United Under Fire

Here We Go Again

The convoy was thirty minutes away from the museum, once they arrived Jace and His dad would set up overwatch in the building across from the patio where the negotiations would take place. The ambassador allowed the tribal leaders to pick the scenery. The rest of Echo Team was going to stay close to the delegates and Waller while the DSS were on EXFIL detail and locals worked the perimeter.

However, Jace felt the need to call the whole thing off when a new van pulled up and a reporter stood before a camera, recording the negotiations. However, before anyone could suggest taking it elsewhere, the ambassador had already started.

"How's Bishop doing?" Jace asked his father while going over the scene.

"She's good, tightly wound," replied the older sniper. "But ultimately good."

"If she doesn't get out of her own way she'll burn out."

"She'll get there."

Gibbs scanned through the crowd with a set of binoculars. Waller was making flamboyant hand gestures and her posture emphasized her passion. Jace prayed that this would get the negotiations done faster. The delegates chimed in every now and then, but the show was the ambassador's.

Jace checked with the TOC and everything was clear. Then out of nowhere, a man burst through the crowd with a Molotov cocktail in hand.

Jace nailed the assailant with a headshot before he was fifteen feet from the table. Reese and Hall grabbed the ambassador and the delegates and escorted them to the sedans. Gibbs tried to radio the perimeter teams but the locals failed to check in. The DSS agents drove the packages out and Echo Team was on their tail. Jace and Gibbs oversaw the whole thing, the former had taken down a man running for the car with an MP5 in hand.

They dismounted and made their way to an SUV, linking up with the convoy. Once they got to the outpost Jace let loose on the RSO.

"What the hell was that?! How did the press know about the negotiations?!"

"Someone on the local side of the detail must've leaked it to the press." replied the DSS Agent.

"I spoke with the head of Protective Services," said Bishop. "The tribal leaders got out okay, but it seems like they're hesitant to speak with each other again."

"We have to have another meeting," said Waller. "We can't let our progress fall apart because of this."

"Will they agree to continue at the American embassy?" asked Gibbs.

"Unlikely," said General Dunn, who had flown in with the delegation and took up shop in the operations center. "Despite the evidence suggesting that the attack was the work of black market dealers, they're accusing each other of attempted assassination."

"We'll hold a press conference," said Senator Bardwell. "We request both sides to attend to acknowledge the potential benefits of the coalition for Bahrain."

"They can't say 'no' without implying guilt or looking like cowards," said Senator Tobin.

Jace went to the team's quarters, taking advantage of the GRS contractors' punching bag in their improvised gym. He let Rorke try to get the ambassador and delegates to see the logic in waiting. He struck and kicked with no sign of tiring. He had become proficient in several martial arts throughout his career, he primarily used Muay Thai, Jeet Kune Do, Krav Maga, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu when it started to hit the fan.

Why did they insist on using service members as human shields?!

Why did it always have to be about their egos?!

A part of why Jace opted not to pursue the Enlisted Commission Program or apply to become a Warrant Officer was his lack of interest or tolerance for politics. However, he often wondered if he could still enforce change for the better, for the good of the Teams.

When he finished he joined the others in the compound dining facility. Bishop was on the floor with her laptop and the older Gibbs was on a satellite phone, talking to Director Vance. He wasn't too happy about the change in plans either. Once he was done, Jace went to the armory to prepare his weapons and gear. As usual, he was going to be on marksman detail, but since the ambassador was insisting on a public venue Jace was settling for his HK416D145RS to avoid over-penetration.

If they wanted to avoid civilian casualties, they should have gone with a private meeting!

Damned politicians will probably have the entire team dishonorably discharged if so much as a water glass broke.

"Senior Chief Gibbs."

Jace turned and saw General Dunn standing in the doorway. Julian and the senior officer had been acquainted in Iraq, the latter had overseen SOCOM operations in the AO, including a six-month HVT hunt that Jace had been a part of.

"Sir."

"Rorke and I have been trying to get the Ambo and Delegates to agree to a more private setup, but they're not budging," explained Dunn. "But that's not the worst part."

Jace tilted his head.

Of course, it's not.

"We've received chatter about an assassination plot, an open contract of twenty million American dollars."

"So we'll have multiple unknowns on sight gunning for the delegates," stated Jace.

"One hitman in particular calls for our concern, Babak Ashkan," said the General, handing Jace a folder.

Jace read the folder and he didn't like what he saw one bit.

"Former Iranian 65th Airborne Special Forces Brigade officer specialized as a sniper and explosives expert."

"He's known to work with a team of former Iranian naval special operators and Marines."

"And they've amassed a kill count of over a hundred through inciting mass hysteria and riots," continued the SEAL.

"And Bahrain is just the environment for that."

Jace met with his father, discussing the situation. He and Bishop were staying behind to track the source of the bounty.

"What does Director Vance think of this?" asked Jace.

"He's arranged for FBI HRT to be on alert, they'll have a reserve team waiting."

Jace gathered the team, he had packed a set of 40-round magazines, totaling 160 rounds, and three extra magazines for his Sig. With Ashkan and anyone willing to kill American politicians for a buck gunning for them, Julian was betting that they were in for a wild ride.

Jace and Drake rode in the Sedan with the ambassador and delegates.

"I'm guessing you're not pleased with our plans, Senior Chief Gibbs," inquired Senator Tobin.

Jace only stared them down in response.

"Just do your job and protect us."

"If that's how you think the world works, then you have no grip on reality, sir" Jace spoke in a cold, venomous tone. "If you want to live you'll follow our orders."

"You have a multimillion-dollar bounty on your heads," added Drake. "And your plan is to be surrounded by a crowd."

The rest of the ride was quiet but tense. The operators and agents kept their eyes out, the caravan was vulnerable to RPG fire, and the conference building mostly windows, making it a sniper's dream target.

Once they reached the auditorium, Jace took up overwatch on one of the rails facing the crowd.

He took note of the crowd of reporters and civilians who took interest in the event. Any of them could be packing a weapon or a grenade. All it would take was one bad move and everything could go to Hell.