Chapter 70

Alright, as I write this, we have four episodes left! How has this season gone by so fast? I'm undecided about it so far and feel like these last few are gonna be jammed packed! So sorry for the delay. I've been busy, tired, and sick, which leads to me unable to write. I have so many little ideas I wish to write based on the little Jandy we've gotten too. Anyways, here's to hoping for some good payoff from jandy by finale because Mandy has been the one good thing for Jason this season. In the meantime, enjoy another chapter of my story!

"Just send us out there to bring them back," Jason argued.

"And exactly where would I be sending you, Master Chief?" Jack challenged. "I am not sending more people into danger when we know they're headed to exfil."

"So, get ISR over where they're headed," Jason replied.

"We don't have ISR available to us right now. Our time for the moment is up," Jack answered. "I understand your frustration, but we just need to wait it out."

Jason sighed angrily as he turned and headed for the door. Sonny and Ray looked at each other and then Jack. They all gave each other a look that the situation would be handled.

"Jason!" Ray called out. "You need to calm down."

"Calm down? This is the second time in less than a few days we've lost her," Jason exploded.

"Yes, calm down. Listen, you want it to get out that you two can't work together?" Ray challenged.

"What?" Jason asked, confused.

"Ray has a point," Sonny chimed in. "You guys have been pretty good working together, but right now you're showing the cake eaters that maybe it isn't a good idea."

"They didn't tell us," Jason sighed.

"You know as well as I do, that was a call they had to make. That Mandy would make. Mission first," Ray reasoned.

"Mandy knows what she's doing. She's a fighter just like Bravo one," Sonny reassured Jason. "Look, she's also got Lisa, Blackburn, and Troy with her. No way in hell any of them are going down without a fight."

"You know, I don't think I believed her fully that Roman would try and kill her," Jason said as he sat down on a bench. "I mean I knew the damaged relationship between the two was bad but a part of me just thought he was another bad guy she never caught. I'm afraid of what it'll come down to."

"You can't think like that, brother," Ray said. "We gotta keep the faith. She's got the team and most of all you. You're the reason she'll fight to stay just like you're fighting for her."

"For a while, especially after Alana died, I didn't see any future," Jason confessed. "Teams was all I had and figured I'd die right on the battlefield."

"And now?" Sonny asked.

"Now?" Jason chuckled. "I see the two of us either doing this job for the rest of our lives or walking away together and living life to the fullest. Maybe a kid or two. All I see is her right there by my side through whatever it'll be."

"And that's how it's always gonna be," Ray reassured.

"Of course, that's how it's gonna be," Sonny added. "Otherwise, who is gonna put up with your sorry ass. Anyways, we all know I'm the one Ms. Spook truly desired, but I was just emotionally unavailable for her," Sonny added making the guys laugh.

It'd been about an hour since they'd left what was HAVOC. Things had been quiet so far. Lisa had been fiddling with comms trying to see if she could bring them back up. She was frustrated that nothing was working. Troy continued driving and periodically checked the mirrors looking for any enemy following. Mandy and Blackburn had their heads on a swivel too.

"Almost to exfil," Troy called out. "Don't see any helo waiting for us but hopefully one is on its way."

"Don't have much cover," Blackburn observed as Troy parked the car nearby some boulders.

"How long would it take for them to send exfil?" Lisa asked as she kept trying to get the comms to work. "If I could just get some signal out."

"Probably as soon as we radioed in, we were under attack and headed out," Mandy replied as she checked on ammo. "Everyone load up just in case."

"Anyone got any confessions or juicy information they want to share while we wait," Troy said as he loaded his gun and Mandy rolled her eyes.

"Yeah," Mandy replied. "I'm in love with you and want you to leave Jessica," she said sarcastically.

"I knew you secretly had a thing from me," Troy smirked. "It's cuz I rescued you, isn't it?"

"Totally," Mandy rolled her eyes.

"You two always like this?" Lisa smiled.

"Gotta keep the spirits up, Davis," Troy replied. "That's my philosophy at least."

"I remember Troy never shutting up while I was in the hospital after they rescued me," Mandy began. "Kept trying to make me laugh despite my gunshot wounds killing me."

