It was late afternoon, at the military base at Milan. Several Eurocopter Tigers were taking off the helipads after being rearmed and refueled. Cargo planes zoomed above the base, dropping the much needed supplies on parachutes. A soldier on a watchtower at the gates spotted a group of people walking towards the base. He took out his binoculars and looked at the group of people. He quickly picked up a phone at the watchtower and called the command centre.

"Sir, I just saw Alpha 1st team coming towards us," reported the soldier before putting the phone back.

"All right! We're almost there," said Doug. The rest were dead tired after trekking the last 20 miles to the base. A truck was seen moving out from the base and towards them.

"Well, at least they have the decency to send some transport here," said James. Terry just shook his head. The transport arrived minutes later. The truck stopped beside them and the driver popped his head out through the window.

"Hey, you guys need a lift?" asked the driver.

"Thought you'd never ask," said Doug. He hopped into the truck, followed by the rest. Vespin was a bit too short to get up the truck, so Doug had to pull her up. She landed on him and blushed.

"You okay, Vespin?" asked Doug. Vespin just nodded and moved to the side. The truck started turning and moving towards the base.

"What do you mean lost!?" shouted Doug at the commander. The commander goes unmoved at this loud statement.

"Bravo 2 was sent down to retrieve the passengers of Bravo 3, tell me what happened!" shouted Doug at the commander.

"Commander Doug, I'm telling you that we've lost contact with both choppers at the Alps. We do not know what happened," replied the commander, expressionless and with a tinge of his Italian accent.

"They better not be dead, otherwise I'll have to write a report about you for losing them," warned Doug, before angrily walking out the room.

"The problems lie with the helicopter pilots, not me. I'm just in charge of this base and follow orders from the high superiors. That's all I'm going to say," said the commander. Doug gritted his teeth before slamming the door shut. He stomped out of the command centre and towards the barracks where his team were residing. He sat down before them at a long table in the barracks.

"Did we have any trace of Delta?" asked Terry.

"That bastard commander had me pissed off. He was easily shrugging off the disappearance as some form of bad luck and cares more for his safety in the base," said Doug, huffing off any anger he had in him, resting his head on his left hand. Maddie came and gave him a cup off coffee and sat beside him.

"They're going to be fine. I can sense that," said Maddie as she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Thanks Maddie," replied Doug as she started to rock him side-by-side.

"I'll go get some fresh air," said Ivan, getting up and leaving the barracks.

"Yea, us too," said the rest. They all go up and head outside the barracks, going to their own directions. Ivan heard footsteps after him. He turned around to see Vespin coming after him.

"Hi Ivan, can I walk with you?" asked Vespin with a smile. At a distance, Doug and Maddie observed her antics.

"You think they'll make a good couple?" asked Maddie. Doug shook his head.

"Naw, she's just there to find out more about him," replied Doug.

"More about him?"

"Yea, I mean, his tastes were blonds. I bet she can match-make him with one in my sister's team."

"She's a match-maker?"

"Well, you don't think Yee Lin and James came together by chance?" asked Doug, pointing towards James and Yee Lin. They were laughing together and exchanging kisses.

"Judging by their antics, they look like they'd make a good couple from the beginning," commented Maddie.

"Oh, before you were reassigned here, they're always fighting over the minute of things. There was one time they were fighting who were better, the mainland Chinese or the Singaporean Chinese. After that they never spoke for a month. It gave me headaches," explained Doug while rubbing his forehead.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Then along came Vespin, from my sister's team. Because my sister's team only allows able-bodied persons, Vespin was reassigned here, under my sister's recommendation and under the guise as a Delta operative."

"That's one of your lies," Maddie giggled when Doug gave one of his annoyed faces.

"Continuing on, Vespin brought them together like a diplomat stopping a war between nations. And well, she succeeded more that that. Their love blossom to what they are now."

"Is that the same with you and me?"

"Not really. I liked you from the time you came under my team. She just gave me tips. The rest are done by me."

"Oh, you mischievous man!" commented Maddie before landing a kiss to Doug's lips.

"What is it this time?" asked Doug. Terry was with him. The commander huffed and started talking.

"Our Eurocopter Tigers have found the wreckage of the two Hinds. There were a few survivors there, but a Nationalist Apache appeared and attacked our choppers. It didn't want us to rescue them," said the commander. Doug's face grew in annoyance.

"Do whatever it takes to get them. Every one of them is a military asset," said Doug.

"But that'll put more strain on valuable military resources we don't have. There's nothing we can do……," replied the commander before Doug grabbed him by the collar.

"There's something we must do. Lives are at stake. If we don't get them, the Italian campaign will be a lot harder. You understand that?" said Doug to the commander's face.

"I wish if high command………"

"JUST DO IT," said Doug loud and clear. The commander was stopped from giving more excuses.

"I'll get permission from high command, you rescue them, got it?"

"Okay……………you win," said the commander. Doug put him down and the commander made phone calls.

Doug was sitting by a Hind when two Eurocopter Cougars and Tigers landed nearby. Several TSWAT personnel came out of the helicopters. Some injured and carried into stretchers, others were walking by themselves. One of the Delta operatives walked towards Doug.

"Thanks for getting rescue for us. We were trapped in that valley for almost two days," said the operative.

"No problems, Rave. After all, we're all in this fight together, right?"

"Yeah, for freedom and democracy!" They both laughed about it for a while.

"Commander, I gotta go now. Anyway, thanks again," said Rave, waving goodbye while walking to his comrades. Doug just waved back. Terry walked towards Doug.

"Doug, there's a meeting coming up. This ones' from high command," said Terry.

"Thanks, Terry. Are you going to be there?"

"Nope, looks like I'm not invited in this"

"It must be hard, being from America and all"

"I don't blame them. Serving alongside you was good enough. And I think this ones' for the commanders only."

"Commanders? Must be of high importance. I'll be there shortly."