Operation: smoking trap

The talk

Noah's POV
I walked around our base in eastern Poland just for Sebastien(buck) to be heard behind me, his accent was as iconic as it is recognizable. I turned and asked "what can I do for you my friend?" He smiled and replied "I talked to Harry" I felt my eyes widen before they narrowed "what did you do?" He smiled and replied "I may have recommended you for an invitation to the team" I sighed and mumbled "you didn't" he smiled victoriously "I did" I asked "so when's this meeting?" He replied checking his watch "about 5 minutes" I coughed as I choked on my spit "what?" He repeated it as I spoke "What the fuck? Why am I just learning about this?" He smiled sheepishly "I got sidetracked with Elena" I took a deep breath before replying "lead the way" as He started to walk away. I watched him for a second before thinking about the conversation I was about to have, do I really want to join Team Rainbow? Rex is a good NCO he can handle the boys, so should I join team rainbow? My musing was interrupted as a woman with long black dread lock appeared next to Sebastien.
I almost didn't recognize her as Tina Lin Tsang, the other jtf operator I had the honor of becoming friends with. She asked "what are you doing seb?" He replied "bringing Noah to talk to Harry" she looked around and spoke "I don't see Noah" I cleared my throat gaining her attention before she asked "Noah?" I asked "does the beard really make me look that different?" She nodded and replied "the grey hairs make you look way older" I winced and spoke "don't remind me" she chuckled before asking "so why are you talking to Harry? Are you joining the team?!" I replied pointedly "a certain someone decided to recommend me for the team" Sebastien laughed and replied "you'll love it here" I looked around and shrugged "if I'm accepted" Tina replied confidently "you will, I know it" I just chuckled as she did exaggerated karate poses. Eventually we reached the command center and Sebastien opened the door motioning me inside before we walked through the bustling rooms, I watched the analysts and intelligence officers scouring for usable intel before I heard a knock infront of me. Followed by the faint sound of "come in."
      I saw the door open and Sebastien motioned me through, I walked in as Harry stood, I'd talked with him a couple times in the past but the respect hadn't dissipated at all in that time. He smiled and spoke "Kerry, nice to see you again" I pulled the Kevlar glove off my right hand before I shook his hand and replied "Sir, doing well?" He nodded and motioned to the chair to my right "take a seat please" I sat down as Harry spoke "Sebastien, please wait outside" he wordlessly stepped outside as Harry asked "so I'm sure Sebastien has informed you of his actions?" I smirked and replied "yes sir, he was kind enough to inform me" Harry stood and looked over the roster board with pictures and statuses of all the operators at rainbow before he asked "I'll cut to the chase, I want you at rainbow. You're a great marine, a skillful tactician and a fair leader. All traits I could use at this organization, however I want you to want to be here. This is a tier 1 unit, everyone takes it seriously and makes sure they do their job perfectly every time, can you do that?"
I looked him in the eyes and sensed the challenge I replied curtly "yes sir" he placed a form infront of me "remember this is a hostage rescue team, if you cannot be safe, I will discharge you back to the Raiders" I signed the form and filled out the rest before I looked at Harry and replied confidently "I look forward to it" he smiled before speaking "welcome to Team Rainbow, I'll inform your commanders about your transfer. Meanwhile I suggest you get your men prepared for your departure and put in a recommendation for promotion for Rex." I stood and shook his hand and asked "do you want me to return here after?" He nodded and spoke "we're going to a base in western Russia, near Moscow, in the coming days. I'll have Craig and Meghan prepare temporary quarters for you" I saluted before walking out and heading for my squads barracks finding Rich, also known as Rex, sitting outside in his foldable lawn chair. I spoke "well Rich it happened" he looked at me and asked "Was it seb?" I nodded as Rex laughed before speaking "so I guess I've got the reigns now?" I replied "yes sir, the squads all yours. How's Chris?"
Rich answered "the round missed his lungs by a half an inch, he got lucky but the docs say he'll pull through" I sighed my relief before speaking "I'll just be grabbing my shit and putting in a recommendation for you, I get to go annoy Meghan and Craig again" rich stood and extended his gloved hand to me, I gripped it and we shook the feeling of mutual respect being palpable but not spoken. I walked past him and grabbed my belongings before hefting my carry bag over my shoulder and walking to the door after saying my goodbyes to the team. Many of the younger marines were very clearly proud of the praise I had given in my last moments as their NCO, I stepped through the doorway and heard Tina to my right "youre really proud of them aren't you?" I jumped at the sudden sound as she stood from the second foldable lawn chair. Rich laughed openly as I replied "yea, I am. They're good men, even better warriors." She motioned me to follow her as I asked teasingly "think I can't find my way around the base I've lived on for 6 months?"