"Kept your spirits up though," Troy shrugged. "I couldn't get that bloody image of you dying out of my head, so I figured I'd try and change that," he shuttered.

"How come you never mentioned Roman before?" Lisa asked.

"Never really came up. It was always something I kind of just kept tabs on. Plus, agency isn't fond of talking about one of their own going rogue of course. You know how that goes. After that incident, as a reward, I got promoted and attached to Bravo," Mandy smiled. "The rest you should know."

"Yes, I definitely remember joining the team and meeting the great intimidating Jason Hayes," Lisa chuckled. "He tried to tear into me about his gear before I put him right in his place."

"Common theme," Mandy laughed.

Before anyone could say anything else, a helo could be heard approaching.

"Looks like we got a ride back to base after all," Troy stated.

"Sir, helo is approaching exfil," a staff member said to Jack.

"Comms are out for them, look for a signal," Jack said. "Someone get Hayes back in here."

"Yes, sir," someone responded headed for the door.

Outside, Sonny and Ray had calmed down Jason. He was sitting on the bench, and they were keeping a casual conversation going as Jason's leg bounced.

"Master Chief," someone called out. "We're approaching exfil and waiting on a signal. The director called for you."

Jason jumped up and hurried towards the command with Sonny and Ray behind him. The room felt anxious as everyone waited on bated breath for some sort of sign.

"ISR is coming back around," another person called out.

Suddenly the room fell silent as the ISR came on to the screen and the helo got closer to exfil. The pilots could be heard checking in with their location and that no contact had been made.

"What's that?" Jason said as ISR flew over and saw a vehicle behind a boulder with activity by it.

"Could be them," Jack muttered. "Keep an eye on that movement."

Suddenly, flashing signals could be seen on the ISR from the vehicle in question. People scrambled to verify the message. Someone confirmed aloud it was Mandy and the others before relaying the information to the helo. Everyone in HAVOC breathed a sigh of relief.

"She's coming home with us, brother," Ray said squeezing Jason's shoulder.

"Sending a signal out now, hopefully ISR is over us," Troy said as everyone gathered things out of the car.

"So ready to get back to-," Mandy began saying for a bullet could be heard hitting the metal of the car. "Everyone down!" she yelled out as everyone ducked for cover.

"Shit!" Blackburn said as they were between the passenger side of the vehicle and boulder. "We're pinned!"

"Where the fuck are those shots coming from?" Troy called out as he quickly ducked back down from trying to take a peek.

"We need to signal it's a hot zone," Mandy called out. "We bring that helo in, who knows what we're leading them into!"

"Copy!" Troy said as he sent another signal.

"What's going on? Something's wrong," Jason said seeing everyone huddle on one side of the car.

"Shit, tell the helo to hold off. It's a hot zone," Jack ordered. "Get me a wider angle of ISR and find out who is attacking them."

"We should've gone out there," Jason muttered.

"And done what Jace? We'd be sitting on that helo doing nothing. We wouldn't have seen the ambush coming either," Ray tried to reason with Jason, who had started pacing again.

"Anyone got anything on ISR on who is shooting at them?" Jack asked as he looked at multiple screens for any answers.

"Nothing yet sir. Must have good cover. Sir, we have enemy in bound though. Looks like two vehicles are approaching the extraction point area," someone reported, causing Jack to curse.

"What else do we got in the area? Spin up whatever resources we got. They can't hold off for too long," Jack ordered.

"There's gotta be more than just the sniper," Troy said. "Maybe two snipers at least."

"Helos stopped coming towards us," Lisa said looking from one side of the boulder. "They turned and are hovering off in the distance."

"Okay, they got our message," Mandy said as another bullet hit the car. She peeked out the back side bumper. "Shit, enemy in bound. Saw at least two vehicles headed our way."

Blackburn popped his head around the corner as well, "Think we can hold them off?"

"Barely, gotta find that sniper first though. He's got us pinned," Troy said.

"Sniper is mine," Mandy declared. "Roman's the sniper."

"Why do you say that?" Lisa asked.

