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Disclaimer: Flashpoint does not belong to me.

Terrorist Site 3 - Afghanistan (5 months after capture)

"I see minimal hostiles." The SEAL sniper commented from his perch.

Williams nodded as he looked at his map one last time.

"They could still be in there. Go fast, go silent, go careful." Williams ordered.

The men moved out, JTF2 and Seal Team Three working together to bring their brothers in arms home. As Williams and Cole moved side by side towards the compound they each prayed that this time they would find their men... and that they would still be alive.

"Only one way to find out." Williams muttered as he approached the building. He counted to three before giving the order.

"GO, GO, GO!"

Chapter 26 - Rescue

Terrorist Site 3, Sniper Perch - Afghanistan (5 months after capture)

The sniper watched both the JTF2 Unit and his SEAL Team closely as they breached the building. He sincerely hoped that they would find the missing men at this location. He was good friends and had served with one of them before and that man didn't deserve to be at the hands of Akbar as long as he had been. As he observed through his scope he noticed movement in a window. He watched closely as two hostiles approached what appeared to be a locked door. When that door opened he smiled.

"I have a visual on Deadshot." He quickly reported into his comms.

As he watched one of the two hostiles drew a gun and pointed it at Deadshot, clearly intending to kill the man rather than letting him be rescued. He smiled as he pulled the trigger and watched the man go down.

"Not today boys." He whispered before he relayed the location to the rest of the Team and Unit. They had found them!

Terrorist Compound - Afghanistan (5 months after capture)

Sam looked up as the door opened and Ali entered with one of the other men, the meanest one of all. All three soldiers had heard the gunshots, the grenades, the screams. It seemed like they were about to be rescued. At least until Sam saw Meanie pull a gun and point it at him. It was then that he realized they were to be shot before the Unit could ever reach them. There was nothing that they could do! At least that was what he thought.

Baird watched, terrified as the man they dubbed Meanie leveled his gun at Braddock's head. From the sounds of it the Unit was here. Were they going to die, now, when they were so close to freedom? It seemed so. That is until the window across the hall from the door shattered and Meanie crumpled to the floor with a hole in his head. There was a sniper!

"Ali, move to the corner, get down on your knees, and place your hands behind your head." Sam quickly instructed as he slowly pulled himself into a seated position, ignoring the pain in his back as he did so. "Stay there until our men come in. I will let them know you have surrendered. They will not hurt you!"

Ali nodded and quickly did as he had been instructed. Sam smiled, at least they would be able to save one life today. Baird and Jackson both stood and moved as close to the front of the cell as possible and Sam heaved a sigh of relief. They just had to wait a few more minutes for their men to get them out. They were going home!

Terrorist Site 3 - Afghanistan (5 months after capture)

"I have a visual on Deadshot."

Williams and Cole looked to each other at the words. They had found them! Cole tapped Adams on the shoulder and all three men quickly moved toward the location that the SEAL sniper gave them. It was time to get their men out. It was another three minutes before they reached the hall with the shattered window. They knew that there was one more hostile in the room, they still had to go carefully. Williams took a deep breath and stepped around the corner, Adams and Cole right behind him.

"Batman!" Jackson called, relieved.

"He's a friendly!" Baird called as Adams moved to the man who was kneeling in the corner, hands over his head. "He's been helping up. Don't hurt him."

Williams moved immediately to the cell door once they knew the room was clear.

"It's about time Batman." Sam smiled. He was still sitting on the cell floor. He wasn't sure he could stand on his own at the moment due to lack of food, dehydration, and his injuries.

"Well you forgot to send me your location Deadshot. It was like finding a needle in a haystack!" Williams laughed. He noted how Braddock had yet to stand and was a bit worried. "You ready to get out of here?"

"Beyond!" Baird answered.

"Ali has information that we will need. Akbar is planning an attack in or near Toronto. Ali managed to swipe some of the documents for us. He can take you to them." Sam commented as he nodded to where Adams was holding Ali.

Williams looked to Adams.

"On it." Adams commented as he turned to leave with Ali. He passed two SEALS in the hallway on the way out.

"We need to get this door open. Firestorm." Williams turned to Cole who had been looking around the room.

"Sir?" Cole shook his head to clear it of the images that were invading his mind. He had been looking around the room and noticed the blood stained ground, the chains hanging from the roof, the cell in which his brothers were being held. However, what caught his eye the most was the blood splattered all around the room. He could only imagine at the moment what had been done to the men. It wasn't pretty.

"Let's get this door open." Williams ordered just as the SEAL's medic entered the room with one other Team member.

Cole moved to the cell door and began to pick the lock. It turned out that it was a relatively simple lock, any of the men could have picked it with just a small piece of wire. However, the chains that held them to the walls were short enough that they couldn't reach the bars of the cell. Whoever had put this place together had been careful to ensure that.

