As Mandy ran through footage with Hicks in the skif she explained, "Two days ago, a hotel was bombed in Phuket. Eleven Westerners were killed. Twenty-two more were injured. It was similar to the event in Manila that severely wounded one of Bravo and killed fifteen civilians."
"Somebody's targeting Westerners." Was the brilliant response she got in return.
"We traced the bombing in Phuket to the Asian Liberation Army."
"ALA?" The man asked her surprised, though she didn't understand the surprise she always got when she told someone a bad guy was a bad guy.
"Mm-hmm."
"They're throwback Commies. Haven't been militant in 30 years." He tried to tell her, as if she didn't know everything about the skum bags that had sent Clay stateside.
"That's why I'm worried. An element of the nonviolent New Resistance Force carried out the bombing in Manila. A formerly peaceful Islamic group bombed a mining interest in Vietnam. The ALA's attack in Phuket fits into a pattern. It's not a coincidence. The tactics are alike, and they're not local. They're imported. Someone is radicalizing anti-Western groups in Southeast Asia."
"Why?"
"To destabilize the region. Make it easier to recruit, set up shop here."
"Do you know who?"
"I suspect, but I can't say yet."
"When you know you let me know." He said before walking out and leaving her alone in the room.
A few hours later Eric walked in and set down a bag with her usual, a burger and fries, "Got anything?"
"You know I do."
"Something for Bravo?"
"And maybe Alpha."
"Shaw going to approve?"
"First part, yeah. Second is a long shot." Mandy said cryptically.
"You going to read me in?"
"Once it gets approved."
"You talk to Jason?"
"Do I need to?" Mandy asked, "He has been spending a lot of time with the shrink."
"Yeah, I uh, I don't think they are doing much talking."
"Better than some of the coping skills the rest of Bravo partakes in." Mandy said, looking towards Eric and crossing her arms.
"Boys want to be home with the Kid is all...losing Brett...none of us expected that." Eric said leaning against the table she was working at.
"He saw his future when he looked at Brett."
When Eric looked to Mandy it was like a light switch turned on in his head, "Lost his best friend in theater, wife..."
"Brett didn't make it to Alana's funeral."
"He never said anything."
"Does he ever say anything?"
"Not until everything blows up in his face." Eric mumbled.
"And who do you talk to?" Mandy asked him as she gently put her hand on his arm knowing full well that Eric had known Brett as long or longer than most of the guys on the team.
"I do alright." Eric told her with a sad smile.
"Those cracks Eric...not just showing on Jace."
"If Bravo is a family I am the cousin...it's different."
"When a family member is killed it still hurts." Mandy told him.
"Like you wouldn't believe." Eric said, looking down at his hands as he felt the tears sting at the back of his eyes. After taking a minute to regain his composure he stood up, "Bravo will be ready when you are." He told her before walking out leaving her alone and shaking her head. She hated that her family was hurting and hated even more that in order for her to remain professional she couldn't comfort them the way she knew they needed it.
"What is it now Blackburn?" Jason snapped when the man let himself into their room.
"Just came from Mandy." He said, sitting down on one of the beds.
"She have something for us?" Sonny asked.
"Close. But that isn't why I am here."
"What then?"
"We were talking about Brett." Eric said, finding it hard to hide the sadness in his eyes, "Feel like we should do something to honor him... just don't know what or how."
"Never know what is in another man's mind." Sonny mumbled. "Just never know." He said looking between Jason and Ray.
"What did you have in mind?" Jason asked, "Since they won't allow us to go home to do a proper funeral. Last I heard they weren't even sure if he would be buried with full honors."
"He will get the appropriate memorial." Eric sighed, "and that wasn't quite what I was thinking..." Before anyone had a chance to ask any questions their phones all started to buzz, "figures." He mumbled before standing up and leading the team out of the room.
"We intercepted communications. The ALA is expecting a shipment of weapons at a port south of Bangkok." Mandy said, relieved that she finally had something concrete.
"They're planning another attack?"
"Yes. SIGINT says active shooters at Pattaya Beach." Mandy told Hicks as he looked over her research.
"Pattaya Beach."
"There's a U. S. carrier in port there."
"They're gonna hit the U. S. sailors on liberty."
"Unless we stop them." Mandy smiled, knowing that Bravo would get them before anything had the chance to happen.
"I can get the Thai government to approve an op." Hick's told her, "Tell your boys to keep things muted."
"The plan is a stealth op. Bravo will seize the weapons and bring back prisoners to be questioned." Mandy said, knowing that no matter what they did at some point something would leak but she had more faith in Bravo than any other team. Bravo would get the job done.
"Ray, you seeing this?" Jason asked using the name of his friend as they sat in the dark looking at the port Mandy had sent them to.
"Ain't blind." Ray snapped at the man next to him. "By the time we flank 'em, they'll have that truck loaded and gone. Got to hit 'em straight up."
"You know, the whole part of a surprise attack is the surprise. We kind of lose that when we go straight in." Sonny said with a shake of his head.
"Bravo 2, take Full Metal to the right. We'll go left." Jason told Ray switching into work mode and using Ray's call sign.
"Copy. Moving." Ray told him, forgetting the tension between the two and going to work.
"Bravo 2, on my mark." Jason said once he knew Ray and Full Metal were in place and ready for battle.
"Solid copy." Ray said only moments before bullets started flying and their environment was lit up and thrown into utter chaos. "We're hanging out here, Jace!"
