Chapter 4

"You know everybody falls at some point."

Wilcox turned as he was putting on his t-shirt over his dog tags. He saw Connor leaning in the doorframe and giving a slight grin at him. He adjusted the shirt and replied, "But it shouldn't have happened. I've made that distance before." He turned to pick up his things to put them away.

Connor shook his head as he watched the sergeant meticulously put his gear away. He knew that the business of being a soldier was serious business but he had been around long enough to know that things did happen and sometimes what you trained for went out the window. He was living proof considering what happened to him. "True. I've read your file and you are pretty much the textbook definition of a sergeant. Too much I think."

"It's not all jokes, sir," Wilcox replied as he faced Connor. "You have to have your game on out there especially when your men depend on you."

"And I know that," Connor countered, welcoming the fact that the sergeant was being a little candid even if still adhering to rank. He straightened out but still had that relaxed look about him. "Believe I know, mate. I had training with the Royal Marines and the SAS but sometimes things happen on a mission and yes the training helps but…" He shrugged his shoulders.

"Is that why you pretty much rose from the ashes in New Baghdad?"

Connor made a slight sound at the description and muttered, "Really Gideon?" He cleared his throat and spoke louder, "You want to know the truth?"

"Not sure if I do."

"You should." Connor shifted on his feet and put his hand on his hips. "Truth is, it was more reaction and survival than training. And pure luck that I had a grapple and didn't impale myself on anything when I crashed into the building." He studied the sergeant and continued, "Yes there are certain rules that predict outcome but in the end things can change and you have to adapt. Someone could get hit, the transport is down… Like I said…"

"Best weapon is right between your ears," Wilcox finished, well versed in that particular mantra.

Connor grinned at that. "Glad that finally someone got it through their thick skull." He studied the sergeant. "Now we need to work on the other part."

"You really aren't going to let this go are you sir?"

Connor shook his head, "Nope. Can't have a stiff neck all the time, mate." He looked at the sergeant and added, "I may appear like I don't give two shakes but I do."

"Don't doubt that, sir," Wilcox replied, "You saved my ass from falling out." He looked around and sighed a little. "I'll try sir but…"

"You can start by not calling me sir with every other breath except when in front of Command. Every time I hear it I think my Da is here. Most call me Hayfield."

Wilcox stared at Connor, the look obvious that he was shocked that his CO was saying it was okay to call him by his last name rather than by rank or 'sir'. Connor picked up on the shock and his lip twitched a little in amusement before adding, "Or Commander."

Wilcox nodded still not sure if he heard the Commander correctly. Then again what he had heard of his reputation was that he had a slight penchant for disregarding the rules but he was good at his job. Yet their last op showed that he did his job and completed the mission. Finally finding his voice, he said, "I'll work on it Commander."

"Good for that." Connor shifted to look at his watch. "There's still time for a beer in the rec hall. Come on." He turned to leave and only pausing when Wilcox didn't move. "That's an order," he added with a smirk.

It was enough to get Wilcox to follow and Connor led the way where the beer was cheerfully being drunk. It was a sort of tradition of sorts with the success of a mission. There was one standing rule, you got drunk there would be no mercy in the morning. After all any of them could be called out so it was best to be moderate.

Connor walked in and greeted Gideon and left Wilcox to mingle with the rest of the team. He accepted a beer and sat back to lean against the counter. He took a sip of his beer and thought about the op they completed. Something wasn't right about the whole thing and he was still disgusted by what had been done to their guys.

"Still thinking about what happened to them," Gideon's voice entered as the man took his place beside Connor. He took a sip of his beer, glad that it was beer and not the hard stuff. He tended to avoid it after what happened to Connor.

"Disturbing," Connor muttered, "And sickening."

"I agree mate. I saw the footage from your helm cam."

Connor made a slight sound. He had forgotten the helm cam on his suit and it would have recorded everything. He did have a tendency to forget but no one called him out on the things he had said during ops. "Forgot about that."

"Figured you would. Brilliant arse and he forgets he's on camera," Gideon teased.

"You would too if you were paraded around as the poster boy, which I'm not." Connor took another swig. "And now I want to get drunk."

"You're piss poor at that."

Connor made a slight face knowing that it was true. The last time he decided to drink the good stuff, was when he had a nightmare. It was after New Baghdad and he had been ordered to take it easy since he did have a broken arm and a GSW along with bumps and bruises. It put him in a cold sweat and he thought the best idea was to drink it away.