When the doors finally opened the SEALS allowed Williams and Cole a minute alone with the men. The medic was prepared to assist as soon as he was given the word. They could all hear the report of the sniper's riffle on occasion as he took out stragglers but they all ignored it, intent instead on the men in the room.

Once the door to the cell was opened Sam felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. There was one thing he had to know.

"How long?" Sam asked as Williams knelt down in front of him.

"Five months." Williams answered softly.

Five months?! Sam thought as he started at Williams.

"Jules. The baby! I wasn't there! She needed me and I wasn't there!" It finally hit him. He had missed the birth of his child. He hadn't been there for her when Jules needed him most. He had caused her more stress and worry during the most crucial time of her pregnancy and then not even been able to call during the birth. He looked down at the floor and his tears flowed unchecked down his face.

Williams didn't know what to say or do. He had a feeling that nothing would ease his friends hurt at this time so he chose to give the man some space. He turned to Cole who was picking the lock on Baird's shackle as one of the SEALs did the same for Jackson.

"Injuries?" Williams asked, dreading the answer from his Unit medic.

"Jackson and I are good. Malnourished and dehydrated but our physical injuries have had time to heal." Baird reported to his CO.

"Braddock?" Williams asked softly.

"More than I can count." Baird answered as he looked to the man in question. "Most immediate that will need attention is his back. About four weeks ago, I think, he was brutally whipped. I thought we were going to lose him that time. Thankfully, though, Ali provided us with clean water each day to keep his back clean. If it wasn't for that he probably would have died from infection. It's healing, but he's still weak."

"You did good soldier." Williams clasped Baird on the shoulder. He could see that what happened here had forged a bond between these three men that would never have been possible anywhere else. A bond of brotherhood forged by fire.

Williams moved back to where Braddock sat, the SEAL medic already looking at the injuries on his back. The other SEAL was picking the lock on his shackle. Baird was right, Braddock's back did look bad. He could also see where Braddock's wrists had been bound repeatedly. It appeared that his good friend had taken most of the abuse from Akbar.

"Come on, let's get these men out of here. We'll get them back to base medical ASAP." Williams instructed.

Just as all three men were released Adams returned with Ali.

"I have the documents. We are good to go." Adams commented as he noticed the state that Braddock was in. "Is he coming with us?" He gestured to Ali.

"Do you have somewhere to go?" Williams asked Ali curiously.

"I have a friend that lives not far from here. I can go there." Ali answered carefully, unsure as to why he was being asked.

"You are free to go then. Thank you, for helping my men." Williams reached out to shake Ali's hand as Adam's released him.

"You soldiers...you are doing good for my country. Thank you for everything you have done!" Ali said, sincerity evident in his voice. He then turned and quickly headed out, not wanting to be near this place any longer.

"Let's get you out of here." Williams turned to Braddock with a smile.

Cole quickly went to the other side of Braddock to help Williams. Their sniper was the only one that would need carried out, the other two would be able to make their way with minimal assistance. Both men were extremely careful with where they put their hands, knowing that Braddock's back had been torn to shreds at some point.

Sam couldn't help the wince of pain as Williams and Cole lifted him from the floor. Pain radiated across his back from the movement. He closed his eyes for a moment to take a couple of deep sniper breaths.

"You good?" Cole asked after a minute. They had both heard the sound of pain from Braddock as they helped him stand and both he and Williams had felt bad about causing it. But, they needed to get out of here.

"Yeah, just not used to being able to move yet." Sam muttered. He opened his eyes, took one more deep breath, and started to move.

The group moved as quickly as they could from the building. Williams and Cole were careful not to jar Braddock and cause him pain, and Sam moved as quickly as his body would allow. Baird and Jackson were able to walk with minimal assistance from Adams and one of the SEALS. The medic stayed close to Braddock in case he was needed.

"Where do we rendezvous with your sniper?" Sam asked after several minutes of walking.

"About a five hundred meters up." Williams answered. "We'll rest there before moving on."

Several minutes later the group stopped and Williams and Cole lowered Sam to the ground.

"How you doing Braddock?" Baird asked as he knelt down so he could be eye level with Braddock.

"Hanging in there. I'm just trying to get my muscles to remember how to work. I can push past the pain." Sam answered. He did experience pain from his back as he walked, but, he also realized the the more he walked the easier it was. He discovered that he was probably more stiff from not using his muscles than anything.

"Need anything for the pain?" Baird wanted to make sure that they were doing everything that they could for Braddock.

"Don't want it to screw with me. I'm good for now." Sam answered. The last thing he wanted was for pain medication to knock him out or mess with his brain. They needed to get far away from here first.

