Shortly after the tense interrogation, Laswell discovers a lead that says one of Aegis Defence Services' two remaining lost RT-2PM2 Topol-Ms is being stored and prepped at a hatchery that is actually a Los Zetas front. And this shell company is sitting near a wind farm called Sotavento Galicia, S.A. located in Xermade, Lugo, Spain.
Shepherd is quick to back her, Captain Price, Kyle, Sandman and Frost up by making some calls to get one of Spain's best police tactical units, the G.E.O. (Grupo Especial de Operaciones/Special Group of Operations), on the case with them.
Laswell: The data hacked from Hadir's phone in Mexico went through a cell tower in Spain. Hadir was communicating with someone there when we caught him. Signals track to a hatchery used by Los Zetas and their cartel business partners as a smuggling front. It's remote, inconspicuous and on the water.
Captain Price: Perfect to move illegal cargo.
Kyle: Including missiles.
Laswell: We need to get on the ground and see if the missiles are there. Imagery shows at least four structures and a lighthouse. We need eyes inside, but it's heavily guarded by cartel.
Shepherd: Alright, good job on keeping this setback from derailing the entire mission.
Captain Price: The high grass lends itself to concealment... in the right gear.
Kyle: Ghillie Suits.
Laswell: Exactly. I'll watch the coast for movement and provide exfil by boat.
Captain Price: You shouldn't be alone out there, Kate. One is none.
Laswell: There's already a crowd.
Shepherd: Y'all don't have to. I can get us some Spanish support from the G.E.O. I'm sure they'll love keeping the drug cartels out of their country.
Laswell: That'll take time.
Shepherd: Not for me.
Captain Price: Laswell could be right, Shepherd. They may leave faster than you can expect.
Frost: I'm all for having trusted backup. There's a difference between improvising on the run and unnecessary risk-taking. Finding the mobile ICBMs won't be any good if we're all dead because of your egos and overestimations.
Sandman: *sighs* Even though Frost's presentation is garbage, he does have a point.
Laswell: I see it, too. John?
Captain Price: Fine. But if this goes sideways, Shepherd, Frost, it'll be on both of you.
Shepherd: It's always been on me.
Frost: You and me both, Gold Eagle.
Shepherd: G.E.O. can sweep the Hatchery and Lighthouse while you snipers keep them covered and the AO clear of any surprises. You're free to join the assaults at any point if you really want as long as you don't put them at risk.
Captain Price: Never.
Laswell: I'll call you when I'm in position. Let's find these missiles before Hadir puts them in our backyard.
October 31st, 2022 - 10:58:50, Sotavento Galicia, S.A., Xermade, Lugo, Spain, Watcher sets up on her mini yacht off the coast with the Civil Guard on patrol boats. Before the G.E.O. can start operating in the Hatchery, Task Force 141 has to do the Wind Farm a favor by getting rid of the Los Zetas presence there first.
Laswell: Watcher to Bravo, I'm in position... half a click off the coast. Structures are visible. What's your status?
Captain Price: We're set at our firing point. Eyes on a pair of armed targets hiding in the field.
Laswell: You're green-lit. Execute when able.
Captain Price: (on comms) Rog'. Standby. (off comms) No wind. 200 meters. Frost, on me.
Frost: Got 'em. Wannabes.
[L115A3 fire]
[MSR fire]
Laswell: Bravo, what do you have? Bravo, how copy?
Captain Price: Solid, Watcher. Two down.
Laswell: Good work. Push forward. See what you can find.
--
Recon By Fire
31st October, 2022 - 11:00:06
Cpt. John Price
Task Force 141, C.I.A. Special Activities Center, G.E.O., Civil Guard
Xermade, Lugo, Spain
--
Small sniper teams and medium and even large groups of hostiles out in the open can be dealt with no problem. But for units unawarely moving too close to them, Bravo Team and Metal Team have to wait for the perfect opportunity to wipe them out.
Captain Price: Eyes on mobile patrols and a ground team ahead of us.
Kyle: I see 'em. Cartel?
Captain Price: Likely. Let's low crawl and see what they're trying to keep us away from.
Frost: But let's sweep 'em up for the G.E.O. first. Before them, I got another concealed sniper team at 11 o'clock.
Captain Price: Friendly or hostile?
Frost: No Spanish friendly is supposed to be here at the moment, and they're using Dragunov SVDs. Hostile.
