Chapter 6- Task Force Stalker forms
Location: Fort Bragg, North Carolina, United States, August 2022
The world is ever changing and hostile. Clay was happy to be home for a few days and spent time with his wife Stella and his son Brian. But it was time to get back to work and he drove his truck back to Fort Bragg. He was hoping to go to the shooting range to shoot one of the many sniper rifles that the Ghosts had in the armory. Which is why he came to the base earlier than usual.
He got his weapon from Senior Master Sergeant Marcus Kelso. He decided to try the Barrett MRAD MK22, Trent and Ray used it during a DEVGRU Operation in North Korea (1). Ray thought the weapon was excellent, especially after the mission when we both went to the range to test it out. As he walked to the shooting range he saw two legends also doing some early morning shooting. Both Master Sergeant Coray Ward also known as Weaver and Master Sergeant Robert Bonifacio known as Pepper were practicing their shooting skills. Both were designated marksmen in their respective AFO Team's.
"Mornin, Weaver. Pepper. Doing some early morning shooting as well?" asked Clay".
"Ah. Clay. It's good to see another frogman here," replied Weaver, a former member of DEVGRU.
"Cute. Damn Seals". Pepper said in a joking manner.
"Well, I'm going to do some shooting. Can't be rusty now". Clay said.
"I heard that your last mission went sideways? Not surprised. Considering your Captain is Alexander Brent". Said Pepper (2)
"Yeah. Those PMC's were well trained. What do you mean about Captain Brent?"
"There's just rumors about his missions in both Pakistan and Georgia. Apparently they went sideways and Ghosts got wounded". Replied Weaver.
"Well, there's a reason AFO Spear goes through so many operators". Pepper said.
"Huh. I'll keep that in mind". Clay replied.
Clay kept shooting targets for 20 minutes before he decided to take the weapon back to Sergeant Kelso. He got a text from his phone from Captain Brent. Looks like he had another briefing with LTC. Mitchell.
He entered the briefing room and saw his team AFO Spear, and three other Ghost teams which included Weaver, Pepper, Holt, and Midas. Seated at the front was an Army General with the name Shepherd. Also in the room was, LTC. Scott Mitchell, Major Alice Dennison, and LT. Kirk Graham. This looked like a serious meeting.
"Gentleman, as you can see. We have a guest who'll explain what's going on". Said LTC. Mitchell
Shepherd started to speak
"The threat of biological weapons is making the Pentagon and White House extremely nervous. Which is why I, as the head of JSOC, is in charge of creating a multi-service special operations task force. Codenamed Stalker (3), this task force will bring the fight to Black Tusk. Team Rainbow, Fourth Echelon, HAWX and the Night Stalkers will be providing support for this operation". stated Shepherd
"Sir, why our teams"? Asked Kozak
"That's a simple question Kozak. Your team happens to be the best Ghost Recon has to offer. AFO Spear is here since they uncovered the plot". said Mitchell
"What other special operations forces are apart of task force?" asked Nomad
Shepherd responded "Marine Force Recon, Delta Force, Air Force Special Operations, and DEVGRU".
"This must be a serious operation". Replied Spenser
"Very serious. Your teams were selected and your role in the task force is our elite assault element". Replied Mitchell
"I'll be in command of the task force while, LTC. Mitchell will be the second in command". Shepherd said
"Does the Task Force have a base of Operations"? Asked Nomad
"Fort Bragg will be the headquarters for this Task Force. The other members will be flying in tonight and we have barracks prepared for them". Said Shepherd
"After the other units get here, we'll all meet at hangar 18. Where you'll start your first missions. The 160th will provide support". Added Mitchell
Hangar 18, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, United States, August 2022
It's been a few hours since the briefing with the other Ghost Recon Operators and Clay felt that this might be the toughest mission of his career. After joining Ghost Recon, he heard of the exploits of veteran operators like Nomad, Joe Rameriz and even the OG Ghost himself Harold "Buzz" Gordon (4). He was a part of a legacy bigger than himself.
After the briefing, he and the other Ghost's got to know each other a little better. He immediately took a liking to both Kozak and James "Jimmy" Grant Ellison who reminded him of Sonny with his gung-ho attitude. Jimmy goes by the codename 30K and is one of the younger Ghosts. Only being 26 years old while Kozak is 24 years old. They're some of the youngest Ghost's in the history of the organization. He had also met Nomad as well as AFO Team Predator for the first time.
Clay and his team along with the other AFO Team's entered the hangar and found many other operators from either Seal Team Six, Delta Force, the United States Air Force or Marine Force Recon as well as other personnel for intelligence gathering.
