Part 1 – Raid
Beirut, Lebanon…
Objective: Operative Fire to make contact with known arms-dealer to effect his defection and extraction to the United States with operatives Stone and Range supporting as backup.
Date: October 7th, 2021
There had been gunshots and reports of officers going down, so the police had closed off an area about five north and five blocks west.
A man about six foot three with spiked-up black hair and light brown, almost tangerine eyes.
He wore almost a stereotypical American tourist outfit, sneakers, a pair of denim blue jeans, a white under-shirt, a short-sleeve white button-up shirt, a pair of ray-ban aviator sunglasses, and a duffle bag was slung over his shoulder.
He was carrying a travel guide, and was reading it very silently.
He found a small shop in the wall to find it was a small dish shop.
In Arabic the shop owner asked, "Can I help you?"
"Yes," the tourist said, "You have a bathroom?"
"In the alley." He said in English.
The tourist walked into the alley, and handed a man in the alley a handful of Lebanese Pounds "Shukraan," he said, having been well trained in Arabic.
The man entered the bathroom which was a large one hundred square foot room with a large toilet, sink, and window that led into the area the police had cornered off.
The man put his guidebook away to pull out a throat-mike, wrapped it around his neck, and pressed two-fingers to the microphone, "Operative Fire in position." He said.
"Roger that," Stone said, "Van's waiting for you."
"I'm set up across from the complex," Range said, "Ready and willing."
"Copy that," Fire said, "I'm getting ready."
Codename: Operative Fire
Real name: Mako (Last name changed) Clark
Age: (Classified)
Rank: Captain O-3
Division: U.S. Army Delta Force A Squadron
Mako made a few changed to his outfit, he switched from a pair of sneakers to a pair of Rocky ACU Desert S2V Vented Military Boots, slid on a tactical light weight Kevlar plate carrying vest with four attached magazine pouches, a grey shemagh head wrap, assembled his rifle, a Daniel Defense MK18 SBR he attached an ITL MARS red-dot sight, an angled foregrip, a center mass laser pointer, and a suppressor, and finally attached his side arm to his leg, a suppressed 1911 he had custom made by Kimber.
"Fire moving," Mako said as he climbed out the window onto the street the police had closed off.
"Copy that." Stone said.
Codename: Operative Stone
Real name: Bolin (Last name changed) Clark
Age: (Classified)
Rank: Staff Sergeant E-6
Division: U.S. Army Delta Force A Squadron
Mako moved down the alley, keeping a tight grip on his MK18, the target building was just ahead of him behind a small gate.
He would have, but he heard someone speaking English with a Lebanese accent, "These bastards are getting heavy."
"It's the American diet," another said, "These Americans eat fried and greasy food, and weigh four hundred pounds."
Mako peered around the corner to see two of the separatists him and his team were briefed about, they were armed with standard AK-108s, no suppressors, no scopes, no under-barrel attachments, and standard fixed stocks.
They were standing behind a 1994 Toyota Hilux that had two American bodies in the trunk.
Mako aimed out from behind cover, switched to semi-auto, and fired two rounds into the man on the left.
The second separatist saw the spray of blood on the bed of the truck, his buddy fall, and turned around as Mako fired three more times.
Moving on to the house, Mako found two more hostiles standing around a small box TV watching a live-coverage of the event.
"Look at them," the one on the left said, "So scarred, so helpless."
"We're holding fifteen of their people hostage," the other said, "They should be."
Mako jumped into cover, and pressed to fingers to his throat-mike, "Command, this is Fire come in over," he said.
"This is command," Captain (Colonel) Winston Rightwing said over the line, "Go ahead Captain."
"Have intel that civilians are in the area," Mako said, "Recommended course of action?"
"Your job is to find the arms dealer, not save civilians," Captain Rightwing said, "You can save them if you wish, but do not reveal yourself."
Mako walked back into the building, emptied three rounds into the hostile first hostile, and put one through the second's leg.
Mako often fired with his rifle set on semi-auto, it not only helped him control the recoil, but also helped control the heat build-up on his suppressor, and managed to let him know when he needed to reload.