"Sonny, Trent, in the water! Hit 'em from the exposed side!" Jason yelled as bullets were whizzing past.
"Roger that! Send the guy who hates water!" Sonny said into comms before running towards the edge of the pier with Trent. Anything for his brothers, fear or no fear.
Seeing a missle coming for them Jason yelled, "Incoming!" getting no response he the fear took over and he called for his friend, "Ray, you good?"
"Yeah, I'm good!" Ray told him.
"Bravo 3, how long?"
"Get ready for fireworks." Sonny yelled back to Jason before turning to Trent, "On three. One, two, three."
"Grab 'em." Ray said as they wrangled the prisoners, "Get down, get down" As they led the men back toward Jason he smiled, "Figure this guy's a long way from home."
"What do you say, family vacation?"
"Yeah. Doubt he brought his wife and kids from Pakistan." Jason said, "Havoc, this is 1. We got someone here CIA's gonna want to talk to."
Once the team was back on the plane they all stuck close together, whatever was going on in their individual lives they were thankful they all made it off that pier and Jason was even more thankful that he personally recognized one of the dirtbags from the bar the night that they almost lost Clay. As pissed as Jason and Ray were at each other they were best friends and brothers and it didn't surprise any of the others on that plane that the two were seated side by side.
"Doesn't matter how good you are. You could be the best damn SEAL on the best damn team. Every operator knows, comes a time when your number's up. Being a team guy, you never figure on being alone. When it ends, it's it's like life stops. At least, the good parts." Clay watched the videos that Brett had left behind, "I just signed the divorce papers. Only surprise is Katy stayed with me that long. The moment I knew it was really over, Katy looks at me and says, "I don't know who you are anymore. " All I could think to say was, Neither do I."
With each video, hearing his voice, seeing his face Clay felt the anger growing, sadness gnawing at him, guilt eating him alive. "Talk about a shot in the arm, being home. Yeah. This is home, with the guys. I met this kid, Clay. I've got a place to crash now, job interview lined up. Things-things are gonna change for me. I feel it." Clay saw his apartment, heard his name...he rewatched this one over and over, "Things are gonna change. I've got a job interview lined up place to crash now. Yeah, I met this kid, Clay..." He had given Brett hope. Even if it was just for the moment.
"Paroxetine. To go with the oxycodone, hydro...hydrocodone, diazepam, clon...clonazepam for I don't know what for. I just take 'em. Nothing helps." Clay watched as Brett went through his long list of prescriptions and couldn't help but have the phrase medicate and isolate run through his head. He felt eyes on him as he clicked on the final video, "They understand that something's wrong with me. In my head. They won't help me. Not really help me. I know how to fight wars. I know how to fight men. I don't know how to fight the VA. I'm tired. Study my brain. Figure out what happened inside my head. YODO."
As the sound of the gunshot echoed from the computer speakers Clay felt Emma's arm wrap around his. It was the same every night, he would wake up with a dream of Brett calling out for help and end up coming out to watch the videos he had left him. At first Emma tried to get him to talk, but now...now she just wanted him to know she was there. He knew she could tell he was trying to pull away from her, to save her from the same pain that he felt. He also knew that she was stronger than him and that no matter what he did she would always be there as a flashlight to guide him home.
"I'm going to the clinic today...find that doctor." Clay finally told her as he shut the lid to the laptop.
"You think it will help?" Emma asked him, knowing it was useless to try and talk him out of it but also knowing him well enough to know that it wouldn't actually make him feel better.
"I don't know." He told her, knowing that she didn't think it would help and a part of him knew she was right but he didn't know what to do and going there at least felt like he was doing something.
"You want me to go with you?" She asked.
He needed to do it on his own. Brett was his brother. He had failed him, he needed someone to blame. The Navy failed him. Until he found change he knew he would be haunted by the guilt. "No." Clay said quietly, "Keep your phone on though?" He asked.
After showering Jason pulled out his phone, looking at the photos from their last night home, with Brett at the bar, "Look at that." He said holding out a photo of all of them together.
"Hard to know what's in another man's mind."
"Yeah. Wish he had said something." Jason said sadly.
"Talk. Right." Sonny mumbled.
"Hey. Here we go." Jason said as the rest of the guys walked into the room each picking up a shot glass.
All together the men echoed, "To those before us. To those amongst us, to those we'll see on the other side. Lord, let me not prove unworthy of my brothers."
"Here's to Swanny." Jason said before dropping his phone to the bed and drinking the whiskey in the glass.
"Swanny." The rest of Bravo echoed as they took their shots.
Jason watched as his team quickly scattered, he knew most of them were headed down to the bar, it was the only place to go really and he hated how alone he felt...until he looked over to see Eric sitting with his eyes closed, empty glass in his hand and Jason walked over and sat down next to him, "Got you Man." Jason said as he felt the tears sting his own eyes.
It wasn't often that Eric showed emotion, or sought comfort in his brothers on Bravo but with Jason it had always been different. The two had known each other the longest and had a mutual trust so it made it slightly easier. "We keep losing them." Eric said, barely above a whisper, "Why do we keep losing them?"
"Hey. How are you doing?" Christine smiled to Ray as he walked over to the table she sat at.
"Deployment's coming to an end. We ship out next week." Ray smiled as he sat down across the table from her.
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"So soon."
"Well, Christine, I-I thought the change in scenery would've done me some good. But here we are, three months later, and the bad guy's still out there and I'm even more mixed up than when I left." He told her, wondering why he found it so easy to talk to her when he couldn't talk to anyone else.
