Clay is well aware that he is skating on thin ice right now. One wrong move away from things snowballing quickly into a full on brawl or a complete mutiny which would be the true cherry on top of this shitshow sunday of a mission.
Sonny's pushback is expected, even if it hurts a little extra coming from his best friend. When Trent and Brock start questioning things though, he knows the situation is dire. That they are all way off kilter and probably by rights have no business trying to run an opp in this current state.
He tries to tell himself it's just that, a temporary state, something that will correct back towards normal eventually.
It probably won't be quick, or smooth, and this loss will change them all in some ways, but he's choosing to believe that the loss of Jason hasn't broken Bravo beyond repair, despite current appearances.
They just need to get back. Get out of this high pressure situation and take the time and space needed to grieve in a safe environment. And that means first things first he needs to find some way to complete this mission without anyone dying (from friendly fire or otherwise)
The problem is the parameters suck. For lack of any better words to describe it, they really really really suck.
They don't have the numbers.
Running with five is doable in some circumstances for some missions. Jason obviously thought it was enough here because they never picked up a sixth man to fill in for Ray. Unfortunately that now means they are down to four which is well below what he would usually consider the minimum for an assault on a fixed position of this size.
Especially since they probably don't even have the element of surprise anymore. If he had to bet all their security is probably staged up right behind those doors just waiting for them to come through.
And yet he knows that it's his job to come up with a way to get it done despite all of that. Jason would never have backed down from this kind of challenge. Not with these kind of stakes.
This is their job. This is what they do. This is what makes them a tier one unit.
So now this is his job. To get creative and think outside the box. The only problem is his head keeps drifting back to another kind of box. One that's draped in a Star Spangled Banner and ready to be carried to its final resting place.
He shakes that image away in a hurry because he needs to focus on anything and everything else right now.
He can do this.
There has to be a way.
Jason would have found a way because Bravo one always had the answers. Right from the very first mission Clay was in awe of how the man could take any situation and seemingly bend it to work for him through what sometimes seemed to be his sheer force of will.
And that's it.
His first full mission with the team….
Four years ago on the border of China and Afghanistan, he can clearly remember his younger stupider self getting put in his place by Jason. Chided for being too ready to react and give chase to the Russians rather than think it out first, understand the board and play to their strengths to get ahead.
That's not a mistake he intends to make now.
Ironically, the thing that will turn the tables for them here is the exact same if was then.
Cerberus.
The other side may have the upper hand, more men, better cover and possibly explosives but they have the hair missile and if they do this right... The beginnings of a plan start to come together piece by piece. A way they can retake the element of surprise and level more in their favour.
What they lack in sheer numbers. They can make up for in smarts, stealth, and creating situations that plays to their better training.
He can see it all now, laid out in his mind. Step by step.
It's going to work.
It has to work.
Briefing the team goes smoothly. Their surprising lack of argument and unanimous support gives him a welcome sense of confidence that he is finally on the right track.
He remains completely confident and sure about that right up until they are standing on the roof line and he has to actually give the order to move.
Then the doubt hits him with all the force of a round to the gut.
That same sense of unease from the beginning of the mission reappears so suddenly and so strongly it almost sends him staggering over. This time it isn't hard to pinpoint the source. He doesn't have to think hard on it to realize why he is suddenly terrified overwhelmed and horrified with the very real, very jarring idea that this is his plan. His call. If anything goes wrong it's all on him. Sure, he's brainstormed mission plans before, contributed ideas that have turned into operational outlines. Jason's even given him the opportunity to take the lead a few times but it's always been controlled, with the clear understanding that Bravo 1 would step in at any time if Clay misstepped. A security blanket he never thought he needed until its not there anymore.
As the moment lengthens he knows it's now or never. The team is exposed here on the ledge. They need to go now before they are seen and they lose the unexpectedness of this entry point he is counting on.
Clay looks to his left at Trent and Sonny, standing there, ready to take the plunge with him. Then to his right at Cerb strapped securely into Brock's harness, with just one paw trustingly wrapped around his handler's leg for stability.
That level or trust and connection is what defines Bravo and despite everything it's clear in this moment that this is still Bravo. Whatever happened, whatever was said Clay chooses to trust in his team. To trust that his teammates will put aside anything that they are feeling towards him and the mission and come through when it really counts now.
He takes a deep breath and says calmly.
"Execute, execute"
On his command four locks disengage as one. Bravo team releases their hold and rappels down falling in a beautifully controlled rush of air to arrive within inches of the target windows.
The infil is in beautiful harmony even though it's operators aren't.
They move with complete noise discipline, not even a carabiner clinks, and Trent true to his word and shatters the glass ultrasonically.
They enter in perfect synchronization and this time they stay together as they push inwards.
Cerb leads the way through each room and Clay's nerves steady a little each time the dog inspects a door and doesn't sit.
