United Under Fire

No Man Left Behind

It had been nearly twenty minutes since the team had breached the target. In the meantime, Jace had been forced to eliminate three insurgents since then. He radioed the team, they had reached the drone, and the technician was working to extract the hardware. Julian checked with the other teams, everyone was on schedule.

As the SEAL Sniper continued scanning his surroundings the sound of mortar firing rang through the air. He alerted his teammates as the first shell hit the building next to the objective, Jace dismounted, heading for his comrades. Either the Iraqis started their assault early or the Insurgents had spotted them and started shelling the area. As he made his way through the halls his radio delivered a message he wasn't happy to hear.

"TOC to Echo Team, intel shows militant forces are organizing an assault to retake the compound."

"Echo One to all stations, we received mortar fire on our location, the device is secured, but we're trapped in the basement of the compound and we don't have enough explosives to get out."

"Echo-Two to Echo-One, I can peel off with two others to help get him out."

Jace still had a few explosive charges, they could blast a hole in the ceiling floor or side and get Tim out.

"Echo Team, This is General Belling."

Jace did a double take, Belling was in charge of Air Force assets in the AO, including the drones they were retrieving. What was he doing at the TOC?

"I sympathize with your desire to rescue your comrade, but securing the UAV hardware must be the priority. I can have a Pararescue team attach to the Iraqi forces during their raid to retrieve McGee."

"Sir, we can get the packages out and save the STRAP. We just need the Iraqis to hold off on their air raid."

"Echo-Two, I am giving your team a direct order and the Iraqi government has agreed to convert their aerial assault into a mechanized infantry raid. Secure the hardware and get out. Over"

They had no air support, no QRF, and the Iraqi Army was about to level the town. And Jace wasn't leaving without McGee. With no ISR there was no way Belling was going to stop Jace.

"Echo-Four, stay on target. I'm gonna link up with Echo-One."

"WILCO Echo-Two, we'll meet you there."

Jace cleared his way to the compound,  found an egress window, and peered through. He could see the drone and started calling out for McGee. The window wasn't big enough to 

"Jace!" called back Tim. "I got the components but the hallway is caved in."

"How are the others?"

"Good, no injuries, but we don't have the tools to get out."

"Do you have any breaching charges left?"

"Between all of us," chipped in Hall. "Six."

"I got two," Jace took a quick scan of his surroundings. "We can blow a hole along the egress and make our way out."

They planted the explosives and prepared for detonation. Jace was a second away from pushing the button when he heard shouting. Everyone paused, Julian check around the corner and saw eight insurgents going into the compound entrance. The sniper swore vehemently and updated the others. There must be a tunnel system underneath the village, it was the only way they could have gotten past the mortars and mines so quickly.

"Echo One, wait for my signal," Jace grabbed an M67 from his vest, priming it.

He threw the grenade at the extremists, giving the others the go. Julian provided security as they climbed out, Drake and McGee were first. Once everyone was out Jace contacted the squads, they had achieved their objectives and were making their way to the EXFIL point. They made their way to join them, and Jace contacted the TOC.

"TOC, This is Echo Two. Squad One managed to blast their way and joined us for EXFIL."

"Good copy Two."

As they stacked into the Blackhawks McGee gave Jace a grateful smile, and he responded with a brotherly nod.

Back at the FOB, the STRAPs prepared the drone hardware for transport back to the States. On his way back to his bunk he passed Lieutenant Commander Rorke who gave him an approving and knowing nod. He saw Belling who seemed none the wiser.

Everyone was getting ready for the flight home, Jace had set up another hammock while Tim was on the phone with Delilah. She had gotten wind of his situation, she was especially displeased by the General's idea of leaving him behind.

They were set to go when Rorke came in with the only type of news that would ruin the triumphant mood. A terror cell in Abu Dabi assaulted a diplomatic conference, taking hostages, among them were American college students studying abroad and the American ambassador. They were the only team available, the UAV hardware was going onto a separate transport while they went for the operation. Jace was prepping his gear when he saw Tim sit down and prep his MK18.

"Tim—"

"I'm not gonna be a bystander."

"You don't have to prove anything," insisted Julian.

"I know," replied McGee.

Jace knew that at this point arguing was going to be pointless.

"Delilah's gonna kill you dead, dude."

The MIT graduate simply shrugged this off. "Only if Gibbs doesn't beat her to it, that is I make it out alive."

Jace and the others laughed at this, it was nice seeing Tim come out of his shell.

They touched down at a military airport and linked up with the ground command, Grey and Rorke met with the local authorities and Tim spoke with the State Department and FBI. McGee tapped into the security feed, revealing the extent of the damage done by the terrorists.

There were a total of thirty hostages spread out across the convention center. Echo Team, FBI HRT, and DSS MSD were going to breach the facility from three points of entry. Echo Team was going to enter through the service entrance, HRT was going to rappel onto the roof via helicopter, and MSD was breaching the front entrance. One set of hostages was being kept in the presidential suite guarded by seven guards, another in the dining room with twelve extremists, and the third in the basement.

Reese used a slap charge on the door and blew it on Drake's command, they made their way to the dining room. The team cleared their way through, reaching their destination.

"TOC, we clear to breach," asked Jace. McGee was on the line.

"Hold up, we have a complication."

Jace signaled Reese to hold off on the ballistic breach.

"Two enemy combatants appear to be wearing suicide vests."

Reese pulled out a lockpick kit and got to work. Jace and Miller primed crash grenades, once the door opened they tossed them into the room and started clearing. Jace took out the terrorist with an S-Vest on the right and Drake did the same on the left. The others made short of the other hostage-takers.

As they gathered all ten hostages Jace contacted the FBI and DSS teams. HRT accounted for all ten of their hostages, but the MSD only counted four. Rorke came online with urgent news.

"All callsigns, we appear to have enemy combatants loading the remaining six hostages into a van south of the building."

Outside the convention center, McGee rushed out of the TOC, pistol drawn. The van was four blocks outside the police perimeter. He saw the van racing down the street, Tim fired three rounds, attempting to take out the tires. But it was too late the van was out of range.

This wasn't over, they had to find the hostages.