Gideon found him shitfaced and in the mood to be emotional. Connor didn't remember much of that conversation but he was grateful that Gideon stopped him from becoming like a weeping woman. He did receive a scolding since he was on painkillers at the time and it didn't work too well with the alcohol. Looking at the man who had his back, Connor nodded, "I know. It's why I only drink beer though this stuff is not Guinness."

"You like that shit?"

"Grew up on it."

Gideon couldn't help but chuckle as he took a swig of his beer. He was glad Connor was on better terms with his father and it seemed that things were going along well. For one it didn't make him too much of a bastard anymore. "So how is the old man?"

"Raising dogs though he hates them." At Gideon's look, Connor explained, "Something about being a near chew toy in the Altay Mountains."

"And yet you had dogs growing up."

"Blame it on Mother."

They both shared a chuckle since Gideon was well aware of the stories regarding Connor's parents. He was personally amused that a woman who looked too delicate to do anything like snap a man's neck was able to boss around an entire unit of spec ops and not just any group but the famous 141. It was the kind of thing that had young buggers looking starry eyed and then wishing that they could be like them. At least with Connor, he didn't feel he had to live up to anyone's standard when he joined the military after his sister did.

Connor studied the team as they chatted, his gaze lighting on Ilona who was doing that purring thing she did with her voice and into Mitchell's ear, making the man blush. He pursed his lips like he wanted to laugh as he watched Ilona move in on her prey. "Seems like Ilona is having fun. She's preying on Mitchell."

Gideon looked and sure enough found Mitchell going red and Ilona grinning as she was saying whatever it was she was saying. "Great. Well aren't you going to stop it?"

"You're fucking crazy, old man," Connor retorted while looking surprised that Gideon would suggest that. "You know that once Comrade gets going she goes for the kill and pray that you are not in the blast radius if you interrupt." He sobered slightly and leaned in so they wouldn't be overheard, "And it's not like they are hurting anyone. Regs be damned."

Gideon made a slight face as he was reminded of something similar he had said when he caught Connor with Magda. "Fine. I don't know and don't care right?"

"Pretty much how I see it unless it becomes a problem." Connor then grinned wickedly and added, "Besides she knows how much Mitchell is into you, pretty boy."

Gideon ended up spitting out what he had drunk since he nearly choked on it. He coughed for a few moments to catch his breath before yelling out, "Sonofabitch, Hayfield!"

Connor was laughing since Gideon was red from nearly choking, spitting and full of rage. He asked in his most innocent voice, "What? Everyone knows you are pretty."

Those closest started laughing. Normally Gideon would have tackled and slugged Connor but since there was some sort of order he went with the next best thing. He decided to deal back Connor in his own hand much like they used to do when they played chess, "That's not what the guys in tech say. Something about your eyes."

Connor was surprised but pleased that Gideon was fighting back and crossed his arms over his chest and replied, "Well I do have pretty eyes. But I'm not the one that makes scruffy the new sexy." He grinned wickedly as he set off a chain of howling laughter.

"Glad you can make it Hayfield."

Connor glanced at Kingpin as he stood at attention in front of the man. "Glad to be invited, sir."

Kingpin studied the commander, knowing that what they were going to discuss was going to be one of those things that could change things. He got to know Connor through Cormack and was impressed by him even though he was concerned about the whole PSTD issue. Cormack assured him and the shrink assigned confirmed it; Connor Hayfield was fit for duty. And he was the man who could get things done.

Finishing his observations Kingpin said, "At ease." He waited until Connor was at ease before beckoning him over to a display. "As you are aware there are still problems with the auxiliaries of Atlas all over the world."

"Irons did have a long reach, sir," Connor replied, letting his Manchester accent filter through. He looked at the display that was being shown to him. "As I heard someone say, same shite, different day; people change places but there's always someone willing to step in."

Kingpin looked at Connor, "You may be right on that account." He tapped the display to show their progress. "Don't get me wrong. You and the team have done a great job going in and taking down these pocket groups but it seems that there may be larger implications."

"Sentinel is always ready," Connor replied. It was all he could say since that was what they did. They went where they were ordered to go and they did the job.

"Glad to hear of it. You've done good work."