"Fine. But, you're going to at least take a drink before we move on." Jackson commented as he knelt down next to Baird and Braddock, passing a canteen of water as he spoke.

Cole nudged Williams and nodded to where Baird, Braddock, and Jackson were talking. It seemed that whatever was keeping Baird and Braddock from getting along had long been dealt with. They were now very close teammates. Both men smiled as their eyes met.

Five minutes after the group stopped for a break Sam heard a faint noise to his right. He turned to look in that direction, noting that no one else was worried. That must mean it's a friendly coming their way. He soon got his answer as a man in full sniper gear came into view.

"Well if it isn't the Legend himself." Sam smiled as he slowly stood, Baird helping him to his feet. "Nice shot back there."

"Someone had to save your ass, Deadshot." Kyle smiled as he reached out and grasped Braddock's hand. "I'm happy to see you're safely out now."

"A little worse for wear, but I'm alive." Sam commented.

"That's all that matters right now, right?" Kyle asked, noting the scars on Braddock's wrists and torso.

"That, and taking out Akbar once and for all." Sam answered.

"As much fun as it is standing here and catching up we really should get going." The SEAL's CO commented from where he stood.

Everyone gathered, both SEAL's and JTF2 and took inventory one last time. Once that was completed they were ready to go.

"I'll take Braddock." Kyle commented as he looked to his sniper friend, loading his rifle onto his back as he spoke. "My riffle won't do much good in close combat anyway."

Williams nodded his head in agreement before taking the lead and guiding them back to their transportation.

"Thanks for coming for us." Sam said softly as he and Kyle walked in the middle of the group.

"Once we heard you guys were in trouble we came as soon as we could. We had to finish up our little sniper hunt first, but there was never a question of whether we would come or not."

Sam smiled. He liked Kyle! They had worked together a few times in the past. Kyle was to the US what he was to the Canadian forces. They were both the best snipers their country ever had. The missions that they worked together, let's just say that the Allied casualties were minimal to non existent. During his time in JTF2 Sam and Kyle had been neck and neck for the most confirmed kills. Although, no one really knew the actual number for each so there wasn't really an accurate account for either of them. Neither of them were really keeping count either.

"Did you get him?" Sam asked curiously. Talking was helping him ignore the pain. Although, it was getting easier to walk despite his lack of energy.

"Yeah. We got him." Kyle answered simply.

"Good."

Sam was silent after that, as he thought of his family. Hopefully he would get to see them soon.

Braddock Residence - Toronto (Day of Rescue)

"Sam!" Jules sat up straight in bed, woken from a dead sleep.

She turned and looked at her bedside clock. 2AM. She had only been asleep for about thirty minutes since she last put her littlest to bed. She had been dreaming of Sam when she suddenly woke up.

Something was different. She couldn't put her finger on just what it was, but she knew something had happened. She felt relieved! Like a huge weight had just been lifted from her shoulders.

"Maybe they've figured out where he is. Or he escaped." Jules muttered to herself as she rubbed her hands over her eyes. "Not gonna find out what it is tonight. Might as well try to go back to sleep."

As she laid back down she couldn't help the hopefulness that blossomed within her. She didn't know how or when but she knew she would see Sam soon. She couldn't wait.

This time as she went to sleep it was with a genuine smile on her face.

Somewhere in Afghanistan (Day of Rescue)

Sam sighed in relief as the Humvees came into sight. They had been hiking for what seemed like hours and his limited strength had been depleted. Kyle and Cole had been all but carrying him for the last hour or so. They gently put him in the Humvee and the vehicles moved out, beginning the long journey back to the main JTF2 base.

"Let me see those documents Adams." Williams turned to his friend and took the handful of documents that they had gotten from Ali.

Adams, Williams, and Cole all looked over the documents carefully. After several minutes Williams looked up and let out a deep sigh.

"This is incredible. We've been looking for this exact break for too long." Williams looked back to where Braddock was sitting. The man looked to be almost asleep before he had spoken.

"Let me see." Sam reached for the documents that Williams had been looking at. After looking over them for several minutes he looked up and met the eyes of the others in the car. "We have to stop this." He held up a map in his hands.

"How? We can't go after him with you three out of the picture. The SEALs have to go back to Iraq tomorrow. There are no other JTF2 Units available for this. We are out of options." Williams didn't see how going after Akbar was even possible.

"Yes, there is another option." Sam smiled.

For the next hour Sam laid out his thoughts on how to get Akbar. He knew it was risky, but it was possible. Now all they had to do was get back to base and put their plans in motion.

AN: I hope you do not mind my use of "The Legend". :) Also, would love to see your thoughts on the chapter in a review :) I love when I get the e-mail updates saying another has been submitted. It makes my day!