Mako walked up to the one that was still breathing, pulled out his BLACKHAWK Gideon Drop Point knife, and pressed it to the man's neck, "Where're the hostages?" He asked.
"Fuck you." He said.
Mako placed the knife in the bullet-wound, and twisted it around after covering the man's mouth with his hand.
"Come again?" Mako asked.
"Upstairs," he said, "Upstairs, just please stop."
Mako sheathed his knife, pulled out his 1911, and put a .45 ACP round in the man's skull, just above his right eyebrow.
Mako sheathed his 1911, and proceeded upstairs to see another man patrolling the hall.
He ducked into cover, and when the man passed him, he held his knife to the man's throat, "How many are in there guarding the hostages?" He asked.
"Salim, Yousef, and Samir," he said.
"Who else?" Mako asked.
"No one," he said, "Just the hostages."
"How many are there?" Mako asked.
"Twelve." He said.
"Thanks." Mako said.
The knife went through the man's neck like butter, Mako dropped him on the floor.
The man tried to stop the bleed by grabbing his neck, and it was like trying to stop holes in a damn with a strainer.
Mako walked up to the entrance to the next room, to see the man was telling the truth, three hostiles, and twelve hostages.
Mako grabbed his rifle, focused, and walked out from behind cover with the rifle at the ready.
The first turned to see him, and as he raised his rifle to fire, Mako fired five rounds, putting him on the floor.
The second saw his buddy fall, turned toward Mako, and raised his rifle only to have Mako hit him in the center of the chest four times.
The third didn't hear the shots because of Mako's suppressor, however he did hear his friends bodies hit the floor, and turned around only to have Mako fire three times.
The first bullet got him in the center of the chest, the second went through his right cheek, and out the rear-left side of his head, the third bullet got him in the shoulder, and sent him stumbling backwards over the railing.
Mako walked up to one of them, and spoke, in Arabic, "Go down the stairs, head out the back, and run straight for the police lines," they just looked at him like he was some kind of mysterious figure, "NOW!"
As soon as he shouted that, they ran for it.
Mako walked out onto the balcony to get an update from Range, "Boss," Range said, "I've got eyes on the Principle. Looks like they're over halfway done with their interrogation. I suggest you move."
"On my way," Mako said as he climbed up onto the window-sill of the joined building to see four hostiles in the room.
Codename: Operative Range
Real name: Kai (Last name changed) Dunn
Age: (Classified)
Rank: Specialist E-4
Division: U.S. Army Delta Force A Squadron
Mako slowly opened the window sill, and entered the room.
The first was looking out the window when he saw the hostages running down the alley, he was about to scream when a sharp knife when through the base of his neck, and killed him.
The others were unaware until Mako came into the room.
The first took a 5.56 round in the back of the head, and fell into the coffee table.
The second saw his friend fall, turned, and out of the corner of his eye saw the flash as two shell casings left the receiver of an MK18, and the bullets met his temple and jaw.
The third managed to get his weapon raised, and fired.
The gunshot echoed throughout the halls, and drew the attention of the guards in the interrogation room.
Mako switched his weapon to full-auto, and emptied the remaining six bullets into the man's chest.
Mako ejected the spent magazine, and replaced it with a fresh magazine.
"Range reports gunshots fired," Kai said, "Boss, report!"
"I think I've been compromised," Mako said, "Stone, get ready for possible hot extraction."
"Copy that," Bolin said as he loaded his hidden firearm, a twelve-gauge pump-action Serbu Super-Shorty, and checked his secondary weapon, a .44 Magnum Desert Eagle.
Mako walked down the hall, and peered into the door to see the hostiles had the entrance covered.
"Fives hostiles, one holding the Principle at gunpoint," Mako said, "Hostile Alpha standing one foot from the window one: Chest-to-head. Hostile Bravo standing in front of window two: chest-to-head. The others are mine. On your shot."
"Copy," Kai said as he zeroed his DTA SRS-A1 on the first target, adjusted for the range, and fired.
The bullet went through the window, and tore a hole out the front of the hostile's chest.
Mako entered next, the three bullets Mako fired hit the hostile holding the arms-dealer at gunpoint in the head, dropping him like he has hit in the head with a baseball bat.