She seized up and stammered "n-no, I'm not..... I'm not saying that at all. I just- I just wanted to be helpful" I laughed and replied "lead the way oh great huntress" she huffed when she realized I was teasing before she started walking towards the command center. I looked at her hair and asked "why the new hair style?" She replied "I like the way it looks, I wasn't sure about it until a couple of my friends told me they liked it so I kept it" I ran my hand through my short unkempt hair feeling the coarseness and greasy feel. I sighed causing Tina to ask "what's wrong? Miss your guys already?" I replied longingly "I miss a warm shower, I haven't had a chance to get one in a couple days since we've been training or hitting targets" she looked me over and replied "I kinda see it now, you've got more grey hairs then I remember" I stroked my beard and replied "I know I'm getting old, my beard isn't helping me look younger either" she just laughed and said "I like it, makes you look like a seasoned vet"
      I laughed and replied "I am a seasoned vet I've been in since 07" she paused and spoke matter of factly "it's been that long" I asked for confirmation "you joined in 09 right?" She nodded and asked "how do you know that?" I replied "back in Afghanistan, that village in kandahar. We met there on task force dagger" she replied sounding amazed "I totally forgot about that, whoa. You've got a good memory" I chuckled and replied "hopefully it stays that way" we walked in comfortable silence before Sebastien was seen leaning against the building, his arms were crossed and he looked disinterested in everything. I chuckled at the clash between appearances and reality, Sebastien is a warm kind hearted man who has a super human ability to find things to have in common with anyone he meets. He pushed off the wall and walked to meet us before he asked "Tina? What're you doing here?" She replied "I was walking by the marine barracks and overheard Noah talking with Rich. I figured I'd give him some company on his way over here" seb nodded and started walking without a word I looked at Tina, she shrugged before starting to follow him.
I sighed at the crypticness of the actions before walking after the duo wondering what they had in store for me, they may seem like your average kind innocent Canadians but they're rabid pranksters. I warily walked behind them keeping my eyes open for any hint of deception before they stopped infront of a barracks, I saw the rainbow insignia on the door before it opened and a mountain of a man that I recognized as Montagne or Gilles spoke "Bonjour, mon ami(hello my friend)" I gave a small wave as he asked "did you join us finally?" I replied with a chuckle "with a small shove from our friend Sebastien, yes I'm now a Rainbow operator" Sebastien smiled nervously as Gilles looked at him pointedly and spoke "you recommended him didn't you?" Tina ratted as Sebastien tried to talk his way out of confirming "yeah, seb recommended him" Sebastien spoke enthusiastically "he just needed a push, he's gonna love it here" Gilles stepped out of the doorway and spoke "the bunk all the way in the back to the left is free" I dipped my head in thanks before walking down the aisle before dropping my bag next to the cot.
I carefully placed everything in the foot locker and made sure to keep it organized and to standard, a small discipline that keeps me from forgetting the little things. I looked at my 249 and secured it in the small cubby next to my new cot before I remade the bed and sat on it. Tina appeared next to me "you can take a shower if you want, we still have an hour before our turn with them ends." I looked up and stood before grabbing some fatigues and replying "thank you for letting me know" she nodded with a kind smile before I walked past her only to stop and look back "and don't carry out the prank you're thinking of doing" she froze for a second before replying "well I'd never" I shook my head before getting stopped by my old friend Craig 'Blackbeard' Jenson, I gave him a fist bump as he spoke "when did you transfer here?" I checked my watch and replied "about an hour ago, I heard the team needed some more jar heads" he sighed and replied "you guys officially outnumber us SEALs" I asked "how many are we at?"
He looked at me and replied "counting you? 3, two vets and then you as a current jarhead" I waved him off "you're just mad the men's department is here in force now" he laughed before replying "it's nice to see you again brother" I nodded and mused "always fun to work with you squids" he asked "where are you heading?" I answered simply with a single word "shower" he nodded before replying "I'll let you go then, Meghan will want to catch up once she hears you're here" I sighed and replied "tell her I'll answer her questions when I get back from my shower" he laughed as I walked out the door and headed to the showers. I turned on the water and felt the hot water run over my exposed skin, it felt like it was washing away the weeks worth of grime and dirt. I felt an unexplainable contentment over the simple sensation of warm water on my skin but it made me feel civilized again, like I wasn't in a position where I'm fighting terrorists almost everyday. I turned off the water and stepped out quickly dressing myself and heading back to the barracks only to see Meghan waiting next to my new bunk, she looked excited when she saw me walking down the aisle towards my bed. I realized I'd be answering questions for a while, especially now that more operators were working their way towards the bed.