"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself."
"I'm sorry. I...You shouldn't have to sit here and listen to me wallow in self-pity."
"You can't tell me deployment's all bad."
"No, not all bad. Look, uh I hope I haven't been too much of a burden. You know, our talks."
"Hardly. Ray, whatever this is, it feels good." She said, reaching over and putting her hand on his, "You only have a week. Maybe we should, you know, make the most of it." Feeling the heat from her hand on his he finally understood what Mandy had been talking about with them being on the same page.
"Yeah...I...uh...The boys." Ray rambled.
"You know where to find me if you change your mind." She smiled as she got up, leaving him alone at the table.
Before Ray even had a chance to get up Sonny was sitting down at the table in the spot she had just vacated, "Don't start." Ray snapped.
"I've got a feeling, Ray Perry, and it ain't a good one." Sonny told him.
"You and your feelings." Ray shook his head.
"My feelings have been right on the damn money." Sonny said, crossing his arms, "The torpedo tube...what happened to Peter Pan...the dead man's hand...I can't shake it...and whatever is going on between you and Jace...somethin just don't feel right."
"Not on me to hold him up all the damn time Sonny."
"Don't give me that. You are his best friend and when Alana...when Alana died you were the first one there...didn't matter that the two of you were pissed then. He needed you and you were there."
"Yeah? And where was he in Mexico when I needed him?" Ray asked Sonny.
"That what this is about?" Sonny asked.
"I denied the man his last rights. That wasn't a choice I should have made."
"And so now you are drinking all the time, punchin people..."
"I didn't do a damn thing you haven't done."
"You're right. You are fucking right. But there is a reason you are number 2 on this team and I never will be. Talk to someone before it is too late." Sonny said standing up.
"I have been." Ray snapped back.
"Someone who doesn't want what rightly belongs to Naima." Sonny growled before walking off leaving Ray alone at the table.
"Hey, Emma. Finally, I caught you." Jason smiled on the screen.
"Hello. Sorry, Dad. Been busy. Was out all day, too. Naima took me shopping." Emma told him, and he knew she was hiding something.
"That's great. How is she?"
"Good. I think she's worried about Uncle Ray."
"Why's that? Guess they haven't spoken in weeks. She said you guys have been off-grid." Emma told him, "But you've called us...I didn't say anything."
"No, you-you were right not to. I..."
"Did you get my e-mail? About a meal plan and books? Vanessa says it's cheaper to buy..." Emma said, cutting him off. She knew something was wrong with him but with everything with Clay she didn't want to be on the phone when he called. Clay was home, she could help him...she couldn't help her Dad.
"Stop. Whoa, whoa. Just slow down, okay? How's Mikey?"
"He's fine, Dad. Mikey wants to go away to hockey school next year."
"Hockey...Hockey school?" Jason asked, already knowing about the school...he had been the one to send him there for the camp...but at least she was talking to him...her voice...God he wanted to be home with his kids.
"Yes. It's a boarding school where they play hockey."
"I know what that is. How am I supposed to pay for that?"
"And I also need a meal plan and books."
"Emma, hold on, okay? I will check my e-mail when I can...I-I called to talk to you." Jason told her, fighting the tears in his eyes, he hated that he needed his daughter but without Alana...he just didn't know what to do.
"You haven't even looked? If the payment's late..." Emma said making the quick decision that she had to brush him off...to keep them both from breaking and so she turned her feigned frustration turning to anger...Jason could see through it that there was something else going on, she just wouldn't talk to him.
"Look, it's not gonna be late." Jason tried.
"Says the man who refuses to deal with anything regarding my future." She knew it was a cheap shot but was hoping to get him angry instead of sad.
"I'm not. Look, can we just talk about something else here?" Jason said, barely able to steady his breathing
"No, Dad. We can't, because you keep making this the thing we always have to talk about by not dealing with it. Goodbye." She said hanging up on him as she felt her phone buzz in her pocket. Before even reading Clay's message she sent her dad a text, 'Love you. Read the email. Call me back once you have an answer for me.' She hoped that he would look at it before throwing his phone across the room.
Reading the text from Clay she went out and got in her car and started the short drive to the clinic just in case he needed her. 'Standing by his parking spot.' Was all the text had said. She knew that no matter what the doctor told him it wouldn't bring Brett back and once he got out what he needed to say he would crash.
Before Emma had even pulled out of the driveway she got a text back from her Dad, 'You going to tell me what is going on with him?' and she quickly sent a reply, 'He went to talk to Brett's doctor. Call me after you read the email."
Emma found Clay sitting on the curb where the truck had been parked the night that Brett had killed himself. "What are you doing here?" Clay asked her when he felt someone walk up to him.
"Didn't want you to be alone." She told him, "Figured if he couldn't order a MRI he wouldn't bring Brett back...and since that is about the only thing that could make you happy right now...I just...even if you won't let me in...I need you to see that I am here."
"You should be at work."
"And you should be at PT."
"What's the point?" Clay mumbled.
"Get off your ass." Emma snapped at him as she jumped up. "Get in the car, we are going to PT."
"It is too late." Clay said, looking up at her.
"You aren't a quitter. Let's go."
"Invoking your all access pass?" Clay said with a small smile as he stood up slowly.
"Yeah...while I am still stronger than you." Emma teased as she pushed Clay towards her truck.
"What's wrong?" Clay asked, looking at her after he got into the driver seat.