"Cuz, he has used this tactic before and most of the shots are by me," Mandy concluded as she grabbed her rifle. "Once enemy is close enough, we engage and take them out. I'll make a run for high ground. You get this area cleared for the helo."

"Got it," Troy said. "Enemy is here. Let's do this."

"What the hell is going on?" Sonny said watching the action on screen.

Jack looked up, "Mandy is making a run for high ground to take out the sniper. Roman's move. Where are we at with any resources to help them?"

"She'll be exposed," Ray said watching.

"What other option do they got? She's their best shot at taking out the sniper," Jack said as we worked the problem.

"Never knew the spook was that tactically sound," Sonny joked.

"I made sure she was," Jack said seriously.

"Sir, we may have air support available 15 mikes out," someone called out.

"Hopefully, they can hold out that long, send it," Jack ordered as Jason continued to pace by the ISR screens.

"Moving!" Mandy yelled out as they engaged with the enemy, and she made a run for some high ground.

Mandy felt like she could feel the bullets whizz past her as she made a run for it. She knew she couldn't stop for long without any cover and needed to get up the hill. Mandy pushed herself up the hill. The thought of getting back to Jason again, pushed her harder. She was not letting the universe take her happiness away.

Mandy got to some level ground and hunkered down low. She set up her rifle and started looking through the scope for a sniper. She found one and got ready to take her shot. This sniper was aiming towards the car still. Mandy took a deep breath and focused as her training took over and pulled the trigger. As soon as the bullet left, Mandy slid back as shots were directed towards her.

"Shit," Mandy exclaimed. "No fucking comms either," she muttered as she moved along the ground to better cover.

Back at the cars, Blackburn and Troy were firing away on either side of the car at the enemies coming in. They noticed some of the firing going towards Mandy's position.

"We gotta get the pressure off Mandy!" Troy called out. "Davis, anything on comms?"

"No," Lisa called out.

"Looks like Mandy took out one sniper," Blackburn yelled out. "Let's push right! Get them firing away from her. Davis, you too!"

The three started moving towards the front of the car and grabbing the enemy's attention. As the enemy turned towards them and got closer, Troy grabbed a grenade launcher and sent a few over towards the enemy.

"If we can finish these guys off, signal for the helo to come land," Troy told Davis.

"What about Mandy?" Davis asked.

"We'll figure it out as we go," Blackburn called out looking at Troy and exchanging a look.

Mandy, meanwhile, felt some of the gunfire leave her. As she took a peek down towards the ground, she saw a couple of Troy's explosions go off. Just as she took a breath, a bullet whizzed past her again.

"God damn it Roman," Mandy muttered to herself.

Mandy moved to another position and started trying to figure out the trajectory of the shots. She moved around trying to get him to shoot towards her before getting a general idea of just where he might be. Mandy set up her rifle and looked through the scope. Across the way she couldn't see anything, but as she crossed the space a flash of something came before her eyes.

"Gotcha," Mandy smirked.

Mandy looked over as the helo made it's way on the other side of the boulder and the three down below headed for it. It was all up to her now. As she looked through the scope again, she saw Roman's head peeking from his position. This was her shot. The helo was starting to take off when she saw him turn his rifle. Mandy took her shot. She knew she'd hit him or at least a ricochet. It wasn't lethal but it was enough to distract him.

Mandy quickly shouldered her rifle as the helo made a swing towards her position and threw down a line. She ran as fast as she could towards it. Just as she got to the line, another shot nearly missed her. She paused and ducked for a brief second before making a mad dash to the helo hovering. She knew she was running out of time.

Finally, she grabbed the line and quickly buckled in before signaling to go. Before she could even be pulled into the helo, Mandy was flying through the air hanging on to the line. Eventually the line was pulled up. Blackburn and Troy, both hauled her in as Mandy laid down to catch her breath.

"Mandy! You good?" Troy asked as he and Blackburn looked her over.

Mandy sat up and scooted over towards Lisa before strapping herself in and nodding she was okay. Mandy leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Another narrow escape but she was headed home alive. Roman took his shots at her and she took hers. The battle between the two was getting intense and Mandy planned to be the one on top.