"Gentleman, glad to see you made it on time. Now we can give you all the full briefing". Said Mitchell
The Ghost's took their seats and looked at a board full of maps and the organization chart for the Task Force.
"I'd like to thank everyone for coming to the Hangar on such short notice. I know some of you just arrived after completing other missions. All of you were handpicked by me for this operation" Said General Shepherd
"What kind of operation is this, sir"? Asked one of the DEVGRU operators.
"Blacker than black. Intelligence from both Ghost Recon and the NSA's Splinter Cell program found out about an arms dealer selling weapons of mass destruction to the highest bidder". Said Shepherd
"Allow me to explain further" said a woman coming from out of the shadows.
"My name is Anna Grímsdóttir, the Deputy Director of Fourth Echelon, the NSA's Splinter Cell Program. One of our agents was tracking a known terrorist known as the Snow Maiden. Who was meeting with an arms dealer in Syria. The weapons mentioned were WMDs. We assumed it was a dirty bomb.
We later found out during a Ghost Recon Operation to eliminate the arms dealer that the weapon is in fact a biological weapon. During the operation the Ghosts took contact from unknown operators. We captured one of them and learned that they are indeed involved with the biological weapon". Said Grímsdóttir
Everyone besides AFO Spear was in shock at the information.
"What are we waiting for? We need to get these guys!" said a SEAL
"Which is why this task force was formed, Lieutenant Commander Mason". Said Mitchell
"This organization is highly trained and has troops from all over the world. Most of them are American and have been used by the CIA in previous operations. They're called the Black Tusk Special Unit and it seems like they've gone freelance. My contacts in the CIA have noted several different camps and training centers in Africa, South America and Asia to target and gather intelligence" said Grímsdóttir
"You have all been chosen due to your unique skill sets. Just remember that interservice rivalry has no place in this unit. You'll all be fighting alongside each other". Said Mitchell
"You'll have the support of Fourth Echelon, the CIA, the 160th SOAR and the Air Forces HAWX Squadron" said Ghost Recon's Intelligence Officer LT. Kirk Graham.
"The goal of these Operations are to capture high ranking High Value Targets and gather any sort of Intelligence about the biological weapon. AFO Team's Spear and Alpha will target a base located in Peru. The DEVGRU Assault Team and AFO Team Predator will hit a compound in Kenya. Delta Force's Team Metal (5) and the Marine's Outlaw Team (6) will hit the largest base located in Brazil. AFO Hunter will operate in Cuba. Each team will have an Air Force JTAC and a Splinter Cell attached to the unit". Major Alice Dennison said
This was a lot of information to take in all at once but now he's working with fellow Ghost Recon Operator's as well as a Splinter Cell. Spooks as they were often referred to. He just hoped the Splinter Cell didn't get in the way of the mission doing God knows what. They made a makeshift barracks in the hangar, so they slept in cots and had a small locker to ourselves to put in equipment. They would begin operations the next day.
The Next Day, Fort Bragg
Clay woke up at 0600 and started to pack. We'll be going to the country of Peru, specifically the rainforest of the country. Which means humidity and rain. He decided to eat some breakfast and found the DEVGRU Team from Blue Squadron. They started talking about previous missions as well as the threat of China. Apparently there's rumors about them forming a military alliance known as the Strategic Defense Coalition or SDC for short. Each operator had a distinct personality and seemed like good people. You had Lieutenant Commander David Mason, Master Chief Mike Harper, Senior Chief Andrew Ross, Chief Javier Salazar and Thomas A. Merrick. Out of all of them Andrew Ross (7) seemed to be the most interesting. Clay thought to himself "I'll have to talk to LTC. Mitchell about him and if he could be a possible candidate for Ghost Recon".
Captain Brent had also woken up early and started talking with the other Ghost Leads about the mission and about how he didn't want the Splinter Cells to get in the way. The last time an agent from Fourth Echelon was attached to his team, it didn't end well.
"All right, gather around in your teams. We're launching operations now. Many of you will be transported to amphibious assault ships such as USS Kings Mountain among other ships unless otherwise stated". Said Major Alice Dennison
"That's right. As Major Dennison said, you'll be transported to your AO's by the Navy or 160th. While our partner forces/allies have allowed HAWX Aircraft to be stationed at their airfields in case you have trouble". Said LTC. Mitchell
"AFO Team Hunter will have a Splinter Cell codenamed Icefish and a JTAC named Robert Harper. They're already in your chopper waiting to go to the USS Kings Mountain". Said Major Alice Dennison
"Roger that ma'am. Let's go get our equipment". Said the Ghost Lead of Team Hunter.