Captain Price: Copy. Kyle, use your thermal to spot my laser.
Kyle: Eyes on.
Captain Price: Burn him. I'll take the other.
[L115A3 fire]
[L115A3 fire]
Kyle: Hit him.
Captain Price: Clean shots.
Frost: Good. That patrol's all alone trying to stretch their legs and have a smoke. Engaging.
[MSR fire]
[L115A3 fire]
[MSR fire]
[L115A3 fire]
Sandman: Clear. Nice shots, team. Especially you, old man.
Captain Price: Tango Mike (thanks much), kid. Let's push up. Stick close.
Laswell: Watcher to Bravo, how we doing, boys?
Captain Price: On the move, Laswell. Cartel guards are down in the field.
Laswell: Anything that can hold a mobile ICBM?
Captain Price: Negative.
Laswell: Copy, keep pushing.
Captain Price: Yeah. Near the wind turbines as we speak.
Laswell: Copy. Get to the treeline forward of your position. It'll give you some cover.
Captain Price: (on comms) Copy. (off comms) Hold it. Vehicles incoming. See that? Container truck.
Kyle: Yep. Right size for a missile.
Frost: Unless they've disassembled it, I don't think so. But it's a start.
Captain Price: How would you know?
Frost: I may have just seen Topol-Ms in pictures, but I got the idea of how big they're supposed to be.
Sandman: Sergeant First Class, keep your mouth professional and your head in the game. Leave the thinking to Price and his crew.
Frost: *shakes his head* Back on track, we got no clear shots for engagement. We can let 'em pass for now.
Captain Price: (off comms) Let's track it. (on comms) Bravo to Watcher, we have transports moving north of our position.
Kyle: One's hauling a container. It may have the missiles.
Laswell: Copy. That's what we're here for. Moving along the coast for a better view. Stay on it.
Captain Price: (on comms) Rog'. Out. (off comms) Tunnel under the roadway. Let's use it to cross to the other side.
Frost: Wanna do the honors, Sandman?
Sandman: Bringing the G.E.O. in was your idea. That makes you the point of contact, Westbrook.
Frost: (quietly) (off comms) Jesus, this life debt is poisoning him. (on comms) Eagle 1-1, this is Metal 0-4. We're a quarter away from the target buildings. Be advised, three trucks packed with shooters and a shipping container just passed by, over.
Rivera: Roger that, Metal 0-4. ISR has just been established. We have them stopping at the target buildings now, over.
Frost: Understood, 1-1. Keep us posted, over.
Kyle: Cartels and terrorists. Strange bedfellows, huh?
Captain Price: Terrorists are all about the past. Narcos are all about the future.
Kyle: What's the common ground?
Rivera: There are several of them. One of the most common is the West. Whether it is killing them or stealing from them, Westerners are the ripest trees and the freshest meat to them.
Captain Price: Yeah, well, they're not gonna win. No matter what you believe. And maintain radio discipline. Fucking amateurs.
Frost: Ease up, Captain. They're on our side.
Laswell: Territory and fresh blood. They both attract the youth. Always a long line of new recruits.
Kyle: I'll take Laswell's analysis any day of the week.
Captain Price: Mm-hmm. Grass is higher. We're more concealed. Crouch and keep a low profile.
Frost: Small patrol incoming. Get down, NOW.
Kyle: Are we far enough?
Frost: Negative. We gotta wait until they get behind and further away.
Captain Price: Until then, hide your guns. Try to anticipate their paths. If you have to maneuver, do it slow and steady. No quick movements. Keep your head still. It's gonna be close.
Frost: They're far enough. Firing.
[MSR fire]
[L115A3 fire]
[MSR fire]
[L115A3 fire]
Frost: Now, those two holding ahead.
Captain Price: Kyle and I have 'em.
Kyle: Copy, eyes on 'em.
Captain Price: Take him. I'll drop the other.
[L115A3 fire]
[L115A3 fire]
Kyle: That's a fatality.
Captain Price: We still got it. We're safe to move. Treeline ahead. Let's get up there now. Enough sniping stragglers.
Frost: We're doing our Spanish allies a solid. With what Sandman is doing for you, I thought you understood that.
Sandman: Westbrook.
Kyle: This is a chore.
Frost: For you, maybe. For me, this is being a good friend. But since the majority sees it as a "chore", I can push ahead and kill all of them on my own while you set up shop. Sound good? Wouldn't wanna miss the big pitch, right?