Kai chambered the next round, and fired at the hostile standing at the other window.
The round went underneath the hostile's right-arm, through both his lungs, heart, and tore out the left side of the man's chest.
Mako fired another three times at the hostile closest to him, all right in the chest, and sent him to the floor.
The final hostile fired one round at Mako, but hit him in the Kevlar plate in his vest, he fell to the ground, but still managed to get eight shots off.
Mako stood up, and walked over to the dealer, "Thank you," he said, "Who are you? C.I.A.?"
"Close," Mako said as he cut the dealer free, "Let's move! We have a van waiting nearby," he pressed two fingers to his throat mike, "I have the principle. Stone, start the van. Range, get to the van."
"Roger that," Kai said as he picked up rifle, and ran toward the street where Bolin was standing by with the van.
It took Kai four minutes to arrive at the van, while Mako took five, and when he arrived, four separatists who raised their rifles to fire.
As Mako shoved the arms dealer into the van, he turned around, and emptied the magazine toward the hostiles.
Two of the hostile fell dead, the other dropped with a bullet wound through his knee, and the final jumped behind a large dumpster for cover.
Mako jumped into the van, and slammed the door shut behind him.
Bolin floored the van as the door shut, and they rocketed down the road toward their extraction point.
The separatists gave chase, riding on a pair of 1985 BMW motorcycles armed with fully-automatic Spectre M4 SMGs.
The one that came up on the right of the van, raised his Spectre to fire, Bolin has his Super-Shorty ready first.
The shot dropped him off his bike, and sent him sliding across the pavement.
Bolin pumped the shotgun against the steering-wheel, and fired at the second hostile, the pellets inside the shotgun popped the hostile's back tire, threw the bike off balance as he got off about six rounds into the side of the van, and sent him flying into the back of a parked car.
"Everybody Ok?" Mako asked.
"I'm ok." The arms dealer said.
"I'm good." Kai said.
"Bro?" Mako asked.
"I'm fine." Bolin said.
As the team made it to the airport, a VTOL aircraft was waiting for them.
Mako got out the back of the van first, and signaled Kai to move toward the VTOL.
Kai grabbed the Arms Dealer, and pulled him toward the VTOL as Mako moved around to the driver's side door he saw Bolin was leaning back in the seat, breathing heavily.
Mako opened the door to see blood was pooling around the right side of Bolin's waist.
"You said you were ok," Mako said as he pulled his brother out of the seat.
"I'm fine," Bolin said as he activated the thermite charge located in the dashboard.
Mako carried Bolin to the VTOL where upon taking off, the van caught fire.
Once the VTOL's back gate closed, Mako set Bolin on a bench on the right side of the VTOL, and tore open the side of his shirt which had a large hole in the side.
The bullet didn't go all the way through, probably hit the corner of the Kevlar plate in Bolin's vest.
"How bad is it?" Bolin asked.
"You should be fine for now," Mako said as he grabbed a syringe from the med-kit above Bolin's head.
The syringe was full of tiny expandable sponges, he placed the tip inside the wound, and emptied the syringe into Bolin's wound.
He screamed in pain, but the wound was fully sealed, and the bleeding stopped.
"Another successful mission," Kai said as he held his fist out.
"If you can call it successful." Mako said.
"Shut up," Bolin said as he touched his fist to Kai's, "And celebrate, we're going home."
Mako grabbed Bolin and Kai's hands, and shook them.
Twenty hours later…
Mako was back in Fort Bragg getting debriefed by Admiral Beifong, "Upon getting to the airport Operative Range got the dealer into the VTOL," he said, "When I moved around to the driver side door, I discovered that Operative Stone was wounded. I got him in the VTOL, we burned the van, and I managed to get the sponges in his wound."
"Very impressive," Colonel Beifong said, "I'm sorry about your brother, but you managed to complete your objective. I think the appropriate arrangements for a reward are in order. I'll let you know."
"Thank you." Mako said.
Mako walked out of the office, a little pissed off, slightly exhausted, and hating the fact that his brother was injured, and he was getting rewarded.
