Operation: Glancing Tear

A new direction

Eirik's POV
     I stood next to my brother as the rest of the boat crew started localizing our belongings for the move "So you're heading out little brother?" I looked over and nodded "Six has an idea he wants to try, our boat crew is needed for it to work" he patted my shoulder "Show them what we do, you make me proud" I looked forward and shrugged his hand off my shoulder "of course I do, I'm just perfect" he chuckled and replied with a warm smile "keep that confidence from turning into arrogance" I chuckled before nodding and tapping his shoulder before walking forward and helping my team load our gear into our boats. I heard him walking away causing me to look at him and watch his form slip inside the destroyer, I heard Zack "Do we have any word of what our missions are gonna look like in this new operation Six wants us to do?" James shook his head before replying "no, I haven't gotten a mission outlook yet. From the little information I got handed, we're going to be doing our typical infil and exfil of Teams and helping them pull Hostages out of the Masks grasp"
John chuckled as he read a letter he's been holding onto religiously "well boys, my youngest wanted to tell you that she thinks you're all heroes and she wants you at her next birthday party" I laughed as I clasped his shoulder "I'll be there my friend, make sure the food is good" he nodded as I heard Eliza Cohen "How's your packing going? We're due to lift off in 20" Zack gave a thumbs up and over exaggeratedly yelled "it's goin goooood!" I doubled over laughing at his idiocy before James called over "yeah, we'll be finished by then. We're just strapping everything down" I sat up still chuckling as John nodded his confirmation of James' words to Eliza as I climbed out of the boat "We're all good right?" James nodded before replying "go say bye to her, she'll like to see you before we leave" I smirked and gave a two finger salute "I'll be back in time for lift off" James gave a thumbs up as I headed towards the bulkhead. I made my way through the halls towards the ship bridge in search of my mother, just to talk to her one last time before I disappeared with the new team.
      I reached the bridge and walked in seeing the usual assortment of officers that far outranked me but I saw no sign of my mother. I asked the Lt. on station "Ma'am, where's my mother?" She replied with confidence "she's in her quarters, you know the way don't you?" I nodded before replying "thank you ma'am" I walked through the halls ducking through the bulkheads until I reached my mother's quarters. I knocked tentatively listening for any movement until the door opened and I saw my mother looking uneasy, I spoke softly fearing if I raised my voice even a decibel my voice would crack "hey mom, I came to say goodbye before we lift off" she looked at me with watery eyes "every time you say that I always fear it's the last time, I don't feel good about this mission...." I replied softly "mom, I'll be okay. For all we know we could only be on mission for a couple days, you know everyone in my crew would take a bullet for one another" she sighed before opening her arms for a hug, I chuckled and pulled her into a tight hug.
     I pulled back and heard her say "stay safe" I nodded with a tearful smile "I will mama" she patted my shoulder before speaking "go, your team should be getting ready to take off soon" I gave a salute before turning on my heel and walking to the rear landing pad where I saw our boat on a platform with the equipment to rig it to a Chinook, I walked next to Zack and asked "when do we leave?" He replied "The chinook pilots are coming to us now, James and John are hooking up our boat and then the chinook is picking us up and we're off to wherever Six wants us to be" I nodded just as I heard a voice next to me, a familiar voice from a recent friend, "how's packing?" I looked over at Jaimini and nodded "we're just waiting for our ride, hows yours coming?" She laughed heartily "Ace is causing arguments while Jäger and Bandit keep unpacking our things because they want something in the bottom. They've reset our progress 5 times already, we've had to stop Thatcher from murdering them" I chuckled as she sighed before I heard the bulkhead creak.
I looked back and saw Steinar standing there nervously "hey kid, can we talk for a second?" I looked forward until Jaimini spoke "I think you should hear him out" I glanced over and asked harshly "why should I? He's never wanted to talk earlier" Zack sided with Jaimini "I think it's time you two talk, it's been years" I sighed before spinning 180 on my heel and walking briskly towards him before speaking lowly once I reached him "you best make it quick, I don't care much for this conversation" he nodded before sighing and speaking a few words "stay safe, I don't want to outlive my kid brother" a harsh cross wind screamed across the deck as I stared at him before turning and replying "why? So you can continue to tear me down? Is that it? You want that cruel satisfaction of seeing my hopes getting crushed" he started in a rushed attempt to get me to listen "Eirik, I don't want-" I turned and hissed through clenched teeth "your wants have no bearing on my life" he recoiled at the words before sighing and replying "I'll talk to you next time I get the chance.... stay safe bro"
      I walked back in between Zack and Jaimini just as the chopping of helicopter blades became audible, I looked out at the horizon and watched as the chinook approached. I sighed in relief as the chinook touched down and we watched as James and John hooked our strapped boat to the bottom of the chinook while we waited for the rest of Team Rainbow to show up which didn't take long. I looked at Mike and saw the question on his face I nodded to which he grew a look of intrigue before Six started "get your gear on the helicopter, we're wheels up in 3" I nodded as I lifted my gun case that carried my CZ805 and my M32 off the ground and walked onto the helicopter carefully placing it on the ground starting a pile before I walked over to where Harry and James were talking "how's your team liking Rainbow so far?" James clasped me on the shoulder and replied with a small laugh "we're settling in nicely sir" Harry smiled before speaking "no need to call me Sir, I like to have each of my operators view everyone at rainbow as equals. It makes them more comfortable brining ideas forward"
      I chuckled before Harry asked me directly "Mike told me he wanted to mentor you, think you're up to it?" I nodded before replying "I play to win sir, I'll do what I must" he frowned before speaking seriously "don't worry about the honorifics, it's not that important around here just listen to orders and succeed in your missions and we'll all be happy" I gave a nod as Harry raised his voice and yelled "mount up! We're leaving!" I widened my eyes at James for a second before growing a broad smile as I started towards the chinook. He shook his head as we walked over before stepping onto the worn rear ramp of the chinook, the paint had faded from its original color to a dull grey, the white lines chipped away to reveal a small bit of rust at the lip, I turned and gripped the handle next to me as I stood looking out the back before Harry climbed on and walked to the cockpit, a couple seconds later the chinook began to lift off. I watched the slack of our straps getting pulled taught before the chinook effortlessly lifted our boat.