Captain Price: Fine. Just get the fuck out there and shut your bloody mouth.
Frost: Gladly.
Sandman: Thanks, Price. I never liked him anyway. Fucking wiseass.
Frost: Metal 0-4 to Eagle 1-1, we're setting up and clearing the entire Wind Farm simultaneously as we speak, over.
Rivera: Understood, 0-4. We are moving in now, over.
Once almost through the Wind Farm, Frost scouts ahead to search for more Narcos and Terrorists to kill, and gives Chief Inspector Hector Rivera, the G.E.O. Operator in charge of Spain's end of the mission, the go-ahead to insert. Meanwhile, at the treeline overlooking the cartel front, Kyle asks Laswell how she and Captain Price met while preparing to provide support for the Spanish with Sandman.
[MSR fire]
Captain Price: A long way from your days on the police force, is it, Kyle?
Kyle: That wasn't for me.
Captain Price: I knew that the moment I saw you in Piccadilly Circus.
Kyle: (off comms) Thank you, sir. (on comms) Kate?
Laswell: Kyle, what's up?
Kyle: How did you and Captain Price meet, Laswell?
Laswell: John, wanna tell him?
Captain Price: We met at a poker game in Tel Aviv.
Kyle: Really?
Captain Price: No. It was a museum in Monte Carlo.
Kyle: Eh, sounds possible, at least.
Laswell: It does, doesn't it?
Kyle: Fucking hell. Come on.
Laswell: Okay, for real, we met in London at a soccer game.
Captain Price: It's football, Laswell. It's football.
Laswell: And THAT is exactly how I got him to talk to me.
Frost: *chuckles* That's admittedly a good one.
Sandman: Hey, Westbrook, didn't we tell you to keep your arrogant mouth out of this channel?
Frost: (on comms) Wind Farm's clear. (off comms) Ironic... but useful to know.
Kyle: Yeah, how'd that go?
Laswell: Not well. John does not like to be bothered watching soccer.
Captain Price: Football, Laswell.
Laswell: Works every time.
Kyle: How'd the op go?
Captain Price: Not well. I dressed a guy in a gorilla suit to distract the target. It worked, but I slipped on the ice trying to roll him up. So, Laswell nabbed him. Put him away for life.
Laswell: Target told the gorilla story at trial. No one believed him.
Frost: *stops himself from getting on comms* *shakes head* (mentally) Professional liars to the end, right, guys? You two deserve each other.
While regrouping with the others, Metal 0-4 gets organized with what he says out loud and what to keep to himself in order to stop the groaning in the airwaves and keep Metal 0-1 from giving him another dragged out lecture on professionalism, courtesy to superior officers, and his life debt to Bravo 6. The G.E.O. then arrives and starts breaching and clearing the Hatchery with Captain Price.
Rivera: Metal 0-4, this is Eagle 1-1. We are all set down here. Waiting on you, over.
Captain Price: I'm going down there. These amateurs might miss all the crucial details.
Sandman: We got you covered, sir.
Frost: *face palms* Roger, Eagle 1-1. Sniper support is ready. Be advised, Bravo 6 will be joining you in your assault. You may begin when ready. Copy that, over?
Rivera: Copy, Metal 0-4. Breaching now.
[SG 551 SWAT fire]
[MSR fire]
[HK33 fire]
[C8 SFW fire]
[MSR fire]
[L115A3 fire]
[MP5 A5 MLI fire]
[P90 USG fire]
[870 MCS fire]
Kyle: Bloody hell, Captain. There already? That's a long way.
Captain Price: *enemy gunfire* That's why they call me Captain and you Leftenant. Keep me covered.
Kyle: Roger, copy and check, sir.
Frost: (mentally) And Sandman calls me arrogant.
Captain Price: *enemy gunfire* We didn't all run cross country in college, Kate.
Laswell: I still run, John. Just gotta stop smoking.
Kyle: You smoke, Laswell?
Laswell: I do. My wife hates it. Trying to quit. Jonesing, big time.
Frost: (mentally) You got a wife? I could've sworn you and Price were a thing. Or maybe cheating is a forbidden kink.
Captain Price: *enemy gunfire* Can I interest you in a cigar, perhaps?
Laswell: *chuckles* Very funny.
After letting Rivera and his men have their fun, Bravo 6 finishes the job, secures the cartel front's warehouse, and begins and concludes the SSE almost immediately.
