Chapter 64

Thank you to everyone who enjoys the stories. Love hearing from you all. SEAL Team should be back to filming soon it seems as we approach the end of May. Still not a whole lot of spoilers yet as I write this. I really need Jason to have a good season of progress lol. I'm excited to see where everything goes at this point. My biggest question as well is what this movie will be. I just did a Twitter Space on SEAL Team (5/16/22). Recording is up for 30 days if you want to listen in on what we talked about. Anyways, enjoy a new chapter.

Someone was at the door of the warehouse. They kept trying to break in and the block they had put there was about to give. Ray anxiously watched from his perch and Mandy stayed hidden in the shadows. They both knew they'd have to make their move at the last possible second. They were outnumbered and low on ammunition. It'd be a miracle if they survived. They could only hope the other explosions they heard was help coming for them. Next thing they knew, the door slammed open, and both took a breath.

Mandy watched from her viewpoint in the shadows as someone walked in. They had a gun in their hand aimed in front of them for any threats. Behind him, a few more guys entered as well. One started to talk to the other. From the little Mandy heard, it sounded like one was saying other buildings had been cleared and no one had found them yet. The tangos were on high alert as they split up.

One made their way towards Mandy, and she looked up at Ray and gave a nod. They were going to have put up a fight. Ray got ready as the second tango walked below him. There was a third tango who had gone in the other direction, and they'd have to worry about him later. Mandy saw the barrel of the enemy's gun from her hiding spot behind the door. Mandy made her move as Ray fired off a shot at his tango and then turned to look for the third.

Mandy had grabbed the gun and tried to rip it away. Suddenly she was pushed up against a wall with the gun up against her neck. Mandy took one of her legs and kicked her attacker. He stumbled back trying to get his bearing back. Mandy rushed him to the floor as they battled for the gun again.

Ray could hear Mandy fighting with the guy, but he was busy trying to find the other tango. As he scanned the area, the radios of the guys went off with chatter. The guys outside probably heard Ray's shot. Meanwhile, Mandy and her attacker kept swinging at one another. Mandy's back was turned towards the door when she heard a thud. Her attacker distracted by his friend going down, Mandy grabbed the gun she'd dropped on the floor and shot him several times.

"Mandy!" Ray called out.

"I'm good," she called back breathless.

Mandy walked over towards a window and saw the enemy gathering outside their hiding place. She swore thinking they'd never catch a break. Her gut told her that help was close by. Suddenly, grenades were thrown through the open door and another window.

"Take cover!" Mandy yelled before a couple of explosions went off. Mandy had run further into the warehouse to avoid the blast. She coughed as she got up from the floor and kept moving.

Ray had dropped back from his position up top as well to avoid as much of the blast as he could. He moved along the second floor as fast as he could trying to find another spot to hide. He didn't know where Mandy was now. He sent a quick prayer up hoping they could hold off for just a little bit longer.

Meanwhile, Jason and the team had quickly loaded back into their vehicles and headed for the next target building. It wasn't far but still seemed to take a while to get there.

"Keep the cars out of site. We don't know if QRF will make it in time and should have a way out of here," Jason ordered.

Once they parked the cars, they got out and started making their way on foot. The enemy must have seen them because once again they were under fire. Everyone took cover and fired back.

"We gotta push towards the building!" Jason called out.

"Copy!" Sonny called back as he grabbed Clay and started pushing towards the target building.

"Maybe we should smoke them out and sneak in," Trent told Jason.

"Do it," Jason agreed. "All bravo stations, smoke them out and head for the building to start a search," he ordered over comms.

As the smoke thickened, Bravo ran into the building. The enemy would have to come inside to them. Jason was about to tell the team to start searching when multiple gun shots inside went off. Cerberus barked and pulled hard on his leash.

"Clay, Full Metal, and Brock, hold it down up front here. Sonny and Trent, with me. We don't know what condition we'll find either of them in," Jason ordered as Cerberus continued to bark and whine. "He got something?"

"He is probably picking up on their scents," Brock answered.

"Who is it buddy? Ray?" Jason bent down and asked. "Mandy?" he asked causing Cerberus to act up and Jason's worry to skyrocket. "Let him lead us," Jason said as Brock unleashed Cerb who took off running.

"Here," Brock said giving Jason a monitor. "This should help keep track of him. He's unsettled right now."

Jason led Sonny and Trent further into the building. They were so close. He just hoped they weren't too late.

Mandy was hunkered down behind some heavy machinery in the warehouse. She had no clue on how Ray was doing. She didn't hear any distress and hoped that was good news. She had a couple of mags left for her gun and another clip for the Glock. Not ideal, but it would have to do.

Ray was still on the second floor hiding out. His leg was flaring up and the only thing saving him right now was the adrenaline rush coursing through him. He could hear people coming towards him. He evened out his breath and crouched down as much as he could. He had his rifle perched ready to take a shot. Two guys came into view, and he took them out. However, he hadn't heard the movement coming towards him and suddenly someone kicked his injured leg causing him yell in pain.

Mandy stilled as she heard someone yell. It sounded painful and all she could think was Ray had been found. She needed to move. She carefully looked around and started moving towards where she heard the noise. Mandy could also hear some gun fire up front. A gun fight was happening with someone, and Mandy hoped it was with a rescue team.

"We have your partner," the enemy called out in English. "Show yourself," he added and then caused Ray to scream in pain.

"Don't do it!" Ray yelled before being hit in the face.

Mandy debated on what to do. Giving herself up not knowing if help was near by was risky. She peaked her head slowly to see if she could get a visual from where she was. She could see at least two guys. Ray was on his knees with a head wound bleeding down his face. Mandy decided she'd take her chances and hope there weren't more tangos in the area. She was not going to let Ray take the brunt of it. She moved to a better tactical advantage point before she made her move.