"Something is going on with Bravo...just have a bad feeling is all." Emma told him, "It is probably nothing but...when I talked to dad he looked upset." Clay just nodded and leaned his head back against the seat as she drove him to the base where he was suppose to be working out with a trainer.
Once they were parked Clay followed Emma into the building, surprised she knew where to go. "Nice of you to make it Mr Spencer." The trainer smiled. "You ready to get to work?"
"Uh yeah... hi." Clay said, realizing that he was wearing jeans.
"Clothes are here." Emma smiled as she handed him a small bag she had materialized out of nowhere. "Go change." She smiled before going straight into a conversation with the trainer, one she clearly knew and he wouldn't be surprised if she had him fully updated on everything Brett before he returned.
"Start with a warmup on the bike." He said as soon as Clay walked back in the room.
"He worked with Ray after his shoulder and Dad a few years ago when he busted his knee on an opp. When Dad was too stubborn to go work with him he found him on the course and made him do all the same stuff out there." Emma smiled, "I am glad he is the one assigned to work with you."
"You full time with the teams?" Clay asked as he sat down on the bike.
"Yes. And stop pussy footing it and start pedaling." He barked at Clay before smiling at Emma. "They are all the same."
"That a bad thing?"
"Wimp out in therapy but over do it on your own. It is how y'all keep getting repeat injuries. Think you know better than the doctors."
"Yeah well I am not all guys and this is not a repeat injury." Clay said as frustration rose as he felt the pain in his leg after less than five minutes.
"That." He said, walking over to him, "The face you are making. Point to where it hurts." When Clay pointed the man moved Clay's foot on the pedal so it was angled slightly, "Now try it." When Clay pedaled again the pain was gone and he smiled, "You have to teach the scar tissue where it is okay to move, going to be sore there but it shouldn't be a sharp pain so if it is again make sure your foot is angled."
"Yeah. Okay." Clay said with a small nod. When he looked over at where Emma was sitting on a yoga ball he smiled, "I am here. You don't have to babysit me."
"Actually I kinda do. My pass is access to you so I have to be with you while I am in here." Emma shrugged, "Besides when I am with you I am technically working and just on loan from med."
"So you get paid to spend time with this guy?" The ATC asked.
"Eh. Something like that." She smiled, "kinda makes up for how much of a pain in the ass he can be."
"Vodka soda, please." The psych ordered as she sat down next to Jason at the bar, "Well, look at that. Fancy seeing you here."
"We're on an island the size of a parking lot. Not many other places to be." Jason mumbled.
"Yeah, I think that's working out for me."
"Uh Thanks. You look tired."
"Yeah. Long day. Difficult patient."
"Patient?" Jason questioned, "Well, I thought that you weren't supposed to talk about your patients with the whole patient confidentiality thing."
"Well, I'm not exactly revealing anything confidential. Just saying I had a bad day."
"All right."
"How about you?" She asked, quickly picking up on Jason's sour mood.
"My day? Uh, just like yesterday. The day before that and the day before that and the day before that."
"You know, you're not really telling me much. You realize that, right?"
"What exactly would you want me to say?"
"Just how your day was. Is that too much to ask?"
"I didn't come here for this." Jason snapped, knowing he was taking out his anger on her without reason other than the fact that she was there.
"What? It's just a conversation."
"It's not a conversation. You're turning it into an argument, it sounds like."
"That's odd, because I was just asking how your day was, and you don't really want to talk about it, or much anything else, so..."
"You're psychoanalyzing me. You're trying to root through my brain and find something that is a problem that really isn't a problem, and then you make it a problem. That's exactly what you're doing."
"That's what you think?"
"Yeah."
"You know what? I can definitely think of some other place to be." She said standing up and walking away pissed off.
"Man Somebody's not happy with you." Mandy said, walking up to the other side of him.
"Oh, please. I don't want to get into it."
Ignoring Jason she asked, "Can I, uh, get one?"
"Uh, gin and tonic." Jason said to the bartender.
"Actually, I'll just have whatever he's having."
"Wow. Not having your usual?"
"No. Show of support."
"Show of support." Jason said with a sigh as the bartender quickly handed her a glass, "There you go. Cheers." he said sarcastically.
"Thanks. You want to tell me what's wrong?"
"Geez, you got to be kidding me."
"Oh, my God." Mandy said swallowing a sip of what Jason was drinking.
"You know what, let me ask you a question. Why does everybody think that something's wrong?"
"We don't have to talk about it." Mandy said knowing that by giving him an out he would spit it all out before he self imploded.
"I'm good." Jason snapped before taking a drink and a deep breath, "All right, fine, you want to know what's wrong? You know, my best friend, Ray, he's pulling away from the teams. He's loose, and he's going off the rails. I got Clay, who just got blown up on my watch. He's back home. He's going through rehab. I don't even know what the odds are that he even makes it back. My old pal Swanny shot himself in the heart in the VA parking lot. He's gone. My daughter, she hates me. I'm constantly worrying about my kids because they're home alone because their mother died. And my AO is so far up my ass because, you know, he doesn't think I know how to run my teams...My teams." Jason sighed and looked up at Mandy, "What, am I supposed to, like, feel better now that I did that?"
With a small chuckle she smiled at Jason, "I don't know."
"I don't know, either. I don't talk about these things because...I protect the people that I care about."
"No, Jason. We don't talk about these things because we want to protect ourselves." Mandy told him honestly, knowing that he knew she could see right through whatever masks he may be trying to hide behind.