"You'd have to owe that to Gideon, sir," Connor corrected, "He is the CO of the unit. I'm just the guy…"

"That stays at the airport," Kingpin finished, well versed in that line. He held up his hand to indicate that he knew that and couldn't help but give a slight smile. "And the only one who is quick to correct and give credit where it is due."

"Just something that I've been taught by my parents. And it was a feat since I had three other siblings," Connor offered with a shrug. He didn't care that he had used that line enough times that even Command knew it by heart. It was the truth and he stuck to it and he never really liked being in the spotlight and made a fuss over. The exception was to his mother and his sisters and he was learning to extend that to Magda. "That and I'm just doing my job, sir. Nothing special."

Kingpin nodded at Connor. He respected that and he remembered the respectful protest that the man made about being the poster boy for the military. It was good PR in that a soldier who had been killed by Irons and then turns up alive and almost dies taking out the man… It was the kind of thing to get new recruits and it took a hell of a lot of convincing to get Connor to agree to it and in the end it worked out better than originally thought.

Even though the men would claim that Connor was an ass or a bastard, he was quite humble when it came to telling his story. He gave no embellishments and no indications that he was telling them something to get promoted. Kingpin did learn that he had a mischievous streak and quite clever in using protocol to his advantage. The man was brilliant and could plan an op with the ease a master craftsman did his project.

Connor was well aware that the opinion Command had of him was one that was mixed and he did his best to keep it that way. He didn't have Cormack to back him up on things and he wasn't going to rely on the fact that he had fallen off a building and survived and only by sheer luck and training kicking in. True Gideon, Mitchell, Ilona and even Magda would vouch for him but he knew that he couldn't rely on that and he was too much set in his ways to change a whole lot but it was made clear that he could play politics. It was a nice little gift from his mother much to the amusement of his father.

Kingpin looked at the man he had summoned and continued, "I'll be frank Hayfield. The situation is not as what we like to believe or show."

"Few things rarely are, sir."

"Glad you see it that way. It makes what I have to say next go much easier."

Connor raised his brow in a slightly suspicious manner and asked, "Is there something I should be aware of?"

And there was the wariness that made the man a good soldier. Kingpin wanted to smile at that since it was something to see and could recall when Connor gave the equivalent of a 'tongue lashing' to a general. It was respectful but enough to make people think twice before trying to tell the man off for something he knew more about than most people. "Yes. Gideon was already apprised of this but I wanted to tell you myself."

Connor watched as Kingpin made changes to the display. When it came up, his eyes widened slightly at what he was seeing but that was all. Kingpin noticed the slight change but when nothing else came, he continued, "The drone you recovered has been tampered with. To what degree, we aren't sure but there are clear signs from the techs."

"They would know. Their good," Connor acknowledged. "So are we moving operations?"

"Thankfully no. The drone was surveillance so they know that we were looking at various locations. This though is what I thought you'd want to see." Kingpin made a slight change to the display. "This is from the helm cams from your last op. They were able to clear it up and from the data collection. Sources say that it is from an old dissident terrorist group…"

Connor stared at the feed and blinked at it while his thoughts went to work. He listened to what was going on and thought about things that dated back to old stories and what his brother and sister told him when he first met his childhood playmate. He finished the meeting with a request that was granted readily and he was out the door.

It was hours later that he found himself outside a nice house. It was the kind that would be a dream to own and typical American dream home. At least that's how the vids like to portray it. Connor studied the house for a moment before walking up the steps with his dog Ash following right behind him. If it wasn't an order to stay behind, she went with him just about everywhere and she had a liking for flying. She put the other dogs in the unit to shame.

Sucking it up, Connor looked around and then fished for the key that he had been given access to, grateful that he wasn't having a security detail following him. He had enough of that for the public appearances. But to reassure Command he agreed to carry his pistol with him, which he did. He opened the door quietly and entered the house and proceeded to walk through the place with quiet surefootedness.

There was only one person in the hall and he gave a polite nod and he got a nod and a smile in return before the person disappeared. Connor stopped outside a door and keyed his access. He sauntered in like it was nothing to see a lone figure sitting at the window. He smirked as he walked in.

"The last time someone walked in a room like that we were fighting side by side." The figure turned to look at Connor. "And she was a pain in the as with being reasonable."

Connor chuckled and replied, "You're only echoing the same sentiment my Da used to say about her. How's it going old man? Sam told me that you've been under the weather." He took a seat in the chair that was provided.