Mandy looked at what she had left on her. She had two flash bangs and a grenade. She'd disorient the enemy with the flash bang before taking them out. She could hear other movement nearby now and that meant she had more enemy combatants than she originally thought. Ray groaned again as they hit him again and Mandy decided she'd had enough.

Cerberus was on a trail in front of Jason as they searched the area looking for Ray and Mandy. So far there was no signs of either of them. Suddenly the air filled with a scream of pain.

"Ray," Jason muttered as Cerberus bolted towards the noise. "Cerb!" Jason whispered loudly. "Heads on a swivel," Jason said to Sonny and Trent as they continued where Cerberus had gone.

"Don't do it!" they heard Ray call out.

"Don't do what?" Sonny asked anxiously as they all paused and hunkered down. "Sounds like Ray," Sonny said relieved to hear his brother. Another part of him looked at Jason worriedly because they knew Ray was alive but weren't sure about Mandy.

"Sounds like they have Ray. Maybe they're using him to get Mandy to surrender," Trent said trying to stay positive.

"We split up and flank them. You guys go left while Cerb and I go right," Jason decided. "Watch your crossfire. Don't want Ray or Mandy taking a bullet."

"Copy," Trent said.

"Okay Cerb. Just you and me buddy," Jason said petting Cerb. "Let's go get our girl," Jason added on as Cerb whined back.

A bang went off in the distance and gun fire could be heard.

"Bravo 3, is that your gunfire?" Jason asked over comms as he hurried towards the noise.

"Negative," Sonny replied back. "Someone's putting up a fight."

"We're in position and got a visual," Trent chimed in.

"Copy," Jason said as he ducked down and took a position as well. "Take them out," Jason ordered.

Mandy threw her flashbangs towards one side of the enemy trying not to injure Ray in the process. While they were disoriented, Mandy took some shots at the two she knew were there. From the corner of her eye, she saw a few more tangos appear nearby. She ducked down quickly to take cover from the bullets flying her way. She looked down and realized she wasn't going to have enough rounds to fight them off most likely.

For a second, Jason flashed through her mind. She thought about the last few months and everything they had shared. All the nights together they had spent. All the moments with Emma and Mikey she'd had. They'd become a family. Mandy didn't want to die, and she'd fight like hell to the end, but a part of her wondered if she'd ever get more of those moments again. With a new sense of courage, Mandy got back up and returned fire.

Ray had fallen to the ground once the flashbangs had gone off. He didn't want to get caught in the crossfire. He kept pushing at the restraints on his wrists to get free. Since his captors were preoccupied with Mandy, he also kept moving away as far as he could to get away. Once he was behind some machinery, he found some piece of sharp metal and started rubbing the ropes against it to break free. He needed to help Mandy.

Once his hands were free, he took a look to see what was happening. He looked around trying to find anything to fight back with when out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement. Ray turned to look only for Sonny and Trent to be pointing their guns at him.

"Ray," Sonny said relieved and pulling him towards their cover. "You good?"

"For the most part but my leg is messed up," Ray said as Trent took a look.

"You get medical?" Trent asked looking at how well wrapped it was.

"That's all Mandy," Ray answered. "She doesn't have much ammo left if I remember what we took."

"Trent, you stay with Ray," Sonny said. "Bravo one, this is three. We have two."

"Copy," Jason said partly relieved. "Three, help me take out these guys."

"Got it, two says Flyer one doesn't have much ammo left," Sonny added as he moved forward.

Mandy loaded her last clip into the Glock she had. This was it. The bullets kept flying around her periodically. It sounded like some of the tangos were reloading. Mandy got up one more time and tried to find targets to hit directly. She couldn't afford to waste any ammo. After a couple rounds, she crouched back down and tried to get her breath back.

Suddenly she heard noise behind her and turned just in time to see a tango coming at her with a knife. She dove out of the way just barely missing the guy. He turned towards her again and Mandy kicked him in the stomach from where she laid. At the same time, the gun fire had started up again. Mandy kept trying to find cover and missed the tango getting on his hands and knees ready to charge at her again.

Mandy looked up to see him coming towards her again and she frantically looked around for her lost gun. Just as she started reaching for it, a dog barking could be heard. Cerberus flew through the air as he bit onto the tango's arm without the knife. The man cried out in pain as Mandy quickly grabbed her gun. Before she could fire, she heard Cerb whine and could see the man had taken a swipe at him. Mandy fired her gun at the tango as he fell to the floor.

As Mandy crawled over to a whimpering Cerberus, she realized the gun fire was no longer aimed towards her. Bravo must have arrived, and she breathed a small sigh of relief. She looked down at Cerb and put her hands on his wound.

"Stay with me buddy. Stay with me, okay?" Mandy begged as her hands became coated in his blood. "You do not get to die today. Never out of the fight. It's gonna be okay. Shhh, it's gonna be alright."

Mandy could hear footsteps heading her way and grabbed her gun and aimed towards whoever was coming. At the same time, Jason rounded the corner with his gun drawn.

"Just me," Jason said walking slowly towards Mandy. He could see the adrenaline pumping through her wild alert eyes. "It's just me. Easy."

"Jason?" Mandy asked afraid it was all a dream and lowered her gun slowly as he kneeled down and cupped her cheek. "Oh, thank god," Mandy shuddered. "He's hurt. We gotta help him."

"Okay, okay. I got you," Jason said as he got out some gauze to help Cerberus.

They worked together to get Cerb stabilized before Mandy threw her arms around Jason and hugged him tightly. Jason hugged her just as tightly.

"Let's go home," Jason said pulling to look at her as she nodded back.