AN: Thank you all for your continued support, and your patience!

Chapter 7 – Braddock's

Somewhere in Afghanistan – Main JTF2 Base

A month. It had been a whole month since they brought in Khadem Zaman and they had yet to get any information at all out of the man. Sam was about ready to bust into the interrogation room himself and beat the answers out of the man. But at the same time he knew that wouldn't really work either. They had the best interrogators on the job. Sam just hoped that they would get something that his Unit could act on.

Harrison looked up at his sniper and second in command and recognized the agitation in the younger man. The whole Unit was frustrated that they were just sitting around waiting for intel. Sure, they had gone on a couple of missions since they brought in Zaman, but the General wanted them close to base and ready to go should any real intel be discovered. That was why they were sitting on their hands at the main base, waiting, still.

"We gotta do something or Badass might just lose his mind waiting." Matt whispered to his LT. He knew his friend was about ready to do something drastic. They needed to distract Sam.

Harrison met Matt's eyes and just nodded.

"Braddock, grab your rifle. We're going to the long distance range." Harrison ordered as he rose from his bunk.

The rest of the Unit turned to look at their LT. They decided that if Braddock was going to do some target practice then they might as well tag along. Leblanc grabbed his spotter binoculars and headed out with the rest of the Unit.

The treck to the range took them several minutes. The long distance range was on the complete opposite side of the base.

"Braddock, I want you to show me accuracy and speed." Harrison commented as his sniper began setting up his riffle and settling into a prone position on the ground. "Leblanc, get us a couple more sets of binoculars. I wanna be able to see what he's doing."

"Yes sir." Leblanc ran off to get the requested gear for his LT.

Sam settled in and took a deep breath as he took the caps off of his scope and settled the butt of the rifle against his left shoulder. Closing his eyes he drew in a deep, cleansing breath. Sighting one of the closer targets Sam drew in a breath and held it for a moment as he sent a round down range. He watched as he hit his target dead center. Sam would have been more surprised if he hadn't hit a bulls eye on this target, it was the easiest one on the range.

"Come on Badass Braddock, you can do better than that." Morin taunted.

"Here LT. Got those binoculars you requested. I also got them to check out extra rounds and a .50 cal for him to work with." Leblanc smiled as he set down the weapon case.

"Good work Falcon." Harrison slapped Leblanc on the back in thanks before turning his attention back to the range.

Sam methodically sent rounds down range into the center of his targets, gradually adding distance to his shots. He wasn't in a rush. The Unit stood behind him, egging him on with each shot. Their voices got louder and taunts more emphatic as time wore on.

This was the scene that General Nathan Braddock stumbled upon. He had been stretching his legs after a long stint in his office overseeing a mission in progress when he heard the unmistakable sound of a sniper rifle on the range. He had headed over to investigate, wondering who was making use of the range today and if they were any good.

The General smiled as he recognized the unmistakable blonde head of his son behind the scope of a rifle. He stood and watched for a long minute, pride evident in the huge smile on his face as he watched his one and only son shooting. As Sam replaced the clip in his weapon the General decided to have some fun.

"That one was slightly off center." Leblanc commented with a huge smirk on his face.

"Like hell it was." Sam argued.

"No, Falcon's right. It's a half of a centimeter off center." Treble piped in with a huge grin.

"No it's not!"

"Is to!"

"Is not!"

"Enough!" Matt said loudly as he tried to hold in his laughter at his best friend and the spotter. "A half of a centimeter still counts as a bulls eye."

"It's not a dead center shot! It's only almost a dead center shot." Leblanc argued. He was having so much fun that he didn't hear someone coming up behind the Unit.

"Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades." Two voices said in unison.

Sam looked up at the sound of the other voice. He was about to jump up from his prone position to salute the newcomer when he the man raised one hand to stop him.

"At ease men."

"General Braddock. What brings you here? Do we have intel?" Harrison asked as he noted the rifle case in the man's hand, and the one slung over his shoulder.

"Unfortunately not Lieutenant. I was out stretching my legs when I noticed you men here. I thought I might join my son for a few rounds if that's okay with you men." Nathan Braddock smiled.

"Of course sir." Sam returned the grin. "I never pass up a chance to prove I'm better than you."

"That has yet to be proven." The General commented as he set down one case next to the .50 cal that was waiting for Sam to use.

As he set up his own rifle Nathan couldn't help but smile at the good natured teasing going on between Sam's Unit. The group of men that his son served with was exceptional. They were his best Unit after all.

"You know, it's not very often we get to see Ares and Badass go up against each other on the range." Morin commented as he rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "This should be good."

"It has been a while." Tremblay agreed.

"What's your current distance?" Nathan asked as he settled in behind his own rifle next to Sam.

"One thousand yards." Sam answered as he looked at his father. He couldn't help but think that his dad looked to be just as at home behind a scope as he felt.

"Only?" Nathan asked as he lined up a shot, took a breath, and sent the round down range.

"Just warming up sir." Sam smirked as he looked at the target that had just been hit, dead center.

"I know I taught you to shoot farther than that. How about we push it out to fifteen hundred yards." Nathan found the target and prepared to fire.

Instead of answering Sam sighted the target, took a breath, and squeezed the trigger. Whoops and hollers were heard behind him as his bullet hit the target, dead center.

Nathan smiled as he sent his round down range and also hit the target in the center.

"Eighteen hundred yards." Sam commented as he sent another round down range.

"Nineteen hundred yards." Nathan countered as he fired his rifle with a smile.

"Maybe you should take longer to aim, Sir." Sam smirked. The General had been slightly off center.

"Maybe you should stop critiquing my shots when you were half a centimeter off on a shot of one thousand yards." Nathan smiled at the loud laughter from the men behind him. "Two thousand yards."