"I can understand why Uncle Woods called Harper dipshit. You are just a fucking bastard, Connor."

Connor couldn't help but laugh. He hadn't seen David Mason for years in person. The audio/vid sessions didn't count and handwritten sentiments were complete shit. "I could say that you are behaving like your da. Though I think Mother knew him better."

David Mason gave a grin at Connor despite the weathered look his face had taken. He knew the MacTavish children for a long time and they were all like their mother on some level. It just depended on who you were talking to. "And she would have told you that she knew him as an old battle axe of a trainer. Sonofbitch was the one who taught her how to stay alive."

There was pride in David Mason's voice and Connor gave lopsided smile. And he thought his problems with his father were bad. "Yeah that was a story to tell though she rather enjoyed ambushing your ass and then later tagging along to make sure that you didn't get into trouble. I think she called it keeping an eye on her wayward stupid arses."

David couldn't help but laugh at that. "That's Ryan alright." At the look he was getting from Connor, he explained, "That was her call sign when I first met her. Later when she took over the 141 and coordinated with JSOC… had to call her Spectre. Everyone knew Spectre though they thought she was a man." He looked at Connor and added in a sober tone, "And I'm sorry about her passing."

Connor gave a slight smile and patted the old man's shoulder. "It's okay, Mason."

David looked at his old friend's youngest son. He had met him when he was a kid and he took to his son Sam and since then the two of them were as thick as thieves. Then growing up he watched them turn into the men they were. He had heard about what happened to Connor and he was the one that kept a Scottish bastard from going crazy but Connor didn't need to know that. "So what has you coming here to see me and I know it's not because you feel guilty about never seeing me since you claim a vid is the same thing."

"It is the same thing. Or better than nothing," Connor offered knowing that it would continue to be a thing of debate. It did depend on who you were asking but he knew David Mason wasn't adverse to technology since the man knew how to hack a drone like there was no tomorrow. He grinned at the man and then asked, "And what makes you think that it's anything but wanting to see my favorite old man?"

"By the fact you have that Special Forces mutt with you."

"Ash comes with me most everywhere," Connor offered like it was nothing. It was true and she came on most ops since she was trained to help the unit avoid danger. "And I'm always prepared. See I even have my gun." He showed his gun to the older man.

"Smartass."

Connor relented knowing that he needed to get his questions answered. He sighed and braced his forearms on his knees and looked at the elder Mason. He stood up and went to look at nothing in particular since this was something that could bring up bad memories. He turned around and asked, "Have you heard anything about Cordis Dei?"

David looked at Connor with a piercing look as he remembered those times. It had been years but sometimes the memory made it feel just like yesterday. He remembered learning the truth from Woods about his father and then what he had done to keep the world from falling apart. He remembered the men who fought, bled and died through that whole ordeal and the close calls he and his friend had.

Connor looked down at the man who was sitting lost in thought. He knew that he was bringing up bad memories. War did that to a person no matter what and it often amazed him how his parents managed to function despite the things they saw. He knew he was asking much of an old man but he needed something to help with the current situation. He was willing to wait.

David was well aware that Connor was willing to wait until hell froze over and he wasn't going to be pushy or a nag about it. He was nice about it and that was a complete contrast to the bastard he could be. Sighing he looked up at his practically nephew and replied, "Cordis Dei has been defunct for years after they were suppressed during the riots."

"I know."

"Then why are you asking?"

Connor looked at the man and then tapped into his wrist console. It projected what he was allowed to show and he held it steady for David to see. "We recently recovered a compromised surveillance drone and this was what was found by the recovery team. I recognized it because Mother kept an image of it in the war chest. Then Command mentioned the name and I had to ask."

David hummed at that. Sighing he shook his head and waved Connor back before getting slowly out of his chair. He ambled over to where there was an old fashioned cabinet. "I know the group well though you are chasing the remnants of a dead man."

Connor followed David just to make sure that the old man didn't fall over. The man did just recover from a nasty cold according to Sam. "Or someone trying to follow in the footsteps of a dead man."

"True," David replied as he opened the cabinet. He reached in and pulled something out. He looked at it before tossing it to Connor. He didn't think that he would see that again. He pointed at it, "That belonged to the sister of Raul Menedez, the dead man I am talking about…"

A/N: Looks like we have some downtime for Connor and friends and the appearance of a familiar character. What happens next? Keep watching for more Into the Breach...