Saving a Teammate

Forward Operating Base – Tactical Operations Center

Davis prayed the huge group would deviate or walk right past her guys. She breathed a tiny sigh of relief when three images positioned themselves forward of Clay's location creating a shield which would need to be breached before the hostiles could reach the injured soldier. Another sigh escaped as she reported to Jason, "Bravo One, TOC, be advised the group is slowing and adjusting course. They might miss you if we are lucky." She didn't expect a response; any noise could alert the enemy.

Blackburn asked, "Any idea who they are? There was not supposed to be a large contingent with Nazeri … only ten men."

Mandy shook her head. "All intel we have indicates only ten should be traveling with him. Though I doubt that is Nazeri. He isn't expected until later in the day."

Eric ran a hand through his hair. "Unless he travels to the outskirts with his men and then enters with a smaller group while the others wait outside the village."

"If that is the case, their exfil is fucked up because they will run smack dab into the waiting forces," Lisa chimed in. Noting the forty men appeared to stop, she communicated to Bravo team, "Bravo One, the force halted about two hundred yards from your position. Several are breaking off in various directions. Appear to be making a perimeter sweep."

Eric spoke next, "Potential the group is Nazeri's. Though unconfirmed."

Near Rock Outcropping

Jason and the rest of the guys listened to TOC's details. Unless they were discovered, Jason didn't want to engage them, not with Clay in his condition. If we can wait it out until … no wrong strategy.

He squawked his comms unit once to gain Ray's attention. Using hand signals, he conveyed his strategy and received a nod of agreement. Ray then passed the details to Trent, who in turn pivoted, knowing Brock would have eyes on him and communicated to him.

Rock Outcropping

Having learned a whisper filtered down to Sonny from up here, Brock conveyed the plan to Quinn and Duncan at the same time. "Stealth takedown before sunrise to thin the herd, be prepared when shots erupt."

Sonny glanced at the kid whose eyes had shut again. He patted his shoulder and lids flickered open.

Clay gave a thumbs up that he overheard Brock too, though he found it more difficult to keep his eyes open. He shifted slightly, hoping for a more comfortable position and gritted his teeth to stop the groan from escaping.

Sonny moved in close inches from Spenser's face. "Don't move," he growled in a hushed but commanding tone.

Copy. Moving sucks. Clay only responded with a blink.

Near Rock Outcropping

Jason, Ray, and Trent began moving, each identifying targets. K-bars at the ready, they approached their quarry noiselessly from the rear and applied chokeholds, rendering the three unconscious. Carefully lowering them to the ground, they shoved leaves in their mouths, drug them to trees and zip-tied their hands behind them around the trunks.

As the sky began to lighten, the men had silently incapacitated nine of the forty, gathering their weapons and improving their odds. They moved back to their shield positions and waited to find out if this was, in fact, Nazeri's group.

Lifting his night vision, no longer needed, Jason hoped the group would move off without realizing their move, but luck was not on his side. A yell erupted as one of the nine was located by a comrade. From his position, he spotted five men surrounding one. There was no mistaking the man was Nazeri. He had stared at the man's ugly mug a long time in the briefing.

"TOC, Bravo One, target confirmed in the group. Request to engage with deadly intent to secure Nazeri."

"Authorized," Eric responded but it was not necessary as the hostiles began firing as one of them spotted Trent.

"Bravo Two, target those around Nazeri. We want him alive," Jason instructed, no longer bothering to keep his voice to a whisper as he had when speaking to TOC.

Talking became non-existent as the unit engaged the enemy in a full-on firefight. Having the high ground provided Bravo an advantage, if only slight, in the face of so many. The real advantage was their training and accuracy in firing. One after another of Nazeri's men met their maker after a well-placed bullet.

Jason shifted position, moving up the hill as the force surged forward. Making a dent in the numbers still didn't mean they would be victorious. He dove behind a tree right before a shower of shots rained down around him. The burning across his left bicep told him he had been hit, likely grazed, but he didn't have the time to check as he began targeting the hostiles moving in on him.

Sniping those surrounding Nazeri, Ray took out all five guards. Though they must take Nazeri alive, Ray figured winging the man in the leg to prevent him from running would be the best course of action. He fired as Trent provided him cover from those approaching his location. Once Nazeri was down, he had to bug out, too many advancing on him for Trent to protect him any longer.

