Operation: Explosive mirrors

Red October

Shawn's pov
I looked to my as two of the FNGs walked into the brief, Craig looked at me and asked "wonder why they're sending new guys on a mission this high value?" I replied "probably the same reason they're sending us old dogs" he nodded before I saw the final member of the team. Rich, a CIA SAD operator, Craig tightened up at the appearance of the spook. I looked over and said "Vix, you ready for this?" He nodded before I looked at Sarah, the other FNG, "what about you Panther?" She nodded wordlessly. Rich asked "oh I don't get asked?" I glanced over and replied "you're a spook, I know you're ready" he chuckled before Vix asked "what about you and Craig, you're both old soldiers now" I laughed coldly as Craig replied "I've been doing this longer than you've been alive, if anything you're the one who should be worried." The confidence started to fade as I said "this is a HVT hit as high level as OBL, there will be hits, we're likely to take casualties. So tighten it up, and make ready for combat, check?" The immediate chorus was "yes sir" as they double and triple checked their gear.
I walked out to the helicopter and sat on the edge of the crew compartment, I heard the Crew Chief "think this goes smoothly?" I laughed and said "when has anything gone smoothly for us Dave?" He nodded slowly and said "hopefully you don't bang up my chopper to much" I looked up at the setting sun "hopefully I'm there for you to bitch at when this is all over and your chopper is banged up" he sighed and said "I hope it works out and you get the closure you're looking for" I replied stoically "me too" the rest of the team climbed on board and the pilots brought us up once they got cleared. I wasn't paying too much mine to anything until heavy machine gun rounds ripped past us. The pilot quickly said "they've got HMGs, I've gotta put you down farther than expected." I keyed my mic "do it, keep the bird in the air" he replied simply "Wilco" as I leaned out the open door and saw the muzzle flash, the gunners were just starting to return fire with the 240s. I nodded and started looking for a safer landing zone.
       I looked off to the east and said "Open field, about a klick due east. Looks like you'll be able to touch down there" the pilot said "affirm" as the helicopter started turning towards the field. I heard the 240 on the left fall silent as the helicopter turned, the gunner grabbed his rifle and moved to the right side firing trying to maintain some semblance of being in the fight. As we reached the field and we're about to touch down, Vix yelled "abort abort! I see wires in the field!" The helicopter quickly powered up and started lifting off. I heard the pilot "fuck it, we're going for the primary. I'll put this bird down if i have to crash it" I heard Dave "God damnit I just fixed the fucking thing!" As the helicopter turned back to the mountain. I gripped my now antique 416 as the helicopter shook under the weight of the firepower hit the chopper. I heard the pilot "prepare for touch down" I heard Myth "Touchdown? Touchdown?! We're fucking crashing!" I barked back "settle down kid, we're not off this mission yet!"
     The impact as the helicopter effectively crashed threw us around as I saw Panther and Vix work their way out of the helicopter while I checked on Blackbeard and Myth. Myth was cutting himself out of the straps he got tangled in and Blackbeard was just getting himself sat up as I yelled "Time to get switched on, let's go!" And made my way out of the helicopter. I saw the crew had made their way out. Vix and Panther looked at me as Myth and Blackbeard joined us. I nodded and motioned to the direction of the camp, they nodded and we formed a line heading in that direction. I couldn't help but wonder what this mission had in store for us, Mira's words echoed in my brain maybe I should retire. I shook the thought from my head and focused on the forest around us, it was dead silent, very unusual. We continued for a bit before a machine gun opened up causing us to scurry for cover, I peaked around the edge of the boulder I hid behind searching until I saw the muzzle flash. I pulled my LAW off my back and ordered "suppress that mother fucker!" The team responded by popping around cover and firing.
That was my queue I popped around my Boulder and took careful aim before hitting the paddle sending the rocket into the small fortification. I watched as the ammo boxes detonated and fireworks covered the area, I smirked and dropped the law before nodded and saying "let's move double time" Myth replied "Still got some skills on you old timer" I halted at him and said "Tighten it up" he nodded as we jogged through the thick forest. I looked at Blackbeard and got a look of concern, I nodded understanding what he was concerned about. That gun emplacement had been pre set up, almost like he had predicted where we'd push. My internal monologue was interrupted and then I thought about it, Tsar has always seemed one step ahead of us. He used to be Marsoc, he knows exactly how we plan and operate. I smirked to myself as I looked to my left and saw the lights coming from the camp, I ordered "we're going straight up" I heard one of the gunners "sir?" As Vix said "that's a steep hill boss" myth added "I thought we planned to snake our way up there?" I explained "that gun mount was premeditated, he's ex Marsoc. They know how we like to attack things. We can probably bypass a lot of defenses by going straight to the target" Blackbeard sighed "I hope you know what you're doing" I laughed and said "me too" as we started up the steep mountain side.