Chapter 32

Another chapter and anxiously waiting for season 4. I was on Tumblr and someone posted an article saying Jessica Pare will no longer be a regular on the show (link is on my Tumblr: .com). The article claims she will make appearances this season though (so maybe there is a little hope). I really am hoping for the best! All my hopes and dreams are in these two lol. I will forever be and Mandy/Jason fan. I think the other issue is that these first two episodes were supposed to be the finale to season 3 but with the pandemic everything kind of changes. It's all gonna work out, I think. Anyways, I will continue to write them, and I hope others do as well. We need more writers for these guys.

It had been about an hour since Mandy's journey to Al-Hazred's hideout began. The ride was bumpy, and she had a lot of time to think. Time to think could be good yet dangerous. No one was saying anything over comms, so she wasn't sure if they were working.

She thought about how life had changed so quickly during this deployment. Seemed like every time she got deployed something big was happening. Last time it was finding who killed Echo team and this time it was helping Lisa in discovering a whole new terrorist network. Despite the betrayal from Reiss, if they took down Tahara this could be one of the last big take downs on the war on terror in this region. At the same time, Mandy knew that as soon as you cut one head of the snake off another could easily grow. It was a nice thought thinking about a little less evil existing in the world and showing the sacrifices made were worth it.

She thought about what it'd be like to retire or take a step back from her work. She didn't know what she'd do. Would she take a director's position? Move to another department that worked more stateside? Would she settle down and have a family? When she took down Roman, would she find some peace finally and breathe? How much longer was she going to do this job? When was it enough?

Speaking of settling and having a family, she thought of Jason. What happened when they were back home stateside? Both had their share of demons to face. Jason and she knew they had something real but professionally they were unsure. Mandy was ready for a break. She was ready to possibly step back and see what else was out there. Was Jason at that point too? Mandy knew he wasn't. She knew he was unsure of the future. She knew the transition from deployment to being back home was rough. Mandy also knew that whatever happened she wasn't abandoning him no matter how hard he tried to shut her out.

These were all realities she and Jason had to face, and she hoped they'd face them together. She felt confident that her and Jason were all in this relationship. They'd be tested. She'd be facing the battle of Roman and Jason would be facing the battle of time. She knew he'd need her whether he said it or not. She wasn't going to leave him. She was going to show him that he was more than just Bravo one and hopefully in the process she'd realize she was worth more too.

The sun was starting to go down and Jason found himself back at HAVOC watching Mandy's convoy. Mandy's Dad was still around as well and continuing to go through whatever he was doing on his laptop. Everyone else, came around periodically checking in to see how it was all going. So far everything was good.

"You should talk to her," Director Thomson said suddenly. "She's probably thinking too much out there."

"What?" Jason asked confused. "I thought the comms were one way."

"They are but I'm sure it'd be nice to hear a familiar voice other than her own inside her head. You know how Mandy can get," Thomson said looking at Jason.

Before Jason knew it, Thomson's assistant was handing him a head set like what Mandy wore when Asim went under for them. He took the head set and looked at it for a second before deciding that maybe it wasn't a bad idea. He did know how wound up Mandy could get, and he knew from experience how your own thoughts could drive you crazy.

"You're on. Hopefully, it's working," Thomson's assistant said.

Jason took a deep breath trying to figure out where to start. "Hey," Jason breathed out and then chuckled. "God you'd think I was some teenager trying to talk to the pretty girl in high school but that's how I feel when it comes to you at the moment."

Mandy had been lost in her thoughts when she heard Jason start talking. She let out a breath and smile hearing Jason.

"I don't know if you can hear me right now but I'm just gonna talk cuz you're probably thinking too much," Jason said with a smile.

"As if you don't think too much," Mandy replied as if Jason could hear her.

"I miss you," Jason sighed. "And that terrifies me. You know me and emotions."

"I'm terrified too," Mandy replied.