I watched as the silhouette of the the USS John Paul Jones and the simple life of a SWCC boat guy left me and the only thing I had to look forward to was a much busier time with Team Rainbow in the war against the masks, I let go of the handle and turned my back on the fleet instead looking around the chinook at my new team. I walked and sat next to Mike talking to him "so what can I expect with you mentoring me?" He looked at me and asked "how much technology do you rely on?" I shrugged before thinking "I have a screen that tells me if my barrels are too hot and how much ammo I have left, I also have a tac pad on my forearm so I can watch our progress and see when we arrive near a potential hot zone so I guess a decent amount" he asked "what about your weaponry?" I replied "not much, just the sights. Oh my rifle has a custom electronic firing pin so it doesn't make as much noise why?" He sighed before replying grumpily "first we're going to destroy that reliance on technology, one of my EMPs could render your rifle inoperable" I smiled before replying "good thing I always keep a metal firing pin with me, I know how to switch them out pretty fast. But I get where your coming from, I'm thankful for the extra help"
He huffed before muttering "arrogant kid" I shook my head in disappointment before looking up as I felt eyes on me seeing both Zack and Jaimini watching the interaction before I noticed Harry writing some notes down on a clipboard before glancing up at Mike and I, I looked over before speaking "I wasn't trying to come off as arrogant, everyone here knows I could use the help. I'm probably one of the weakest operators, I don't spend enough time on the ground to really fit in here. I mean Christ, I literally work on a boat with maybe 10 minutes on the ground in 4 months." Mike looked over and replied sternly "listen, you're not a bad operator but you need to have the skills on the ground if you're going to be able to survive. Don't beat yourself up so bad, everyone starts somewhere. Just keep pushing your skills and you'll reach a good place"
I nodded before flexing my hand "I guess it's time to beat the past" I stopped focusing on the conversation and suddenly had the sounds from the rest of the helicopter flood into my ear. I looked out the back of the helicopter and watched the ocean pass, I heard Mark Chandar "having doubts Spider?" I glanced over for a second before replying "no mute, just thinking" he chuckled as Taina rather rudely asked "what're you thinking about? Missing mommy? She's not here to protect you anymore, you've gotta be a big boy and stop being a bitch" I looked over glaring "watch your tongue, or it might end up at the bottom of the ocean" she stood and yelled "let's go right here, I'll kill you" I stood and glared "I'll be taking you with me" she pulled a knife and rushed forward just as Zack tackled her, I watched them roll as the knife skittered across the floor of the helicopter before I noticed that both James and John had stood and pointed their weapons at her before Harry stood and spoke sternly "stand down everyone, NOW!" James replied defiantly "not until she realizes just how much shit she's in, no one threatens a crewman" she looked uncomfortable at the 3 barrels pointed at her head just as Harry took a step forward and spoke with even more force "stand down, right now" I smirked at the tone, before I walked over and pushed James' rifle down "I think she got the fuckin memo"
James nodded before speaking "alright guys, pack it in" I looked around the chinook and saw varying levels of surprise and uncomfortableness as Ash muttered shocked "they reacted so fast... what the fuck are you guys?" I plopped down next to Mike just for him to say "I get the hair trigger for protecting teammates but you all need to realize you're part of this team now" I looked around and replied "doesn't look it, most of the helicopters on edge now haha" he nodded before replying "no one was expecting the rest of your boat crew to pull guns" I replied tiredly "we weren't expecting the knife, our instructors always said exceed the enemies force" Mike nodded before speaking "we should've expected her to pull the knife, she counts herself as different from the rest of us. Always ready to kill someone for a minor reason" I sighed before replying "as long as she does her job I don't care how many times she tried to kill me" Mike laughed as we settled in for the flight, I noticed Harry writing some more notes after the interaction with Mike, I'll have to ask him about that later.