a/n:
Story Summay: A bombing during a training exercise bring up past memories and people in Gibbs' life.
Damselfly: Prologue
"One target, Petty Officer." The Commander said. "Due North-East, 100 feet of our current position."
The PO looked through his scope-binoculars into the grassy field out in Cumberland for his target; he used the numbers in the corner of the screen to locate it. He stopped as he found it. "Package located," He informed his CO. His view was slightly obscured by the blades of long grass, but it was obvious to him what it was and he had no business whatsoever of being out here.
"Surrounding area?" The Commander asked his subordinate.
The PO scanned the surrounding area, the tree line for any hidden surprises. He went over it twice; once in zoomed view and the other with heat-vision. There were no overly big heat spots. "Clear, sir." He reported.
"Move in. I have your six, Marine."
"Copy." The PO crouched low as he moved slowly through the field to his target; a bomb, now located 50 ft. form their position and closing.
The Commander was 5 ft. behind and two paces to the left of the PO's shoulder. The PO arrived at the location with no harm done, but the Commander was not as lucky. The older man felt, more than heard it the instant his boot touched ground; the shift of the soil, the feel of pieces clicking into place, the feel of the spikes through the rubber of his sole. He stilled instantly. "Mud pie!" The Commander barked.
The Commander froze from where he was crouched over the bomb.
"Sir?" He Questioned.
"I've stepped on a device, PO." The Commander informed his Officer.
The PO licked his lips, a habit when he felt anxiety. This was something that he hadn't even considered. "Your orders, sir."
"Disarm the bomb," He ordered without hesitation. "Keep with the mission."
The PO was hesitant for but a moment, before he took out his pair of wire cutters from his vest pocket. "It's a bundle of five bricks of C4," He described; two were stacked on top of each other, and another pair as well, the fifth on top of those. "There is a timer; 4 minutes," He read; it was attached on top of the fifth brick. "I can see several wires, each red. And... a mercury switch." He took a breath as he stared at the device with a piercing green gaze , mentally taking it apart and piecing it back together; figuring out which wire went where and which one he had to cut. "38 seconds," He noted as he found the trigger wire, the one the completed the circuit. The PO was careful as he took the wire between his thumb and forefinger, sliding the jaws of his cutters around the plastic casing. His tongue swiped over his lips once again as he cut the wire. "Wire cut," The clock stopped at 32 seconds. He didn't let the breath out yet, though, not until he removed all the electrodes out from the C4. "Device disabled." He confirmed, letting that breath out.
"Good job, PO." The Commander said. "I'm calling it in." He took his radio from his vest and held down the speaker button, but he got static in return. "Communications are down."
"We have to get-" The PO stopped as the digital timer on the bomb resumed counting down; something that should not be happening. He must have missed something important. "The device reactivated."
"Time!" The Commander demanded.
"23 seconds." The PO shot out.
"Go!" He growled, still not able to move, still standing on a primed device.
"Sir-" The PO started to protest, knowing that you should never question you superior in the field, knowing that he wouldn't be able to disarm it. He needed time, something that was lacking.
"Run! That's a direct order, Marine." The Commander growled his command.
And the Petty Officer obeyed.
The clocked ticked down to zero. The bomb went off. The explosion sent both Marines into the air. The released pressure from the device under the Commander's foot caused the pins to connect and the charge to explode, sending more sand and blood into the air, along with a piercing scream.
end of prologue