"I also know that I haven't cared about someone like I do of you in a long time," Jason continued. "I promised myself I'd talk to you when this was all over, but I don't think I can wait. Or maybe I'm taking the coward's way out in not telling you to your face."

"You could never be a coward," Mandy said softly. "You're the bravest person I know."

"I know we have a lot to work through," Jason said watching the screen. "You know a few months back when I was with Natalie, I was seeing a therapist."

This had surprised Mandy. She knew at some point Jason would need to ask for help but hearing he did try to get some surprised her. Maybe it surprised her because she wished she had been there for him more after the surgery instead of Natalie.

"I remember this one session I told him that when I looked into the future, I didn't see anything," Jason breathed out

"I know," Mandy said.

"I've always been a better solider than I ever was a father or husband," Jason sighed. "I put everything into teams and now time is knocking. You remember that night at the bar when I asked you to go on that road trip? You said sooner or later I was gonna have to face life after Bravo. You've always told me how it is and never held back. I've never thanked you for constantly having my back and the team's."

"I'll always have your back, Jason," Mandy replied.

"What we do comes with a steep price. As a solider, I've nearly sacrificed everything to be at my best and bring my guys home. You've done the same too. You sacrificed yourself to save Ray and I'll never be able to thank you for that in a way that will ever make it up to you," Jason confessed.

"There's nothing to thank me for," Mandy said with tears in her eyes. "God, I wish I could hug you right now."

"I wish I could hug you right now," Jason said at the same time as Mandy and Mandy chuckled on her end. "There's so much I want to say but you deserve to be here when I say it. So, you have to make it back cuz the truth is right here right now when I look into the future, I see something."

Mandy inhaled a quick breath waiting for Jason to continue.

"I see you," Jason confessed. "I see something outside of Bravo and with you by my side, I think I can breathe a little easier."

"I see you too," Mandy replied.

"I'm not saying it's going to be easy but I wanna be better for you," Jason continued. "And if you'll have me, I could see the rest of my life with you."

"Did you just-," Mandy sputtered.

"I'm not proposing," Jason added quickly. "At least maybe not yet," Jason said glancing at Mandy's Dad who shook his head with a smile.

Mandy let out a breath thinking about what Jason had just said. They hadn't even said those three words yet and here he was talking about the rest of their lives. Although Mandy couldn't help but think of the same future.

There was a pause before Jason spoke again. "You remember when we first met?" Jason chuckled.

"Yeah, you hated me," Mandy smiled at the memory.

"And don't say I hated you. I just didn't have enough information to like you," Jason chuckled, and Mandy rolled her eyes.

Jason continued with stories of them and the team. Each of them having a conversation with the other even though they could only hear themselves. The time passed quickly and before Jason knew it, he was saying goodbye and getting ready to head towards her. They were both coming home because they both refused to accept that this may be the end for them. They'd make it through this storm and then the next. They'd come out stronger than ever.

Mandy felt the truck stop and it sounded like they'd finally reached Al-Hazred's hideout. She heard voices around the area. She then heard Al-Hazred greet his mother and sister asking them if everything was okay. His mother went on to explain that the Americans had ambushed them along with taking them in for questioning.

As they headed into the building nearby, Mandy slowly turned to her side to see through one small sliver of her hidden space. She watched as the family walked away from her and saw the sister chance a look back towards her. Mandy held her breath hoping her cover wouldn't be blown. Luckily, no one seemed to notice the sister's distraction so far. Suddenly a small child came running out towards the sister.

"Oh my god," Mandy whispered ever so softly. The sister had a little daughter, that's why she took the deal. Now Mandy realized it was even more important to get both out. She wished she had a way to let HAVOC know but she'd just have to adjust accordingly.

Mandy closed her eyes and listened to the surroundings around her. She didn't hear anything in the vicinity of the truck. She pulled the knife out from her vest and quietly started to loosen a couple of the floorboards. The truck had tall walls along the whole bed of the truck so she should have decent coverage from anyone seeing the boards move.

