The last thing I needed was for someone to be hurt, especially the little boy or Clay.
"I'm gonna make this teal easy for you.", Clay started. He noticed me sneaking in. I nodded to him. "You key him go, I let you live."
This seemed like a fair Nathan for Fadhil as he placed the knife once the words left Clay's mouth.
"Come here, son. Walk to me."
I seen the little boy walking away from Fadhil and going to Clay. I let out a mental sigh of relief.
Roque came over the com. "Clay, Teddy! Get the hell out! We gotta go now!"
I froze. I expected Fadhil to realize that Clay wasn't alone and possibly have the place shot up to find me. But he didn't and continued to speak in a calm tone.
"He'll kill you, too, you know?"
I stepped closer to Fadhil, raising my gun to point at his head. I noticed him reaching for the knife he laid away monents ago. I turned to the little boy hiding behind Clay.
"Look away, hijo.", I told before shooting Fadhil twice.
The shots seemed to ring out as Clay and I raced to the rally point. Clay carried the little boy to the rally point, a bus. I would've made a snide comment, but I couldn't at the moment. Clay lifted the boy into the bus and helped me in too before getting in himself. Seeing that there were no seats left to sit in, I crouched on the floor next to Jensen.
"Oh, did you two stop for coffee in there?", Pooch asked.
"Shut up.", I snarled. Pooch put his hands up in surrender and started the bus.
I could feel Jensen eyes on me, but my eyes were glued foreword.
"You okay?", he finally asked.
"I just killed a man who tried to kill a kid and Clay.", I replied.
"Ah. So you're fine?"
"Just peachy.", I said sarcastically with a smile.
Jensen touched my arm, causing me to look at him. He patted his lap, signaling me to sit. I would've said no, but I'm not sitting on the floor. I sat up without hesitation. My legs dangled off to the side as I locked my arms around his neck. Pooch looked at us and I showed him my knife, making him throw his hands up in mock surrender. I put my knife up and locked my arms around Jensen again.
"What kind of blast radius are we looking at?", Roque asked. Jensen picked up the tablet to show him."Okay, Pooch. I'm gonna need you to make this bus go faster. Like, right now!"
Pooch sped up the bus. I buried my head in Jensen's shoulder and Jensen wrapped his arm around the small of my back.
I heard a noise. An explosion. The place has been bombed. I peaked over Jensen's shoulder to see the flames coming towards us. The kids screaming as the bus was swallowing in flames for a second. We drove out of the flames and to a safe distance.
The bus flew and soon came to a stop. There was a second of silence before everyone started to laugh. I pulled myself off of Jensen's lap and helped the kids off of the bus. We walked behind them as we led them to the chopper.
"My favorite part was when we were on fire, by the shoot out. That was good times.", Jensen commented.
I laughed and added, "Nothing like a good explosion to get the team together."
"Really?", Clay asked looking at Jensen. "I thought you'd enjoy Teddy sitting on your lap and bouncing around while Pooch drove."
Jensen looked down at me and smirked. "That was fun, too."
I smiled and punched him playfully.
We arrived to the chopper. The door opened and the pilot leaned out to tell Clay something. Clay looked at the kids and then us. I knew what was being said. They couldn't take is and the kids. It had to be the kids.
We began lifting them in the chopper one by one. Cougar began speaking Spanish telling them to be careful and to take care of themselves. I smiled down at the little boy that we saved and lifted him into the chopper.
"Senorita, gracias.", he said to me.
"You're welcome. Take care of your sister, okay?", I told him.
The little boy nodded. I smiled at him and backed away from the chopper as it began to take off. We waved to the kids as the chopper lifted from the ground and the door closed.
I felt proud of myself. We managed to save the kids, despite the dangers. Today was good day.
"Some cute little nuggets.", Pooch commented. "Who they make it to the Court Marshall."
"What is that? Do you hear that?"
I looked at Roque. I could hear the noise he was talking about. It was like static. Our coms.
"Guys.", Jensen said. "This is bad."
Someone spoke over the coms. Then there was a reply. A reply from Max. That asshole.
The Losers started towards the chopper as the missile was fired from a plane fired overhead.
"NO!", Clay exclaimed as the missile hit the chopper, sending it to the ground.
The chopper was no more than millions of pieces on the ground. The kids, the pilot, everything. Gone. Dead. Because of us.
I dropped to my knees and started to cry.
"That was suppose to be us.", Clay declared.
I took a deep, jagged breath and yanked off my dog tags, throwing them into the flames.
"Let's make them believe it was."