Captain Price: Warehouse is clear. *opens door* Bloody hell.
Rivera: *opens door* There is enough cocaine in here to intoxicate half of Spain. Fucking Los Zetas.
Captain Price: This is definitely a cartel front.
Laswell: What do you see?
Captain Price: A shit load of drugs that'll get Spain high for weeks.
Frost: Bravo 6, Eagle Team, be advised, you got fifteen hostiles coming to you from the Hatchery's processing plant, over.
Captain Price: Got it, Westbrook.
Rivera: Roger, Metal 0-4. Thanks for the heads-up. *signals G.E.O. to move out and engage*
[C8 SFW fire]
[SG 551 SWAT fire]
[HK33 fire]
[MP5 A5 MLI fire]
[P90 USG fire]
[870 MCS fire]
Once the outdoor area of the Hatchery is clear again, Captain Price, Eagle 1-1 and the rest of the G.E.O. move onto the cartel front's processing plant. They may not have found a Topol-M inside, but they did find an interesting clue pointing to the Lighthouse.
Rivera: Processing plant is clear. Unfortunately, the container the truck was carrying is not big enough for a Topol-M.
Laswell: Not sure if that's good news or bad news.
Captain Price: Let's poke around and see what else we can find.
[Rivera nods and signals his men to search the processing plant]
Captain Price: *points* Found something.
Laswell: What is it?
Captain Price: A rendering with schematics. More to this place than we thought. There's tunnels under the Lighthouse. Let's circle up and head for it. Meet you there.
Sandman: (on comms) Copy that, Captain. (off comms) Let's go, Kyle, Westbrook.
Kyle: On me, Sandman. You think you should stay here and snipe some more, kid?
Frost: I can handle and enjoy CQB (close-quarters battle) as much as sniping, old man. Sniping's just my specialty.
Sandman: Really?
Frost: So much for having a backbone. You really getting on my case because I hurt your C.I.A./S.A.S. best friends' feelings?
Sandman: You really are the wrong guy in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Frost: (mentally) What else is new? Grass is green, and you're a British S.A.S. simp? You don't say?
Task Force 141 and the G.E.O. proceed to lock the outside of the Lighthouse down. Which turned out to be guarded by Al-Qaeda and Taliban Terrorists and Inner Circle Operators this time.
[MSR fire]
[L115A3 fire]
Rivera: Good cover, Frost.
Frost: Glad you're still here, Chief Inspector.
Captain Price: Thanks for the assist, Leftenant, Master Sergeant.
Sandman: No problem, sir.
Kyle: Always got you, sir. *looks at dead bodies* Captain, these guys aren't cartel. They're Al-Qaeda, Taliban and Ultranationalist Inner Circle.
Captain Price: Laswell, you copying this?
Laswell: Copy. If Hadir's got fighters here, then something's going down.
Kyle: Or did.
Laswell: There's several outbuildings around the Lighthouse. Get up there and check them.
Two outbuildings surrounded and dozens of E.K.I.A. later, the joint task force discovers a doorway blocked by a broken washing machine that leads to a hatch and a hanging rope down to the Lighthouse's tunnels. Watcher then reports unknown boats ignoring the Civil Guard and approaching her just as Captain Price, Kyle, Sandman, Frost and Rivera slide down.
Captain: Kate, we found a passageway.
Laswell: Good work.
Captain Price: Look at this.
Kyle: Jackpot.
Rivera: Big find.
Frost: Indeed. You can come with us if you want.
Rivera: (English) Thank you, Frost. (Spanish) Team, keep the surface under our control.
Sandman: Remember, you and Shepherd are babysitting them, not me.
Laswell: Be advised, there are multiple boats ignoring the Spanish authorities and approaching my position.
Kyle: Need help?
Laswell: Could be fishermen. Stay on mission.
Captain Price: On me.
[S.A.S. Dagger hit]
Kyle: Descending.
Sandman: Descending.
Frost: Roping down.
Rivera: Coming down.
Captain Price: Cartels love their tunnels.
Frost: So do terrorists.
Kyle: Eh, wish I could say the same. Age before beauty, Captain. Bloody extensive.
Captain Price: (off comms) Yeah, must lead out to water. (on comms) Kate, I'm in the tunnels heading towards the coastline. You okay?
Laswell: Boats are still closing. No trouble yet.
Captain Price: Oh, I don't like this, Kate.