"Do we have to do this here?" Jason asked her as he shot back the remaining whiskey in his glass.
"No, we don't. But we need to do it somewhere." Mandy said spinning her chair around and standing up.
"Where are we going?" Jason asked her.
"Away from here." Mandy smiled, walking out as Jason threw money on the counter before following her out the door.
"Good news, Clay. You're progressing fine. You're on schedule." The doctor told him as he sat on the table the end of the week.
"My right leg's getting better? You're sure?" Clay asked in disbelief. It had been a rough week and he felt like he was stuck.
"It is."
"When, uh, when do you think I can make it back to my team?"
"It's still premature to speculate, but if this pace of healing continues, I think you'll operate again. You're fortunate. Navy Med Center has an excellent PT staff."
"Yeah, fortunate." Clay said, picturing Brett's body falling out of the truck onto him. "Hey, uh, do-do I have anything in my jacket about a blast-wave injury from the bomb?"
"No. There's no mention of it. First responders were likely focused on your legs. Why?"
"I just, uh, had-had a buddy who couldn't get treated for TBI 'cause his injury wasn't in his jacket."
"Oh, I'm not surprised. Head injuries often go unnoticed when the victim doesn't lose consciousness. And the lack of self-reporting is understandable, given that a TBI can interrupt or end your military career. You've, uh You've been experiencing symptoms? TBI, I mean."
"No. No, I...none." Clay said, not wanting anything to ruin the slim chance of him making it back.
"Not like a team guy would tell me anyway." The doctor said as he typed his notes into the computer.
"Uh, yeah..." Clay said, "So you really think I will make it back?"
"Like I said, if you continue to improve the way you have I think the chances are good."
"Thanks Doc." Clay smiled.
As he walked out to his car he pulled out his phone to call Sonny and tell him the good news, "You okay?" Sonny answered with a scowl.
"I'm good. What's up your ass?" He asked, wondering what would have his friend so upset.
"Team's off kilter. I don't like it."
"Doc said if my improvement continues like it has been I will make it back." Clay smiled.
Sonny just stared into the phone, "That is some much needed good news Blondezilla. You just made my day Little Buddy."
"They really that bad?" Clay asked, "I mean, I know you are all going stir crazy over there but..."
"It's bad man... Mandy just took Jace to talk to him...she hasn't needed to do that since..."
"Emma said they got in a fight again about college stuff." Clay told him, "Think it is more to try and keep him fighting...not her actually being mad. I can tell she is worried even if she doesn't say anything."
"You still talking to her all the time?"
"You make that sound like a bad thing." Clay smiled. "I am closer in age to her than I am to you...you know that right?"
"You uh talk to Davis lately?" Sonny asked.
"She called a couple days ago. Sounds like things are going alright."
"Did she uh...did she say anything about her sister?"
"Didn't mention anything. I didn't think she talked to her family."
"She doesn't...didn't...I don't know...she said something about wanting to talk to her and see if she would go to her graduation...I just want to make sure she has someone there and since we are here..."
"When is it?"
"Couple weeks."
"I can be there." Clay smiled, for once feeling useful.
That evening the team was all in good spirits after Sonny shared the news about Clay's leg and that most likely he will be returning to his spot on Bravo. "Six beers, six shots on me. I got this round." Jason smiled to the group.
"Count me out. I'm gonna go call Naima." Ray said after looking at his phone.
Shaking his head Jason threw daggers at his best friend, "That's cute. You go ahead and you call your wife, Ray."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Talked to my daughter. You know what she's saying to me? She's saying that Naima told her that you haven't been talking to your wife for weeks, Ray."
Feeling panic rise into his chest along with the anger at being called out by Emma, Ray snapped back, "You want to tell me what a teenage girl's doing in my business?"
"Watch your tone. That's my daughter." As Jason started to stand up Sonny and the rest of the team started to move around so they would be able to separate the two if need be...and they knew the blow up was brewing.
"Why don't you take the air out your chest, Jason? Look, all I'm saying is, this is my business."
"You're right. It is your business, but when it starts affecting the team, then it becomes my business. Guess what. Team affected. It's my business."
"You're just looking for something to be mad at."
"That right?" Jason asked, "We all know what you're going through, bud."
"Mm-hmm. Do you?"
"Yeah. You haven't prayed in weeks. Look, I know what happened in Mexico. That church that hit you hard, man, but this isn't you. This is not Bravo 2, pal."
"See, you know what? That's all you want."
"What?"
"Bravo 2. Good old Ray, propping you up."
"Propping me up?"
"Yeah, propping you up. Holding you together, holding everyone together." Ray said as he huffed himself up, before slamming back to Jason, "You know, I'm not, I'm not gonna do this with you. Not until you get your own house in order."
"Put all your heat on the team leader 'cause you can't take it when the heat's on you." Jason snapped.
"There you go again. There you go again, calling out everybody else's imperfections when your hypocritical ass is too stubborn to understand that you've been falling apart at the seams ever since..." The guys shook their head as they saw an instant change in Jason...and were shocked that Ray had the balls to call his team leader and best friend in the way that he just did.
"I'm sorry. When? Since when? Go ahead, say it. Say it, Ray." Jason yelled, feeling like he was going to explode at any second. How dare he, how dare his best friend throwing his wife's death in his face, "Since my wife died? Since Alana?"
"Yeah, since Alana died!" Ray yelled back, hating that things had escalated so quickly but being so pissed at the world he really didn't care.
