Killed in Action - A Spy School Story

Chapter 3: Steel Tiger

Montross, VA

December 18th, 2017

2015R

Zoe POV

What wouldn't I give for Chip and Jawa to be here? Sure, I can handle myself okay in a fight, but I'm not stupid enough to think my tiny ass could face off against the average man without a gun and live to tell the tale. With a gun, the playing field is leveled significantly, but with one of the aforementioned two crazies on your team, you know you're walking away alive (unless you're the enemy, of course). Hell, Hardass Hank would've been good too.

But unfortunately, all three had graduated from the Academy and were following the paramilitary operations officer track, each in their own way: Chip and Hank became Marines—if I remembered correctly, the former was in the infantry and the latter was in ANGLICO (Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, I think) after some time in the infantry—while Jawa had gone off to become a Navy SEAL.

As if they weren't overpowered enough.

Even Mike, whose tactical ingenuity wasn't on par with the aforementioned three, would be a comfort, especially thanks to his increased medical capabilities. Call me sappy, but I felt safe with my boyfriend, even in a gunfight.

Yes, we're dating, don't all go crazy at once.

But anyways, Ben and I had been tapped to join a horde of federal agents in taking down a terrorist cell... because the brass wanted our skin in the game. Seemed stupid, but orders were orders, so there we were. After a more in-depth briefing in which Agent Hansen explained the layout of the area and the plan, we kitted up and drove for Montross, looking exactly like the SWAT operators in the movies—olive green uniforms and helmets (yes, they even had one in my size) with suppressed weapons to match. Ben and Alexander carried M4s to match the firepower of the assault teams while Erica and I bore MP5s to help us maintain our agility.

Cyrus, of course, was to remain in the tactical operations center alongside Hansen, coordinating the operation. Alexander and Ben were joining the assault teams while Erica and I were to assist the teams covering the outer area. Again, because apparently we were supposed to assist with SSE.

"This is so stupid," I mumbled as the agent driving the minivan announced that we were ten minutes out. "The hell are we even doing here?"

"No clue, Zo," Ben mumbled next to me, the two of us crammed in the back with a bag of gear that refused to fit in the trunk. "But then again, this is ISIL we're talking about... probably big game, so it's no wonder the CIA wants its own people in on it."

"That's just it! I get why Cyrus and Alexander are here, and maybe even Erica. But us? Where the hell do we come into play? Plus, isn't there some law that says the CIA can't do stuff on American soil?"

"Don't know. We're in some serious crap though."

"Aren't we always?"

"Well, me more so than us, but yeah."

"I swear, Smokescreen, you're basically the main character in a book," I snorted. "Always getting into the stupidest situations..."

"So what does that make you? That one female friend? My faithful lackey?"

"Eh, I'll take it. Though I'd make much more sense as the self-insert courtesy of the author."

"I still can't believe you managed to get freakin' Seymour Gray to actually use your feedback and create a new character based on you..."