As he climbed into the HMMWV M1114 UAH (Up-Armored Humvee), the HMMWV took off toward Mako's dorm.
Mako and his brother from birth were basically pre-destined to join the military, their father, San was a MARSOC operator who received the Congressional Medal of Honor postmortem, saving his team mates from a hostile ambush.
His mother, Naoki was killed in front of Mako and Bolin during a home invasion, the memory has haunted him all his life, and it's one of the reasons he joined the Deltas, being in the proverbial trenches made him forget, but he still lives with it every day.
Both he and Bolin share a dorm room on base because they couldn't afford an apartment or house on a military salary, but it didn't matter, family's the best thing to have close when dealing with something traumatic.
"Morning Captain." One of the soldiers said as Mako passed him.
Mako walked to his dorm room, unlocked it with his key, walked inside, locked the door behind him, face-planted into the bed and fell asleep.
Two hours later, Lin was having lunch with Colonel Tenzin, "No civilian casualties," Tenzin said, "The only casualty was an injury."
"And that injury is his brother," Lin said, "He's taking it hard."
"He just needs to get out of town," Tenzin said, "What do you propose?"
"You know what I'm proposing," Lin said, "His talents are being wasted in the Delta Force."
"You want me to bring him to Hereford." Tenzin said.
"He's proven he's worthy." Lin said.
"I'll consult Bishop," Tenzin said, "He's the one that makes those decisions."
The next day, Mako was in the gym at Fort Bragg going to town on the boxing-dummy.
He remembered the events of the raid so perfectly, he was running over what he could have done differently to keep his brother from getting hurt.
As the blows came at the dummy, Mako kept seeing the hostiles on the bike raise their Spectre M4s, the bullets coming.
The final Blow sent the dummy flying backwards ten feet.
"A bit angry Captain?" A young Lieutenant asked.
"Like you wouldn't believe." Mako said as he unwrapped his hands.
Out of nowhere some exclaimed, "Attention!"
Mako shot into attention, and turned around to see Colonel Beifong standing there with Colonel Tenzin of the British SAS.
"At ease," Lin said and turned toward Mako, "Captain, grab your shirt, and come walk with us."
Mako picked up the short-sleeve green digital camo button-up shirt he wore off-duty while on base, slid it on, fastened four buttons, and walked outside where Colonel Beifong and Tenzin were waiting with an open HUMVEE.
As Mako climbed into the back with Tenzin, Lin sat in the front, next to the driver.
"Drive." Lin said.
"I heard about your brother Captain," Tenzin said, "Terrible."
"Thank you Colonel." Mako said.
"I have one thing to ask Captain," Tenzin said, "What do you know about a group called Rainbow Six?"
"Only rumors," Mako said, "NATO organization, primarily American and British, technically doesn't exist, and is comprised of various NATO countries' top Alpha Dogs."
"Indeed," Tenzin said, "What they haven't told you is that that many other nations are part of Rainbow."
"I take it the reason I'm hearing this is because you want me to join?" Mako asked.
"Yes," Tenzin said, "You'd get a raise, a house in Hereford, and a promotion."
"I'll do it, no problem," Mako said, "But what about Bolin and Kai?"
"Your brother," Tenzin asked, "We can offer him the same thing. But we have to know," Tenzin turned back toward Mako, "Can he be trusted?"
"Would you have come to me if I wasn't trustworthy," Mako asked, "I'm only as good as my team.
"Good point," Tenzin said, "I think we can give them positions."
"When do I leave?" Mako asked.
"Three hours," Tenzin said, "I'll let you get packed," the HUMVEE pulled up in front of Mako's bunk, "We're sending you on a flight from Fayetteville to New York, and then over to Heathrow."
Mako walked into his dorm, and as he started packing up, one of his friends walked up, "Hey man." He said.
"Nick." Mako said.
"I heard about your transfer," Nick said.
"It seems like the right thing to do," Mako said as he finished packing up, and threw the strap of his bag over his shoulder, "I need to get away Nick. I can't live here anymore."
"I know," Nick said as he walked up, and held out his hand, "Don't forget us grunts."
"Never," Mako said as he shook Nick's hand, "See you around buddy."
Guess What happens next…