"That's what you're gonna say?"
"You know what? Man, I'm not even doing this, because you were too stubborn to listen to her, so I know you're not gonna listen to me. I'm out...Yeah, I'm out. I'm out."
"You're out? Why you keep bringing up my family, Ray?"
"I didn't bring up family! You brought..." Ray said rushing towards Jason and taking a swing before the two of them were surrounded and being pushed out opposite doors of the bar.
Once Sonny had Ray back in their room he moved over near where Ray was putting things away in his locker, "Hey, Ray, listen, man, you and Naima going through stuff, you know, you can always I don't know talk to me."
"What's that? What-what you gonna do? You're gonna, you're gonna counsel me with all your all your marriage experience? And I'm sick and tired of Jason holding me up like I'm I'm some damn moral compass."
"Hey, you need to take a breath and sit down."
"I don't want to."
"Sit your ass down." Sonny ordered. "Bravo 1 may lead the team, but 2 is the glue."
"Don't do that. Don't put that on me. I did not ask for that."
"Maybe you didn't, but it is what it is, brother."
"You know what? Don't tell me who I am, Sonny. I know who I am."
Feeling so beyond frustrated with his two team leaders he laughed, "Oh. All right then says the guy that punches his team leader and his best friend? That who you really are, Ray Perry?"
"You don't know what you are talking about." Ray snapped at Sonny as he sat down.
"Start talking then."
"None of your business."
"If you think that show at the bar isn't going to come back to bite us all in the backside you have lost your mind."
"It's none of your business Sonny." Ray said again.
"Just like it was none of my damn business when Jason and Alana started having troubles or none of my damn business when I saw the kid going sideways after..."
"I get it...just not now."
"Don't think I need to remind you that tomorrow isn't guaranteed." Sonny growled at Ray before slamming out of the room.
Catching up to the guys dragging Jason back to the base Eric grabbed Jason and pulled him into the first building they came to and practically pushing him into the first chair they came to. "You know Shaw has eyes on us. He's waiting for us to screw up. It's hard for me to understand why what happened in that bar happened."
"Don't know." Jason snapped, clearly not ready to talk about whatever happened.
"You don't know?"
"Look, I let it get to me."
"Let what get to you?"
"Ray he's got something going on. Been dealing with something ever since Mexico, you know? Should have seen it, should have taken care of it much earlier, but I didn't." Jason blurted out all while knowing full well what happened was not just about what was going on with Ray.
"This isn't about Ray..." Eric said and he watched Jason sigh, "Jason, you've got a heavy load."
"Come on."
"Trying to fill the role of both parents for your kids and lead this team. But you cannot do it all, not without help."
"Who says I need help?"
"The cracks. Cracks that are starting to show. They scream it loud." Looking towards his friend he shook his head, "Jason, you need to quit making excuses. And take a close look at yourself. 'Cause Bravo team is suffering. And if things don't change, there's a good chance this team gets dismantled. If that happens, it won't be on Shaw, won't be on Ray. It'll be on you."
As their phones buzzed they both knew that Mandy had found what she needed, "I am fine. My kids are fine. Ray will be fine. We know how to do our jobs."
"I am not just worried about you doing your job." Eric shook his head. "Bravo is family and quite frankly I do not want divorce to be on the horizon."
"Divorce? Really Eric?"
"Get your house in order." Eric told him with another shake of his head.
Clay stood outside of the ship until the very last guard was set to close the boat to start the ceremony and he finally stepped forward. "Where is your invitation?" The guard asked.
"Here for Ensign Lisa Davis." Clay told him. "Her sister was suppose to come but she uh...she called last minute and couldn't get a..uh sitter." Clay rambled.
"Davis huh?" The guard asked with a smile before looking at his list. "Her guest didn't arrive so I guess you can go."
"Thanks Brother." Clay smiled as he stepped forward, relying on his cane to help him keep balance as he walked up the gangplank.
"Where'd you get your ticket punched?" He asked, following him up.
"Manilla." Clay told him without turning around.
"You out for good?" He asked, the same question everyone always asked.
"Still waiting for the final verdict." Clay shrugged.
"Top deck. You know the way?" The guard asked and Clay nodded quickly before making his way up to where they were holding the ceremony.
"U. S. Navy Officer Candidate School Class 2019. Congratulations, Ensigns. Today marks the beginning of your career as a commissioned officer. From this day forward, you will wear the uniform of a leader. There will be times when you must make hard decisions. Decisions that you must make on your own. Decisions that require courage, decisions that affect your nation. When those times come, I urge you all to think back on this day, on the events that led you here. Think back to all you've learned, all you've accomplished. Your failures, as well as your triumphs..." The ceremony started as he made his way to his seat.
When Clay looked up he saw a defeated look on Lisa's face but when she looked out at the seat again she broke out in a big grin. "Ensign Lisa Davis." The master of ceremonies called out and Clay couldn't help but smile as she kept her eyes locked on him.
Finally able to walk toward him she pushed him on the shoulder, "What are you doing here?"
"Figured you would want family here." Clay smiled as he pulled her into a hug.
"Sonny told you to come...?"
"He told me you were going to see if your sister could come and didn't know how that would turn out so I said I..."
"You were standing there waiting to see if she..."
"Family Davis...not always blood." Clay said and Lisa held tighter to his waist, she hadn't seen him since the hospital.
"How did you get here?" She asked, pulling back slightly.
"Drove."
"By yourself?"
