Chapter 8:

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I really appreciate it.

They were almost to the blazing inferno when about a dozen men popped up and began shooting at them. Jack whipped up his sniper rifle and killed a tango with a center mass shot, then quickly chambered another round and downed one with a head shot. He yelled, "Check on the survivors Petit."

Tasha replied as he sprinted to the downed TAC team, "Copy that."

As she was checking on Nate Jack skidded to a halt right beside her. He asked as he dropped to one knee and downed a tango with a shot to the throat, "How are they?"

She replied as he executed a quick tactical reload and downed another tango with a shot through the heart, "The one's in the building were atomized by the explosion obviously. We have five Kilo India Alpha's from Shrapnel, and Nate's been knocked unconscious."

Jack was about to say something when a grenade landed nearby. He scooped Nate up in a fireman's carry and took off running as he yelled, "Grenade. Move yer ass Petit."

She heard him and took off running. Thankfully she had the wherewithal to grab two M4's and beaucoup ammo. She met up with her father just as the grenade exploded. As he lowered Nate's unconscious form to the ground he saw the two M4's she had grabbed as well as all of the ammo. He set his sniper rifle aside and accepted one of the carbines and 6 magazines. He thanked her as he brought the EOTECH EOLAD-1V to his right eye and squeezed off a well aimed three round burst. As she picked up her own M4 she was awestruck by Jack's calm cool and collected ways. Sure she had been around a lot of SPEC-OPS guys but her father was the smoothest of them all. She had just killed a tango with a three round burst to the head when Jack said, "Tango at three o'clock settin up a RPK LMG."

She quickly transitioned to him and killed him with a HE grenade from the underslung M203. Jack quickly executed another tactical reload and was drawing a bead on a tango with a RPG when suddenly heard rotor noises. He and Tasha locked eyes as she asked, "Is that the cavalry?"

He smirked as he downed the RPG wielding tango and said as 4 Bell AH-1Z Viper's came streaking in and decimated the remaining tangos with rockets, Hellfire missiles and 20mm rotary cannon fire. After all of the tangos were dead a Bell UH-1Y Venom touched down. And much to Jack's delight COL Sarah "Mac" Boudreaux was the first one off. He wanted to sweep her into his arms but ever the warrior he kept a watchful eye on the woods. He dropped the M4 to his chest and pulled out his MTM Mini-Thermal Monocular and did a very thorough recce. Mac walked up beside him and quietly said, "The Vipers' will let us know if any tangos pop up Green Beret."

He lowered the monocular and turned to face her as he said sincerely, "I've missed ya Cher."

She was about to reply when Tasha said, "Nate's waking up."

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Lafayette couldn't believe it. He slammed the SAT phone down on the table and cursed in French. Yasin asked as he walked into the war room, "What is troubling you my son?"

Lafayette replied, "About an hour and a half ago Samir called and told me the two Americans were advancing on the burning ruins and he was going to trigger the ambush. Now I can't get him or any of his men to answer me. And what's worse I think one of the Americans is GEN Jack Boudreaux."

That brought a haunted look to the Yemeni cleric's face as he asked, "Are you certain of this?"

Lafayette replied, "No Father I am not certain but our mole called a little over two hours ago and asked me to dig up everything I could on him."

Yasin nodded as he said in a caustic voice, " I hate that infidel most of all. Did you know that he was the one tortured and killed your brother back in 1999?"

Lafayette asked, "Are you sure about this?"

Yasin nodded as he said, "Your half brother Hassan was the mastermind of the attack on the American Embassy in Lebanon. Well anyway GEN Boudreaux and his team of assassins hunted Hassan like a dog for almost a year. They finally found him in a Hezbollah safe house. Well to make a long story short they killed all of the believers and took your brother to one of their evil black sites. There he was brutally tortured and murdered."

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An hour later Jack, Mac and Tasha were standing in AJ's office listening to Bud explain about the second phase. After the battle they had loaded the casualties onto the Venom, then Nate was brought aboard along with Tasha, Jack and Mac. Then they flew to Bethesda where the Casualties were taken to the morgue and Nate was wheeled into an exam room. Tasha badly wanted to stay with her fiancée but she knew she couldn't. Jack was about to ask a question when there was a knock on the door and AJ called, "Enter."

The door opened and in walked Harm, Kate, Gunny and Sturgis. They all warmly greeted Mac. When they were done Jack ordered, "SITREP."

What will they report