He breathes a little easier each time they quietly breach another room, kill another tango and secure another floor without anybody being any the wiser.
The tango's don't get wind of their presence until the team is practically on top of them and he takes more satisfaction than he thought possible in the surprise that crosses their faces when they finally realize the situation much too late.
Most of them get mowed down before they can even move.
A few of them manage to escape the initial hail of bullets and start to scatter. Some of the hostages take advantage of the reprieve to run as well so things get chaotic for a second and Bravo has to work hard to pick the right targets out and avoid catching any innocents in the crossfire.
Finally a few hairy seconds later the situation is largely under control.
Trent and Clay have the victims all corralled back into one area and are working on convincing them that they are the good guys. That they are safe now. Sonny and Brock follow after the couple tangos who managed to evade the initial containment.
Trent immediately starts wading in amongst the victims, visually inspecting and starting a preliminary triage. Clay does the same from his security position, scanning through the crowded mass of humanity in varying states of malnutrition and maltreatment, gratified to see that if nothing else they seem to have gotten here in time. The relief settles through him, releasing a lungful of air he didn't realize he was holding. As the adrenaline fades, his head pounds and hand sharply aches at his side and he longs to just slide down the nearest wall and sit for a moment before dealing with the rest of this.
"Five to two, Three and I located a tunnel entrance in the second office in the eastern quadrant. 3 squirters went down. Permission to pursue."
Brock's voice in his ear reminds him the job is not done yet. That he needs to keep it together just a little bit longer because there are still more decisions to be made.
Going after them is a risky play because they've already spread themselves too thin. He also doesn't relish the idea of going into unknown tunnels on someone else's turf so and technically they have already achieved their objective. They could go home now and hold their heads high for a job well done. Except that's not enough for Bravo. That's not enough for him. The decision to go forward this time feels easier this time. Clay doesn't know if it's the right choice but it's the one he's going to be able to live with. Those few remaining assholes don't get to live to see another day, move another shipment or ruin another life.
Also, who is he kidding, there's a good chance sonny is going to do it anyways, permission or not. Hell he's probably long gone down the tunnel.
Clay calls over to Trent.
"You good here?"
Bravo's medic gives a quick nod, focused in on listening to his patients breathing.
"Bravo 5 go ahead. I'll catch up to you. Watch your six."
He takes a breath and then addresses Havoc "Building clear. 8 tangos down. Bravo 4 is maintaining the contained area with 34 victims and has started triaging. The rest of us are flushing some squirters out of the tunnels."
"Roger that Bravo 2. I copy passing Elm and Evergreen. I'll alert local police that we have men underground and advise to proceed with hostage care and scene containment.
Right, forgot the call signs, rookie move. Clay doesn't have time to dwell on that mistake because he is already on the move, hustling after his guys.
He pauses briefly at the top of the tunnel entrance. Flipping his nods on and then keying his coms "Bravo 3 and 5, one friendly approaching from the rear."
Clay doesn't wait for a response, not even sure if their communications will work underground. He scales down the ladder quickly and then speeds along the corridor. He can hear movement not too far along, and knows he is approaching Sonny and Brock's position.
An opening to his left catches his attention. He pauses briefly to study a small offshoot that branches out from the main tunnel. On a hunch he decides to check it out quickly, interested to see where it goes. He makes it about 20 feet in when the area widens drastically and the walls become covered with crates stacked multiple crates high. Clay crouches down, peeking into the top of the nearest one, that seems to have been separated and opened already.
Raw explosives. Interesting...Suddenly the size of the blast that took Jason out makes more sense. If something set one of these puppies off. Yeah, that would do it. He doesn't recall anything about them moving this quantity of explosive materials, or really any quantity, in the briefing.
He stares further down the tunnel, past the boxes to where the path curves and disappears around a bend. Clay longs to explore further, see where it goes, understand more of what has happened today but he needs to get back to his guys so he reluctantly turns around.
He is almost back to the entry point when he hears a commotion break out further down the main tunnel in the direction of where he knows his men are.
Clay's stomach drops and he breaks out into a cold sweat.
Up ahead he hears Sonny's voice yell out "Brock! No!" followed up by the distinctive sound of Cerb yipping sharply. There are more barks, growls, more sounds of wrestling and struggle and then a few agonizing, terrifying, seconds later while he is still too damn far away do anything about any of it he hears Sonny cry out again. This time a full roar of pain that echoes off the nearby walls and down around the corridor towards him. And then things go quiet.
No.
No. No. No!
The silence hangs. His heart stops beating, his lungs stop working and all he can hear is the echo of his feet pounding on the ground as he sprints in their direction.
Clay's running with all he's got but is terrified to actually arrive at his destination.
He didn't just get two more of his teammates killed. He couldn't have.
He couldn't have... Right?
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Poor Clay just can't catch a break this mission. Sorry, not sorry.