They left the hangar to begin operations in Cuba.
"Blue Squadron and AFO Predator. Your attached Splinter Cell is Jamal Hendricks and your JTAC is Sgt. Aaden Wilcox. They are waiting in the C-130. You'll be landing at an airbase in the country". Said Alice Dennison
Lieutenant Commander Mason just nodded and told his team to prepare for the mission. The Ghost Lead of Predator Team also told his men to prepare for operation.
"Team Metal and Outlaw Team will be operating with a Splinter Cell named Issac Briggs and a JTAC named Sam Anderson". Said LT. Kirk Graham
They left without a word. They had stayed up late in the night planning.
Lt. Graham finally got to the last team in the hangar and started talking. "AFO Team Alpha and Spear. The Splinter Cell attached to your unit is codenamed Remus, your JTAC is Sgt. Dimitri Williams".
"Roger that Wizard. Let's get our equipment and head out. Bring sensors and Ghost Recon Specials as well". Stated Major Anthony Perryman also known as Nomad.
Clay noticed that the equipment each member of the team used was different from the last mission. Nomad had his signature red shirt and blue baseball cap. But he told me that his camouflaged shirt was in his rucksack. What Clay noticed was that Nomad had two primary weapons, an assault rifle and a shotgun. Specifically the SIG Sauer 516, the Benelli M4 Super 90 as well as the SIG Sauer P320, each operator was using the new service pistol. Holt the teams Engineer was armed with the Magpul ACR, Midas the heavy weapons specialist is armed with both the Magpul ACR equipped with the KAC M203 grenade launcher and the MK48 Light Machine Gun depending on the situation, the final member of AFO Team Alpha Weaver is armed with the Remington MSR as he is the teams Sniper. The members of AFO Team Alpha had unique weapons and kit but they were one of the best Ghost Teams for a reason.
Clay's own AFO Team had unique weapons and equipment as well, each member of the team had the new Sig Sauer P320 Service Pistol. Clay was armed with a Remington M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle. Brent had the SCAR Light. Dallas will be using the FN Mk 46 Mod 1. Coyote is using the HK 416.
Each Ghost while having different weapons they all had sensor grenades and special frag grenades known as "Ghost Recon Specials". The strike team had their weapons and gear loaded onto the aircraft. Clay noticed that it wasn't a C-130 transport.
"What kind of aircraft is that"?
Captain Brent was walking and told Clay "That's the V8-99 Sphinx (8). A new VTOL aircraft based on the Osprey. Ghost Recon is testing an advanced version of it".
They entered the aircraft and met their JTAC, Sgt. Dimitri Williams. An energetic man of 35 who had done operations with the Navy Seals, Army Special Forces, and even the CIA's Special Operations Group. This was his first mission with the Group for Specialized Tactics.
"You must be Captain Brent. I'm Sgt. Williams your JTAC for this mission. Hopefully you won't need my skills but I'll make sure to get HAWX on target whenever you need it".
Brent shook his hand and said.
"Nice to meet you Sergeant. Glad you'll be with us".
Brent put his gear next to the seat and he froze in place when he saw the 4th Echelon Agent. It was like seeing a ghost of a dead man, or in this case, the brother of a dead man.
He silently muttered to himself
"Shit"
The Splinter Cell codenamed Remus stood and saw the Captain. He scowled remembering how his twin brother died on a mission with that man.
"Captain. It's nice to see you again". Said Remus
"Thomas. What happened to your brother was an unfortunate tragedy. But he died serving his country".
"I know. I don't blame you. I blame myself. Let's just get this mission over with". Said Thomas Voeckler
Thomas Voeckler is the twin of former Splinter Cell Operative George who was killed during an operation with a team of Ghosts that Captain Brent had led. This incident led to subsequent operations in Pakistan and Georgia being complete shitshows.
Once everyone was in V8-99 Sphinx. Major Anthony Perryman reiterated what the mission was and how they were going to accomplish it. Clay sat next to Weaver and they were talking about their days in DEVGRU. He knew this would be his toughest mission yet. He didn't know how right he was.
That's it for this chapter. Hope y'all enjoy it and be on the lookout for my Rainbow Six Story set in the same universe of this one.
References
Reference to Season 5 of Seal Team
Reference to EndWar: The Hunted
Reference to Call of Duty: Ghosts
Reference other Ghost Recon Operators
Reference to Modern Warfare 3
Reference to the first EndWar Novel
Reference to Ghost Recon: Chokepoint novel
Reference to EndWar: The Hunted