The First real life encounter with the life of a Navy operative. (don't be offended by my lack of knowledge. I make most stuff up.)
Navy Seals
"We have a group of terrorists on this island--" a slide of the island projected a picture onto the screen behind the commanding officer. "--We have to go in, disable all heavy duty weapons and destroy all other weapon stores. It will have to be done quickly and silently. The Seals will be going in first; we follow up when we're given the signal. Is everyone clear?"
Every head in the room nodded. Gordon studied the picture of the island and the weapons stores marked on it, committing it to memory. This was his first mission as a real Navy man. He had been surprised when he had been chosen to accompany the group of seasoned troops, but apparently that shield he had been given at the facility meant he could be chosen for missions like this. He knew it wasn't common practice to put such a raw recruit on a mission like this.
"Right, you have an hour to get prepared--go."
Gordon got up and made his way out, but paused when he heard a voice behind him say. "Look at the little fish, he's all geared up and ready to go. He'll probably balk at first blood." There was a short laugh.
Gordon felt his temper rise; he spun round to face the two men with a glare. "I wouldn't be so sure of it if I were you."
The man who had spoken raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh, cocky little bugger aren't you. Heard you got the shield. How I don't know. You're too young and skinny, I'm surprised they let you in at all."
Gordon's eyes narrowed and he took a step towards the man-granted he was older and stronger than his brothers were, but Gordon had never been one to back down from a challenge, or an insult, all they did was fuel his desire to succeed. He smiled wickedly at the man. "I think all those traits you don't like will be what keeps me alive a lot longer than you." Then he turned on his heel and left.
The man shook his head and smiled slightly. "Cocky little bugger."
X
An hour and a half later they were on a hydrofoil heading for the island. Gordon was crouched at the front of the boat. Looking out in front he could see the faint lights from the two Navy Seals boat go out. They were getting close. Ten minutes later they slowed and stopped, waiting for the signal, three distinct flickers of light, then he and five others would drop into the sea and swim to the island to set up a perimeter while the other boats docked. Then they would all start up towards the weapon base and commence operations there.
He put his goggles on, holding the air nozzle close, ready to hook it on and drop into the freezing waters. And there was the signal. He dropped backwards into the water, did an underwater spin before heading towards shore. He was the first one there, he crept up onto the beach as silently as he could, gun held steady in one hand as he pulled off the goggles and the air tank. He let them drop to the sand and made his way up to the main path, where a Seal was waiting. He heard the others arrive and take up position.
Five minutes later everyone was on the beach and readying to go. The Navy Seal nodded and took off, leading the way swiftly. Gordon followed instinctively; knowing the rest of the troop was coming close behind. They arrived at the weapons base ten minutes later and slipped silently in the already open gates and into the courtyard. Gordon's gaze swept the compound and he didn't like it, there were too many open spaces and not enough cover. He pushed his worry aside and moved forwards with his troop.
Suddenly gunfire ripped the air, Gordon ducked and ran for the nearest cover, he felt a stinging pain in his arm but he ignored it. He slammed behind a broken wall and took a deep breath before snapping the safety off his gun and turning and firing up towards where the bullets were coming from. It was a flurry of noises and movement as everyone struggled to find cover. Guns were going off left right and centre. Gordon's eyes narrowed and he focused only on the faint sheen of the gun barrels firing from above. He ignored the grunts of the wounded, and the cries of the dying. He focused, he aimed and he fired.
One down.
He moved his aim across, picking off his targets with single-minded determination.
Two down.
Three down.
Four down.
A body slammed beside him, the gun was turned on the intruder in a split second, then straight back to pick out another gun barrel as he recognised the man who had insulted him earlier. "Fancy meeting you here." he said lightly, aiming and pulling the trigger. He pulled the gun back and turned to reload quickly.
The man gave him a half smile. "Yeah--you're a good shot kid."
Gordon gave him his infamous half mischievous half innocent smile before turning back to the battle. "Yeah… yeah I am, how about giving me a hand here."
The man nodded, turned and started firing.
There was no let up in the firing. It was one foray after the next. There seemed to be more terrorists than originally thought. Gordon and the man, whose name was Bill Saxton he learned during another reloading, were slowly making their way over towards a store room that was situated just under the enemy. Gordon was hoping none of the seals or their men where in there-he intended to blow it sky high-eliminating one store and the danger would be abated a little, enough to get the rest of the stores destroyed at least.
Along the way they had picked up three others, Gordon took point, he could see the enemy had all their side pinned down under automatic gunfire. They had passed the danger zone, too close to the building for any bullets from the upper levels to hit them.
Bill took one side of the door, one of the other men the other, Gordon went head on, kicking the door in and shooting the man behind it before moving in. they secured the room quickly and moved on. Four other rooms followed in much the same manner before they reached the store. Once inside Gordon, crouched low to avoid detection whispered.
"Everyone got a detonation device? Set it for three minutes then get the hell out. It's the best we can do. Once we take out this building our guys will have a better chance of getting the other stores."
The four others nodded and moved off. Gordon slunk along the rows of guns and bullets, keeping low, his gun ready. He swept the area around him. Around the next corner he saw one of the enemy. He straightened a bit and moved out. He couldn't shoot someone in the back. The noise he had made caused the man to turn and pull a knife. Now, without hesitation Gordon brought his gun to bear and pulled the trigger, but the man took the bullet in the shoulder and just kept coming, knocking Gordon to the ground, and knocking his gun away.