Both men fired at the same time. Everyone held in a breath as they waited to see who would be more accurate.

"Both rounds hit the target in the exact center." Leblanc reported much to the amazement of the growing crowd.

Sam chanced a glance to his right and saw his father smiling back at him. His own grin widened as he turned back to his own weapon.

"May I make a suggestion Sir?" Harrison asked with a grin.

"Yes Harrison?" Nathan looked up at Sam's LT and noted that the group gathered had doubled in size. It seemed they were drawing quite the crowd.

"Well, Sir. It's just that it's been a while since Badass has fired a .50 cal in the field. It might be beneficial to switch weapons."

Nathan chuckled at the suggestion. "Then by all means, had us our weapons."

Sam flicked on the safety on his rifle before handing it off to Matt. Leblanc then handed him the .50 cal and Sam set to work setting up the weapon as his father did the same.

Once both men were once again settled behind the scope the crowd behind them quieted down.

"Twenty one hundred yards." Harrison called out.

Both Sam and Nathan took a moment to take in a deep breath. Sam was the first to fire a round, followed just second later by Nathan. Both rounds hit their target dead on.

"Twenty two hundred yards." Harrison stated with a smile.

Nathan fired his round first this time. His shot hit just off center and he let out a frustrated huff. Sam took an extra moment before drawing in a deep breath and gently pulling the trigger.

"Perfect shot." Leblanc reported.

Cheers went up around them causing Sam's smile to widen. He loved shooting with his father and they didn't get the opportunity to do so very often.

"What is Badass' record?" One of the gathered soldiers asked as the two snipers were lining up the shot for a distance of one thousand three hundred yards.

"His furthest confirmed shot is two thousand three hundred and forty two yards." Leblanc answered without ever taking his eyes from the target the men were sighting. "We're pretty sure he's reached a distance of two thousand six hundred and fifty yards though."

"Pretty sure?" Another soldier asked.

"We didn't have time to stick around and pace it out." Matt commented, amused.

As both Braddock's fired conversation around them continued.

"Does anyone know the current record for a shot?"

"Yeah, the record used to belong to Corporal Rob Furlong of 3rd Battalion." One the men in charge of the range answered. "He held the record for us Canadians with a confirmed shot of two thousand six hundred and fifty seven yards. But, seven years after that shot a Brit by the name of Corporal Craig Harrison beat him out. His record currently holds at a confirmed two thousand seven hundred and seven yards."

"Why do you keep saying confirmed?" Another soldier asked.

"Because, they don't like to take our word for it. If we don't have confirmation for the distance of the shot then it doesn't count." Matt answered putting air quotes around the last two words.

"Twenty five hundred yards." Leblanc called out. "Two perfect shots, again."

Conversation died down as everyone once again turned their attention to the range.

"Braddock doesn't miss much, does he?"

"Which one?" Morin asked since both men firing had the last name Braddock.

"Either." The man clarified.

"Nope. They aren't called Ares and Badass for nothing. They didn't get their call signs by being bad at their job." Morin answered. He was honored to be in the same Unit as Sam Braddock, and he wasn't afraid to let that show.

"Twenty seven hundred yards." Harrison suggested with a smirk. He wondered if either of the Braddock's would be able to make the shot.

Sam drew in several deep breaths as he adjusted his scope. He found the target, calculated for drop, humidity, and wind yet again, and sent the round down range shortly after his father took the shot.

"Ares, your shot hit the target on the bottom left side." Leblanc informed them. "Badass, your shot was… dead center!"

"You know, Sir." Sam turned to look as his father. "Someone once told me that taking an extra moment to perfect a shot is worth it in the end. Maybe you should take his ad vice."

Nathan burst out laughing. "Well, son. I might just do that. Sounds like that man is very wise."

Sam's grin went from ear to ear. "Very wise, Sir."

"I guess I'll be taking my own advice from here on out then." Nathan said with a wink at his son.

"What do you think Badass, wanna go for twenty eight hundred yards? If you hit it you will have effectively claimed the record back for Canadian Forces." Harrison challenged.

"If anyone can make the shot it's you son." Nathan encouraged.

Sam thought for a moment before nodding his head in agreement. A reverential hush fell over the crowd as he settled back in behind his scope and took a long, deep breath in.

Taking his time Sam found his target, adjusted his scope, and did calculations in his head. He was pretty sure he could make this shot. If he did he would not only, finally, prove he was a better shot than his dad. But, he would also reclaim the record for Canadian Forces. He closed his eyes for a moment and envisioned Jules' face if he made this shot. She would be elated, and reward him quite handsomely, hopefully in bed.

With a smile Sam opened his eyes, took a breath in, caressed the trigger, and sent the round down range.

Everyone held their breath in anticipation as they waited the several long seconds it took for the round to travel. Harrison and Leblanc watched intently as the bullet made contact with the target over one and a half miles away.

"Well?" Matt asked anxiously.

Harrison lowered his binoculars and turned to Sam. "Perfect shot. Dead center. Sam Braddock, you truly are a Badass!"

"Well I'll be…" Nathan stood and reached a hand out to his son.

Sam took the offered hand and stood, a huge grin plastered on his face.

"Samuel, you continue to amaze me each and every day! I am so proud of you Son!" Nathan pulled Sam into a tight hug.

"Thanks Dad." Sam returned the hug, not caring about the men gathered around.

When the two men finally pulled apart Sam turned to his Unit and was congratulated with back slaps and bear hugs.

Just moments later everyone's attention turned to a young Private as he ran up to the General and saluted. The young man must have run from across the base at a fast clip as he was gasping for air.

"General Braddock, Sir! Zaman broke! We have intel!"

AN: I hope you enjoyed this lighter chapter. I would love to see your thoughts in a review!