Laswell: Comes with the territory, John.
Captain Price: You shouldn't be out there alone. You should be protected by the best special ops unit in the world, not a police force full of FNGs (fucking new guy/s).
Laswell: I'm not alone. I'm armed and dangerous, Captain. Out.
The end of the crawlway is a cave that leads to open water. And it looks like it has been around and used by the Narcos and the Terrorists for a while now, judging by the three wooden jetties and the two makeshift submarines docked by.
Unfortunately, no sign of the mobile ICBMs can be found, and none of the submersible craft are big enough to carry any vital, noticeable part. But the missing RT-2PM2 Topol-Ms would become the least of Task Force 141's problems.
Captain Price: Kate, we're in a cave just off the coast. No personnel, no missiles.
Laswell: Copy, I'm directly across— I think we've got problems here, John.
Captain Price: (on comms) Copy, standby. (off comms) Team, get your guns up toward the ocean.
Kyle: What is it?
Laswell: Boats are closing in. Looks like Al-Qaeda and Taliban. They have weapons.
Rivera: (Spanish) Shark 4-6, this is Eagle 1-1. Watcher has company. Protect her at all costs, over.
Shark 4-6: (Spanish) Roger, Eagle 1— RPG!
[RPG-7V2 fire]
[explosions]
Laswell: Contact! I'm engaging!
[MK20 SSR fire]
[AK-47 fire]
[AKS-74U fire]
Captain Price: KATE!
Frost: They're killing the Civil Guard but trying to board Watcher's yacht!
Sandman: LASWELL, NO!
[MSR fire]
[L115A3 fire]
[MSR fire]
[L115A3 fire]
[SG 551 SWAT fire]
Captain Price: KATE?! KATE!
Kyle: LASWELL! FUCK! What the fu— I can't see what's happening!
Captain Price: They have her hemmed in! She's surrounded!
Rivera: (Spanish) Eagle 1-1 to all Shark callsigns, Watcher is in trouble! I say again, Watcher is in trouble! Get to the Lighthouse and save her NOW, over!
[static]
Rivera: (Spanish) FUCK! (English) I am getting nothing from my patrol boats! They must have sunk them!
Laswell: Al-Qaeda and Taliban are on the boat! They're taking it or me.
Al-Qaeda Terrorist 1: (Arabic) Drop your weapon! Drop your weapon, or you will die without mercy!
Laswell: (Arabic) I will not surrender!
Al-Qaeda Terrorist 1: (Arabic) Take her! (Pashto) Take her!
Taliban Terrorist 1: (Pashto) Let's go, brothers! Take her now! NOW!
Al-Qaeda Terrorist 1: Comply! Comply! You are a prisoner in the name of Al-Qaeda and Taliban!
Laswell: GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF OF ME—
[static]
Captain Price: Laswell! Laswell!
[static]
Captain Price: She's on the Al-Qaeda boat! They're taking her!
Kyle: They got her, Captain. They took Laswell.
Captain Price: Well, let's get off the X and talk to Shepherd.
Rivera: I am so sorry for failing, my friends. We are terribly sorry.
Sandman: *punches Rivera* LIKE HELL YOU ARE!
Frost: *pulls Sandman away* THEY GOT US BY SURPRISE, SANDMAN! NONE OF US COULD'VE SEEN 'EM COMING! THIS IS NOT RIVERA'S FAULT!
Captain Price: LIKE HELL IT IS! *tries to charge at Rivera*
Frost: *stops Captain Price* BACK OFF, CAPTAIN! BOTH OF YOU, BACK THE FUCK OFF! I AIN'T HAVING ANY OF YOU COURT-MARTIALED BECAUSE YOU CAN'T CONTROL YOURSELVES!
Kyle: CAPTAIN! We'll get Laswell back. We won't stop until we do.
Captain Price: Let's move.
Frost: Don't worry about it, Rivera. This is not your fault.
[Rivera nods]
Despite having the Civil Guard watching her back, Laswell ends up getting kidnapped by an Al-Qaeda/Taliban boarding party equipped with more firepower than expected. And because of his history with her and the life debt, Captain Price and Sandman attack Eagle 1-1 for his men's failure.
But Frost is quick to defend Rivera from Bravo 6 and Metal 0-1's emotional outbursts. The joint task force then wastes no time climbing back up to the surface, returning to base, and alerting Gold Eagle.