Rock Outcropping

Still vastly outnumbered, Brock, Sonny, and Duncan laid down a barge of bullets providing cover for Jason, Ray, and Trent as they pulled back. After the three attained new positions, they dialed back to directed shots to conserve their dwindling supply of ammo.

Though their volley safeguarded their teammates, the unfortunate effect was providing the insurgents their position. More shots zinged in their direction smashing into the rocks surrounding them, luckily not ricocheting.

Cerberus moved, putting himself in front of Clay, sensing one of his humans was in danger and doing as his partner instructed … protect.

A yelp caused Sonny to turn his head in time to witness Cerberus fall back on Clay. "Shit, Cerberus' is hit!"

"How bad?" Brock yelled down, wanting to go to his dog but unable and unwilling to leave his post.

Dropping his gun, Clay wrapped his hand around Cerberus, who now lay next to him, and found the wound. He pressed hard, causing the pup to whine, but needing to stem the flow. "In the thigh," Clay managed to say as he fought to stay conscious, his four-legged teammate needed his help and he would give it for as long as he could.

"Kid's got him for now," Sonny called out as he returned his attention to the dozen or so men who dug in taking cover and still firing at them.

Cerberus turned his head to Clay and his soulful brown eyes locked with blue ones. He whimpered but licked his human's face.

A small grin came to Clay's face as Cerberus' tongue ran across his scruffy cheek and then the wounded canine settled his head on his paws continuing to stare at him with what Clay assumed was complete trust. As a burst of fire kicked up dust around him, Clay shifted, pulled Cerberus closer, and used his own body as a shield as Sonny cussed a blue streak and let loose a sustained torrent of shells towards the assholes who targeted them.

Near Rock Outcropping

Finally realizing they were outgunned, their original forty now only eight, the remaining Taliban retreated, leaving their wounded and dead on the ground, including Nazeri, who yelled for them to take him with them and when they didn't, cursed them as cowards.

Jason, Trent, and Ray went on the offensive, unwilling to allow the fleeing men to escape to gather reinforcements. They engaged them in the next gorge and all eight chose death this time instead of giving up when Jason called out one of the few phrases he spoke in their language telling them to surrender.

On their way back, Trent halted next to Nazeri and rendered basic first aid, applying a dressing to the wound on the terrorist's leg. Ray kept guard while Trent worked, as Jason ran like the devil bit at his heels up to the outcropping.

Rock Outcropping

Reaching the alcove, Jason bellowed, "Son of a bitch," as he witnessed Sonny and Brock carefully repositioning both Clay and Cerberus while Duncan pushed on the kid's right flank with both hands.

Duncan's eyes met Hayes' and he registered the same anger which Blaze's eyes held when one of them were injured. "Evac now! I can't stop the bleeding."

Jason didn't need more words as he keyed his comms, "TOC set the helos down as close as you can. I'm not losing Bravo Six. Package also acquired."

He knew Eric and Davis would do all in their power, so he knelt next to Clay and tapped the kid's cheek to elicit a response. When glazed eyes met his, Jason admonished, "You weren't supposed to move."

Using the last of his energy, Clay mumbled out, "Saving a teammate. Would do it again." His eyes rolled back as he gave way to sweet oblivion.

Brock held pressure on his dog's hind quarter as he stared at Clay. "Damned kid risked his life for Cerberus."

Sonny paced, anger and concern warring inside. He snapped, "Cerberus would be dead. Kid took four rounds in the vest covering the dog."

"Bravo One, evac four minutes out," Davis rattled off the coordinates, which was as close as they could land, but she wished it could be closer.

Jason peered at Duncan. "Wrap him tight. I'm carrying him." Turning to the others he said, "Prepare to move."

Sonny shook his head. "You're hit, Jace. I've got him."

"It's nothing. He's my responsibility."

Although he didn't argue further, Sonny would not be far from either on exfil. "I'll hold pressure as we go, might give him more time."

Jason nodded.

Once Duncan did all he could, Jason squatted and with Sonny's and Duncan's assistance gently as possible lifted Spenser to his shoulder. Ensuring his grip was firm he stood and Sonny placed a hand over Clay's back.

As a group, with Jason carrying Clay, Brock carrying Cerberus, Trent and Duncan assisting Nazeri, who complained loudly, they started off at a fast pace. With any luck, they would reach the exfil location with Clay still alive and the medics would be able to stabilize him inflight.

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AN: Thanks to everyone who answered my question for me ... now I know Trent = Bravo Four and Brock = Bravo Five.