"Cleared to work out on base now." He smiled to her, "Doc thinks I will make it back to Bravo."
"Really? That is amazing!" Lisa said, pulling Clay into a hug, "It is so nice to see you out of that hospital bed."
"You going to tell me what the deal is with your family?" Clay asked her, "Sonny just mentioned that your past was..."
"My mother was an alcoholic and was out partying when our house caught fire...my little sister was killed and my wonderful mother blamed me...my other sister..." Lisa shrugged, looking down at her shoes.
"Got it, well...just know that family isn't always blood." Clay smiled at her, "I am glad Sonny told me about this...you deserve this."
"Just hope that I am able to stay on the teams now."
"You will." Clay smirked, "Harrington is a big fan of yours."
"Really?" Lisa asked, surprised.
"Well, he has been bitching about everything going to hell since you left for training." Clay smirked.
Mandy finally had clearance for her opp and once Bravo was all in the room she started, "The Pakistani you pulled off the dock in Bangkok is a former member of ISI. Name's Tareen."
"All that running around chasing Commies, and we're back to the same old meat and potaters." Sonny said sitting back in his chair.
Ignoring the man Mandy continued, "As you all know, it's common practice for Pakistani military and intelligence to fund, recruit and train terrorist cells."
"I bet that connection's the man who trained Tareen."
"Got a winner. Yasin Khan."
"Khan ran ISI and Pakistani special operations teams. Khan's M. O. has always been providing funding and target packages for extremist cells, but as his influence increased, Khan began turning on and activating terrorist cells within non-extremist groups."
"Like our Communist friends in Thailand and the Philippines."
"Yes. He's solidifying his influence in the region."
"Why?"
"Because he wants the region."
"Destabilized and terrorized."
Eric, always impressed with Bravos ability to humanize the unimaginable and get the job done went on, "Yasin Khan is the man responsible for the bombing that sent Clay Stateside. He's also shaping up to be the next Osama bin Laden. We tracked his camp to the disputed area of the Kashmir mountains. Langley has bumped him up to capture/kill priority. We'll be executing this one off the books. Nothing, and I mean nothing can go wrong on this one."
"I'm gonna take a shot in the dark here and say that Pakistan doesn't want us playing in their backyard, yeah?" Jason pointed out.
"Well, given their recent aggression on both sides and the fact that Pakistan and India tensions haven't been this high since the early '70s, no. If your presence is discovered, it could start a war." Eric told the guys.
"I bet Shaw's happier than a pig in mud over this op." Sonny smirked.
"If we can't breach in Pakistani airspace, we drop in over India." Jason said.
"Exactly. HAHO's the only way. You'll be crossing into Kashmir under canopy after opening over India."
"Those mountains are pretty high. K2's what, 28,000 feet?" Ray asked.
"Correct. But your course has you passing through a saddle which peaks at 15,000 feet. That gives you a 3,000-foot window for error, so, ideally, you'll pass over the mountain range at about 18,000."
"Well, that sure doesn't give us a lot of wiggle room."
"Sure doesn't. If you open below 18,000 feet, you're gonna land on the east side of the mountain, which, according to our intel, is chock-full of enemy. If that happens, you'll be forced to E&E."
"Well, that's a deterrent if I ever heard of one."
"Once you're on the ground, we lose ISR, and comms will be spotty."
"So we'll be all alone, what else is new." Jason mumbled.
"Let's get our gear ready, grab some rest. We meet at the staging area at 1500." Eric said before the team scattered. "Hey." Eric said catching Jason before he left the room with the rest of his team.
"Yeah."
"Sonny was right back there." Eric told him.
"Sonny's never right about anything." Jason rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, well, he's right about Shaw. To say that man's unhappy is a vast understatement. This op could make or break his career. And ours."
"We can do our jobs." Jason practically growled.
"Under normal circumstances yes. But whatever is going on with Ray..."
"First you say the team problems are my fault. Now you are worried about Ray?"
"I am worried about both of you." Eric snapped back. "Nothing can go wrong on this one."
"We will be fine." Jason snapped before going back up to the teams quarters.
"What Blackburn want?" Sonny asked.
"Nothing." Jason snapped as he pulled out his computer. "Can someone tell me how to open this email from Emma so I can sign whatever it is she needs me to sign just in case..."
Snapping their heads over to Jason both Brock and Trent were at the computer in an instant and not thirty seconds later the file was on its way back to Emma. When they stood back up they saw Sonny's eyes on them but Ray was clueless with his head in his locker texting someone...most likely not Naima.
"When you're a team guy, that's what you live for. There's nothing like that feeling, that rush. You are the tip of the spear. I've got a different mission now. They tell you in BUD/S, the only easy day was yesterday. I'm gonna work this like I worked BUD/S. One day at a time. I got this." Clay played the video to Harrington before switching it to another, "Lead us out. Roger that. All right, boys. Let's get ready..." He heard Brett's voice say before the sound of the explosion that killed his best friend.
"Brett Swann lived five more years. But that explosion is the combat injury that killed him. Brett deserves a Purple Heart. And I'd like for you to request an award review."
"All right, Spenser. It'll take at least six months."
"That's fine, sir."
"And the request will most likely be denied. The standard for the Purple Heart, when it comes to a blast-wave injury, is that it needs to cause a loss of consciousness or be severe enough to require treatment by a medical officer. Brett never asked for treatment. It's not in his jacket."
"Would you have asked, sir?"
