United Under Fire

STRAP

Echo Team gathered in the TOC, while the FBI, DSS, and local police tended to the victims and gathered statements. McGee, Rider, and Grey were manning ISR and traffic feed to look for the van. Jace was concerned, the longer the hostages were missing the more likely that the terrorists would kill them. They must've had an escape route planned, which meant that as long as the captors kept their cool and played smart the longer the captives would last. However, it would be just as likely that it would be as challenging to find them.

Jace was checking in with McGee for updates, Local LEOs found the van abandoned in an alley ten miles west of the conference. The traffic cameras on the block were down for maintenance and no one saw any vehicles pick up strange groups of people.

"These guys would have a base of operations," said the sniper. "This would have taken practice, skill, and resources."

"Backgrounds came back on the gunmen," said the white hat hacker. "Former Syrian Special Mission Forces and South African Special Forces."

"All thrown out for espionage and war crimes. True believers or hired help?"

"Looks like both, we went through their phones. The South Africans received wire transfers and the Syrians have texts from a burnphone thanking them for their sacrifice."

"Who are they with?"

"Hezbollah."

"UAE's been cracking down on them hard," replied Jace. "Sounds like they wanted to make a statement, collect ransom, and bolt."

"The missing gunmen are the last four of the South African Special Forces," said McGee. "They specialize as Demolition, Trackers, and Snipers."

"They'll keep low, cover their tracks, and fortify their last stand long enough to make an escape plan," replied Jace. "That'll put the hostages in even worse danger."

Tim knew that Julian was basing this on his training and instincts if he were in a corner. At this moment he reminded the agent of the older Gibbs. He always thought Jace would've made a great investigator, he wondered if he would apply to NCIS but the FBI and DEA TAC Teams would've appealed to his nature as an operator.

Just then McGee got an alert, a surveillance camera showed the remaining six gunmen going into the warehouse district west of the city. Jace left to gather the team. McGee grabbed his tactical kit.

They loaded up into a Sedan and drove off, the FBI HRT and MSD followed, totaling up to eighteen operators. They stopped five miles away and made the rest of the way on foot. They had been halted by a series of IEDs, most likely a security precaution for the local police. However, the EODs found a series of wires that had no relation to the explosives. Some sort of motion sensor rigged to alert the gunmen of trespassers.

They sped their way to the objective, unfortunately once they were on site they took on heavy automated fire. Jace got one of the snipers in his sights and made his shot. Tim and Reese covered him, but the former was shot in the chest plate and rendered unconscious. Jace stopped to take McGee to cover and tended to him.

The armor took most of the damage but Tim had some bruised ribs and likely had a pulmonary contusion. He gave McGee morphine and applied a bag valve mask. The agent began to regain consciousness, Jace told him to steady his breathing and try to cough. Meanwhile, the others were unable to press forward.

Jace threw a smoke grenade for cover and aimed at one of the heavy machine gunners, once his sights lined up he killed him with a shot to the temple. The others managed to eliminate the other gunman, clearing a pathway to a maintenance door. Jace handed McGee off to the HRT Medics. ISR showed that the four remaining gunmen were in an office room overseeing the warehouse with the six hostages.

They made their way to a window underneath the office, they managed to silently pry it open and make their way in one-by-one. The MSD and HRT operators had set up on the right and Echo Team set up on the left. Both teams prepared 40 Mikes, Once the SEALs were ready they fired off the flashbangs and breached. Jace entered first, taking out one of the gunmen before he could shoulder his AK. Reese and Drake took out the other three, however, the last gunman grabbed a hostage. He backed into a corner, holding a Browning Hi-Power to her head, she was one of the college students. 

He shouted at them to back away, Reese and Drake drew the gunman's attention to them. Jace lined up the laser from his weapon on the man's temple, he waited for Drake to give him the green light. The team leader nodded and Jace fired.

The hostage taker fell to the side, Reese rushed to the girl and the others tended to the hostages. Jace radioed the HRT medics, checking on McGee. He was fine but barely able to stay awake.

They gathered everyone up, linked up with the others, and made their way back to the SUVs.

. . .

At the Navy base in Fujairah McGee was at the Med Bay, being treated for his rib injuries and lung bruises.

"How are you holding up?" inquired Jace.

"Good, doctors said that I'll be good to go home in six weeks."

"I hate leaving you like this."

"It's fine, At least I don't have to listen to Tony drone on about hostage rescue movies, I just want some peace and quiet."

Jace smiled, he had something planned to lift Tim's spirits.

"I hope that doesn't include me," said a voice from behind Julian.

He stepped to the side and rolled in Delilah.

"Hey!" said McGee, in complete shell shock. "What are you doing here Dubai is at least two hours away?"

"It was worth it," replied the analyst, hugging her boyfriend. "Six weeks huh, sounds like we have time to catch up."

Tim looked at Jace, knowing that the operator knew about this arrangement.

"I'm so glad to see you, that I'm almost happy enough to not kill you."

She definitely knew about his field trip to Iraq before their pitstop in Abu Dhabi. The poor sucker survived mortar fire from ISIS and a gunshot from South African mercenaries only to be left to the mercy of his angry girlfriend.

Jace bet ten bucks that Delilah would run over his fingers with her wheelchair.