𝐔𝐍𝐁𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐈𝐄𝐒 | 𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐋𝐄𝐘 "𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑" 𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐖

𝐀 𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒

✈︎𝐑 𝐄 𝐁 𝐄 𝐂 𝐂 𝐀

The weekend went by fast and now Monday is back again. Bradley offered me a ride to the base this morning. As we pulled in, the morning sun casting long shadows across the tarmac.

I knew it was time to put personal matters aside and focus on the task at hand. Bradley and I parked and headed towards the hangar where the rest of the team was already gathering.

"Morning, lovebirds," Jake called out with a teasing grin as we approached. "Have a good night's rest in the chicken coop, Becca?"

I shot him a warning look, but it was clear he wasn't going to let up anytime soon. "Morning, Hangman. Ready to get your butt kicked in training today?"

He hollers as he mocks me. "Bring it on, C-Bomb," he retorted, smirking.

Natasha, standing nearby, rolled her eyes. "Can we save the banter for later? We've got a lot to cover today."

"Agreed," Coyote chimed in, looking serious. "There's been a lot of buzz around the base this morning."

"About?" Bradley asked.

"We couldn't hear much but it's something about the mission." T-Dub crosses his arms as he waits in a chair.

"Attention on deck!" As we all stood to our feet, Commander Anderson walked in, his expression grim and resolute. The room fell silent as he approached, and I could feel the tension mounting.

"Listen up," he began, his voice steady but carrying an edge of urgency. "I have some serious news regarding our upcoming mission. There's been an incident in San Francisco. A critical piece of naval intelligence has been compromised, and there's a credible threat of a large-scale attack. Our mission has been moved up. We're heading out in 48 hours."

A collective gasp filled the room. I felt my heart rate spike as the gravity of the situation sank in. I mean 48 hours.

"We don't have all the details yet," Commander Anderson continued, "but what we do know is that time is of the essence. We need to be at our best—better than our best. This mission is not just about skill; it's about precision, coordination, and unwavering focus. The lives of thousands depend on our success."

Bradley stood a little taller beside me, his expression determined. "We won't let you down, sir."

"Good to hear, Rooster," Anderson replied, his gaze sweeping over us. "I know you all have it in you. Now, let's get to work. We have a lot to prepare in a very short amount of time."

As Commander Anderson walked away, the team gathered in a tighter circle, the usual banter replaced by a more serious tone.

Jake muttered, shaking his head. "This just got real."

"Yeah, no kidding," Natasha replied. "We need to stay sharp. There is no room for error."

I nod, my expression resolute. "Don't get shaken up about this. We can do it. If we couldn't then they wouldn't have chosen us."

"Let's make sure we do everything we can to be ready." Bradley nods before we all head to get our gear and jets ready.

Bradley turned to me, his eyes full of determination. "We've got this, Becca. One step at a time, just like we said."

I nodded, feeling a surge of determination. "Yeah, we do. Let's get to it."

The next 48 hours were a blur of intense training and preparation. Every moment was filled with drills, simulations, and strategy sessions. The usual camaraderie was replaced by a focused determination as we all pushed ourselves to the limit. There was no room for error.