Gordon struggled with the knife, keeping it away from his chest by barely an inch. The two combatants rolled, each trying to get the upper hand. But the man was stronger and Gordon was pinned all too easily. But he didn't give up; as the knife pressed closer to his chest he did the only thing he could think of. He bucked his hips and twisted to the left, throwing the man off balance, letting him slide out of reach. He grabbed for his gun and turned back with it just in time to pull the trigger as the man lunged at him. Blood blossomed on the mans chest and he slumped forward. Gordon scrambled to his feet, he looked round quickly, seeing one of the men he had come in with running out the door-that meant he probably had only a minute to get out.
He dropped all his explosives, scrambled on top of the boxes and proceeded to jump from one to the other towards the door. He took a wild leap as he reached the last box, skidding out of the room just as the first explosion rocked the building. He raced through the rooms they had secured back out side as more explosions made the foundations shudder.
He barrelled out the door and dived for the nearest cover as the building collapsed. Before the dust had settled he was climbing to his feet, enegerized beyond belief. He ducked down beside his team-mates, grinning wildly, the grin faded a little when he realised who one of the three other men was talking to-a Navy Seal… actually, now that he looked closer, the man was a bloody Navy Seal! So where the other two! And he had ordered them about… oh was he going to be in trouble.
"We're heading for the next store house-take these and come on." The captain said, tossing a bag of explosives to Gordon. He caught them and looked up in confusion. But it was short lived as he scrambled up to follow the four Navy Seals closely. The second store went up much the same way. The three others all went up around the same time after that. Separated from the rest of his unit, his radio bust from the bullet that had grazed his shoulder earlier he did the only thing he could think to do, he followed the Navy Seals as they rounded up the last terrorists and hauled them back down to the boats.
X
Gordon stood sharply to attention in the commander's office. He had been called in as soon as he had arrived. He had barely had an hours sleep on the way back, he was grimy, dirty, bloody and he needed a shower, and fast. But he kept his gaze focused levelly on the commander.
"Miller. What happened on the island?"
Debriefings. He had a feeling he was going to hate debriefings. It reminded him most annoyingly of his father and his lectures. "We were under heavy fire sir when we reached the base, pinned down really."
"What did you do?"
"Firstly I was just picking off some of the shooters from the upper windows. I was joined by Bill Saxton at some point during this. We started making our way closer to the building sir-to the munitions store."
"I see. Which of you decided to do this?"
Gordon thought for a moment. "Neither sir, I think, it was in the heat of battle. The only thought in my head at the time was taking out the munitions store, because the resulting explosion would take out the shooters, which would leave the way open for the other stores to be hit. Sir." He said after a minute.
"Who was with you when you took out the first store?"
"Bill Saxton and three Navy Seal's sir." He replied promptly. "I didn't get their names sir."
"Who was in command?"
"Emm… I think I may have been sir. I just told them to set the explosives and they did. I didn't realise they were Seals until afterwards."
"I see…"
The questions continued for another ten minutes before he got to leave and have his much needed shower. As he made his way back to his bunk he wondered just how much trouble he was in for ordering around the elite of the Navy. He hoped he wouldn't get thrown out. Not when he had found something he was good at. He sighed deeply.
X
"I… they… emm… sir, is this some kind of joke?" he finally asked disbelievingly.
"No Miller, this is not a joke." The commander said.
"But sir, you can't be serious--the Navy Seal's want me? It's not possible, I mean, I'm only--" he hesitated briefly. "Eighteen, sir. I haven't even been here a month, I've only been on one mission sir, that's hardly enough time for the Navy Seals to have decided they want me."
"Miller, I have the request papers, they feel you showed significant bravery and foresight during the last mission. Indeed, without your actions our troops would never have gotten those munitions stores and we would have lost more men than we did. You spent most of that mission among the Seals, and they have decided they want you. Don't turn down the opportunity Miller, it may never come again."
Gordon sagged slightly. "You're serious? They actually want me?"
The man pushed over the papers and gestured for Gordon to read them. Gordon did, and sure enough, there was his presumed name on the sheet. The Navy Seals, the elite of the Navy wanted him to join their ranks. He looked over at the commander, and straightened quickly. "Thank you sir." He said, shock very evident in his voice.
The commander smiled. "Congratulations Miller, I don't think we've had a Navy seal so young in a long time."
You've never had one this young. Gordon thought to himself with a snicker. He was told to report to the head of Navy Seal operations at 1500 hours, then dismissed. He made his way down to the mess hall, in a daze.
"Hey, Gordo-you ok man?" Jenna asked, she and Leo had been waiting a few corridors down for him. "Gordo?"
"Everything ok Fish? They're not chucking you right? You're still with us, right?" Leo asked.
Gordon turned to them, his eyes dancing in excitement. "I'm a Navy Seal; the request orders just came through. I'm an honest to god Navy Seal!" he started laughing suddenly, overwhelmed by the notion.
Jenna and Leo watched him in concern as he sagged back against the wall laughing. "Gordo-fish man, come on. Quit it." Jenna said finally.
"You're a Navy Seal?" Leo suddenly asked.
Gordon nodded, still laughing helplessly.
"After only one mission?" Leo continued incredulously.
Gordon nodded.
"Man am I jealous!" he huffed playfully.
Jenna thumped him as Gordon gave into a fresh bout of laughter. "Congrats Gordo. That's something to be proud of. A Navy Seal in your first month. I don't think anybodies ever done that before." She said seriously, pulling him into a hug when his laughter had subsided.
They walked to the mess hall, talking excitedly about his sudden and very unexpected promotion. Gordon was grinning broadly for the rest of the day. He had certainly proved his point, he was now in the top stream. And all within a year. Come Christmas he would let his family know just how far he had come. He couldn't tell them what he was doing, his father would be down within seconds to drag him out, telling him he was too young or some such. It would ruin all his carefully laid plans. He would eventually let them know. Just not yet.
X