Back at HAVOC, Lisa looked up and noticed movement inside the truck. "Mandy's moving," Lisa announced standing to get closer to the screen and watch. Blackburn and Thomson came up behind her as well to watch.

"All right let's make sure we're alert on the surroundings," Blackburn called out to the room.

"Flyer one this is HAVOC, we got you," Lisa said into the headset she put on. "Everything looks clear."

For a moment, Mandy was surprised to hear Lisa in her comms. She had paused what she was doing and took a breath to re-group. She had briefly forgotten she had ISR with her at least. She continued to loosen the boards and made an opening big enough for her to get out. Once she was out, she stayed crouched down in the bed and put the boards back.

"We've got movement," someone called out at HAVOC. "Northwest building unknown walking towards the truck."

"Flyer one this is HAVOC, unknown approaching from the northwest side," Lisa passed on to Mandy.

Mandy heard the call come through and laid down in the bed of the truck to be safe. She listened as she heard footsteps from a far. She gripped the knife in her hand figuring a gun would get too much attention. Suddenly she heard someone call out into the night and the footsteps stopped.

"What's going on?" Blackburn demanded anxiously.

"Flyer one hold," Lisa transmitted. "Looks like someone from the main building is at the door calling out," Lisa told Blackburn.

Mandy heard the new voice call out again and realized it was the sister. The sister must have been keeping an eye out on Mandy. As much as she was grateful, it was also risky. Mandy turned towards the side of the truck she heard the steps from and looked through a small crack. She saw the person looking towards the voice. The unknown started walking towards the sister and Mandy let out another breath for the night.

"Flyer one, you're clear," Lisa passed on feeling her heart barely slow down in her chest. This was hitting too close to home.

Mandy quickly and quietly finished putting the boards back in place. She crawled to the back and looked over the ledge to make sure it was clear. She got over the ledge and then jumped down to the grown. She crouched down looking around trying to see where she needed to head to.

"Flyer one this is HAVOC, your building is southeast of your position about a hundred feet," Lisa said.

Mandy looked towards the south east and saw the building she needed to get to. There wasn't a whole lot to take cover with should something happen as she went across. She peaked around both sides of the truck making sure she didn't see anything obvious. She saw about halfway there were some large wooden crates and figured she'd take cover there first.

"Here we go," Mandy muttered to herself.

Just as Mandy made her move across, Jason and the team walked into HAVOC. They were geared up and ready to go once everything was set. Jason looked to see everyone watching the screen and a figure making their way across. His breath caught thinking it was Mandy making her move to her target building.

Mandy made it to the halfway point and just as she took cover, she could hear people coming out of a building nearby. They were headed towards Mandy again and hopefully would just walk by.

"Flyer one this HAVOC, two unknowns headed straight in your direction," Lisa told Mandy.

Jason and the team watched holding their breath as the unknowns continued to walk towards Mandy's location.

"Just walk by," Jason muttered under his breath.

The two unknowns got to where Mandy was, and she maneuvered herself around the crates to make sure they never saw her. It seemed like she'd dodged a bullet again.

"That was close," Ray whispered and sent a prayer up to keep Mandy safe. He also cast a glance towards Jason who had closed his eyes briefly while letting out a breath.

"Flyer one, your path is clear," Lisa transmitted.

Mandy figured she'd sprint for the building at this point because she wasn't sure how many lives she had left. She looked around and then took off for her intended building. So far, everything the sister had told them was true about the lay out. The building she was going to should be abandoned or barely used. Mandy got to the door and quietly forced it open and slipped inside. She leaned against the back of the door and took a second to regroup.

Now she just had to play the waiting game until the guys showed up. Once they engaged with enemy, the sister would head for Mandy and they'd slip out the back towards their exfil.

Another part of the mission was successful and everyone at HAVOC looked towards Bravo team.

"You guys are up, let's get Al-Hazred and bring Mandy home," Blackburn said.

"We will," Jason replied confidently. "We're all coming home tonight."

"Damn right," the team replied as they walked out and headed for the choppers.