"No. No, that's not the point. The point is a Purple Heart will not be awarded because Brett did exactly what you and I would do: he didn't report it. He should have. But he didn't feel like he could. And that's what needs to change. This medal isn't just for Swanny, this is for all of us who could wind up just like him."
"I understand that. The military has to draw a line somewhere until we know more about TBI."
"We're not gonna know more until we change the system. It has to be reported in order to be studied and treated. If the military won't pay attention to the problem, maybe the press will."
"Spenser, I'm on your side here. I really am. But if you take this outside of our orbit, you'll be throwing away your career and facing a court-martial." Harrington threatened, hating the words as he heard them in his own voice.
"Right. Sorry for wasting your time." Clay said before folding his laptop and walking out.
"Spencer." He heard Harrington yell but he ignored it and kept going.
Pulling out his phone as he left the building he dialed Emma, "He going to help?" She asked.
"No...basically threatened my career if I tried to do anything..."
"That doesn't sound like something he would say." Emma said, wondering why Harrington wouldn't back up Clay to get Brett an award he deserved. "What are you going to do?" Emma asked, knowing him well enough to know he wasn't going to just drop it when he had been fixated on it since Brett died.
"Was thinking about calling my Dad." Clay told her. "Or do you think that is a bad idea?"
"I think you should think long and hard before you do anything." Emma told him, "And maybe talk to the guys."
"They are headed out." Clay told her, "You want to meet up for dinner?"
"Sure. Davis was going to take me out shopping this afternoon, it okay if she comes too?"
"Yeah. Just text me where you want me to meet you guys." Clay said before hanging up the phone.
As Sonny sat watching Jason and Ray not speaking, hell not even looking in the same direction for hours as they were flown into Indian airspace Sonny felt his anger growing. When he knew they were less than an hour out he finally got up and went over and sat down next to Jason. Looking over at the man who had been basically his younger brother for nearly two decades he shook his head, "Not now, Sonny."
"Now is all we got, Jace. We're 30,000 feet over India, about to jump into a hornet's nest. We got a cake-eater who's supposed to have our back, and who's getting his knife ready."
"And?"
"And?"
"Yeah."
"Things aren't right with you and Ray."
"The guy took a swing at me."
"The guy? That guy is Ray. Bravo 2. Your best friend."
"Mm."
"Yeah, you're both in the wrong taking a swing at each other. You got to make it right, J."
"No, what I need to do is keep my head in the game. The mission's the only thing that matters. Ray knows that, too."
With a sigh Sonny stood up, "Y'all are a bunch of children."
As they were dropping Jason started counting chutes as they opened. "Havoc this is 1, I have six." He said into coms.
Not thirty seconds later he heard his best friend's voice, "I got a line over! Say again, line over. I'm working the problem."
"Work the problem, Ray. Work the problem." Jason said, trying to keep his voice steady. They couldn't have any mistakes on this one.
"I'm working it." Ray said before a few seconds of silence, "Too long. I've got to cut away." After a few more seconds Jason heard, "I'm cutting away. Tell Naima I love her."
"Ray!" Jason yelled as he saw the shoot tangle within itself and he knew that Ray was free falling somewhere below.
Looking to his right he saw Sonny looking back at him, both knowing that they may never see their brother again. "Bravo 1, what just happened?" They heard Eric ask through comms.
"Havoc, this is 1. Bravo 2 has a chute malfunction and had to cut away from his main. I say again, Bravo 2 had to cut away from his main."
"Copy that, Bravo 1. Did anyone see his reserve deploy?"
"Havoc, this is 1. Negative." Jason said before he heard only static. They were on their own and Ray was cut off from them landing in enemy territory. "Havoc, this is 1. We've lost Bravo 2. I say again, we've lost Bravo 2."
"Hey Blondie!" Lisa smiled when Clay walked into the restaurant.
"Hey." Clay said sitting down at the booth and smiling at Emma.
"You guys find anything good?" He asked Emma.
"Few things for my room. I am taking a lot from the house since Dad is going to end up selling it...he keeps saying he isn't but he hates being there and when it is empty it will be even worse for him."
"You shouldn't have to be thinking about that kind of stuff." Lisa told her.
"Says the one who had to play parent when she was way younger than me." Emma said, cocking her brow at Lisa.
"Point well made." Lisa said, holding her hands up in mock surrender. "Guess none of us had the ideal childhoods."
"Don't think anyone on the teams did...big part of why a lot of us joined the teams was to find family we didn't have." Clay said, looking down at his phone.
"You told your Dad didn't you?" Emma asked.
"I uh...I left a message...who knows if he will even listen to it." Clay shrugged as he pocketed his phone.
"Told him about what? I thought Jace told you not to talk to him." Lisa questioned.
"About Brett. Clay wants to help get him awarded..."
"Harrington isn't being helpful." Lisa interrupted, "Not really surprising. He didn't die in battle. He died in the VA Parking lot because the VA wasn't able to help how they should have...it is a PR nightmare...what does that have to do with..." Lisa was going to question, "Your Dad's press connections. Got it."
"Do you think it is a bad idea?" Clay asked nervously.
"I think it is genius. Your Dad knew Brett...they weren't on the same team but they definitely knew each other and it is a good way to keep your hands clean."
"I didn't know they knew each other." Clay said, his smile disappearing, "Brett never mentioned it."
"Probably didn't want you to ask about his family." Emma suggested, "He only ever talked about what he felt safe saying...was always that way." When Clay finally looked up and meet her eyes she smiled, "You guys ready to order?"