Rainbow Six: Broken Arrow

Chapter 18: Game Changer

30 Minutes Prior to the Russian Embassy Raid

Nesti Team was formed of the SRF's best operatives. Led by Caiaphas, their current mission saw them in the Spanish countryside. Hidden in the hills of the Sierra Nevada, was a missile silo owned by the United States. It was a deal stroke up in secret during the Cold War. The Spanish government let the US build a nuclear response base to have a closer range to the Soviet Union. 

Nesti Team was posted on the nearby ridge, observing the remote base and taking notes on guard rotations until the team in Madrid had given them the go-ahead. 

Guards patrolled the chainlink fence. They weren't in US Military uniforms. Civilian Contractors, Caiaphas thought. They weren't carrying US firearms either. German, to be exact. G36E's issued to the Spanish Army. Caiaphas didn't see any American flag patches on body armor either. They covered their tracks well. 

Nesti struck at nightfall, dawning night vision goggles, and crept to the outer perimeter of the silo. Liev, a former GRU member, clipped the fence with bolt cutters while there were no guards nearby, and there wouldn't be for the next minute while they infiltrated. 

Spotting a contractor with his back to the team, Caiaphas drew a Karambit from his vest. He hated going for close kills. Fortunately, the guard wandered off before Caiaphas had the chance to strike. He felt relief wash over him.

The rest of the team removed the base of guards while Caiaphas watched. Every "tick" of their suppressed AK-74u's made him every bit more numb. They were just things in his way, Caiaphas told himself.

Nesti swiftly snuck into the lower levels to where the control center was situated. Inside the control room was two men uniformed in US Air Force flight suits. They rose their hands in horror, two young men, 20s maybe. Nesti Team made quick work of them. 

Artyom, the tech expert, typed on the control center's computer and brought the one LGM-30 Minuteman ICBM to a repair bay, where they took the W78 warhead and carried it out in the open.

Within 10 minutes a 'rented' Mi-26 helicopter picked up Nesti Team and the warhead. Caiaphas checked his watch, seeing the mission took 13 minutes from infil to exfil. The SRF operators were good. Too good, Caiaphas thought to himself. They weren't like other soldiers under his command. They didn't have an ounce of remorse while killing those men, some of them completely defenseless. 

The SRF weren't soldiers, they were cult members with a military background.

***

Present Day

Elena's childhood home was a decently sized farmhouse on the outskirts of Madrid. It was quiet, unlike the city center, but the neighbors were still pretty close. Archer couldn't help but study his surroundings. It didn't look like a dangerous community either, but there was scum everywhere. If you looked hard enough, that is.

"So, this is the place. You sure your Dad won't mind us crashing here?" Archer asked, bringing Elena's duffle bag to his shoulder. There was no way he was letting her carry it.

With a major objective being crossed off the list, Harry felt it was time for a break, especially with Elena's injury. She needed time to heal and Elena also saw it as a good opportunity for her family to meet Archer.

"Yeah, he won't mind," Elena scratched at the bandage around her head. 

"You're showing up home, unannounced, with a guy you don't even know the name of." Archer lifted his sunglasses to keep his hair out of his eyes.

"You sound scared of big padre," Elena teased, "I've told him about you. Not much though. Just that you're a work friend."

Archer raised an eyebrow and grinned, "Friend? Just a friend?"