Operation: Stunning sting

Return of the mighty

Viktor's POV
      I drove into the garage at Hereford base, I pulled into my parking spot and turned off the car. I watched the team climb out in my rear view before I heard their doors close, I leaned back and closed my eyes sighing until I heard Ela "nic ci nie jest?(you okay?)" I opened my eyes and looked over at the worried Ela "tak, uh, tak, jestem dobry. tylko zmęczony(yeah, uh, yeah I'm good. Just tired)" she nodded before speaking "let's get back to our dorm, god knows we could use a nap" I slid out of the car and started walking through the base holding my Ak walking right past the armory as Ela asked confused "aren't you turning in your guns?" I replied simply "we aren't sticking around, from here on out our team doesn't go anywhere unarmed" she nodded holding her scorpion tightly just as I heard Zofia call "Elzbieta! You're back!" Ela sighed as I spoke sternly "talk to her, hear her out. I'll be at our dorm, if I'm not there I got called by Harry for a brief" she nodded and spoke "I'll try to give her a chance, keep me posted on our assignment" I replied with a small smile "you'll be the first to know"
      I walked into my room and sat on my bed looking at the picture I'd taken off hunter, I stared at it as the memories of that hit flooded my mind before putting it on my nightstand and standing up heading to the intelligence wing. I opened the door and walked in with my weapons hanging by my side as the lead analyst walked forward "Agony, welcome to the TOC(Tactical Operations Center)" I nodded and apologized "I'm sorry, I don't believe I've caught your name before" she replied "Karen" I looked her over short blonde hair, a gray business suit as she motioned to the table "You've brought us a great deal of intelligence, we're working on deciphering the code and finding out where the next target is. We're also mobilizing teams to arrest the benefactors of the masks" I whistled and spoke "you move fast, when can I expect a mission profile?" She replied easily "tomorrow morning we should have a location and targets of interest for you, if you can hold off to noon we can give you additional intel." I nodded and lifted the Berlin mission file "we'll hold til noon, I gotta go to see Harry. Thanks for your work" Karen waved as I walked through the doors heading for the administration wing.
I made my way through the base with my weapons only for a security guard to stop me "sir, no weapons allowed outside of the range or missions. Return your weapons to the armory" I forcefully spoke "I will not, now let me through. I have to talk to Harry" the security guard's hand went to his hip gripping his pistol as he spoke "Sir, return your weapons or I'll be forced to take you into custody" just for Harry to speak from behind the guard "let him through" the security turned and sounded confused "Sir?" As Harry repeated "Let him through, he will be allowed to be armed. I'll make cards so you know who's allowed to be armed" the security guard just numbly nodded as he stepped out of my way and I walked forward shaking Harry's hand "nice to see you again sir" Harry smiled "you as well my ace, come. We have much to talk about" I walked next to him back to his office before I thought out loud "you seem happier than the last time I saw you"
Harry replied like it was obvious "well I now have one less country to worry about the mask's causing trouble thanks to you." I replied softly "I couldn't have done it without my team" Harry nodded as he opened the door to his office and entered "now about your team, how did they do?" I sat down and replied after a second "a lot better than I thought they would. They rose to my expectations and standards amazingly. The comm chatter was negligible, their fire was accurate and devastating and they reacted to new targets before I had to call them out. We have a couple things to work on but for the most part they did extremely well, I'm pleased with their performance" Harry directed "tell me about the assault on Hunter" I searched for the right words before speaking slowly "they seemed.... it was too easy. Like.... the masks took too long to react, longer than normal... even with the fact we had suppressors. I don't know, something felt off about it." Harry supplied "like they're trying to lull you into complacency?" I nodded before looking at my hands "I worry the team might fall into it"
Harry stood and asked "what do you need for support?" I sighed and looked at the reports on his desk, I see he's reading through my mission reports, I replied to his question "a QRF to always be on standby would be nice, besides that not much for now" Harry looked at me intrigued and asked "a QRF? Any reason?" I replied with a small laugh "well sir, I'm putting my team in some of the most dangerous missions since Vietnam. I'd feel a lot more comfortable if I knew we had a team ready to come pull us out if we get into a fight we can't handle" Harry nodded before speaking, probing me "you care a lot for your team, don't you?" I nodded and replied "of course, if I lose any of them. It'll gnaw at my conscience for the rest of my days" Harry spoke "there's rumors floating around about you, I hear the operators spreading them while at lunch" I chuckled and asked "let me guess, Ela and I are a couple and we love each other? Is that it?" Harry sounded surprised "yes actually, that exactly" I shook my head in amusement.
I heard a knock on the door as both Harry and I looked over as the door opened and nervous face of Sebastien appeared "oh, if this is a bad time I can come back" I stood and spoke "no, no, you're okay. Harry and I were just finishing a debrief. Sir, we'll be here until around noon tomorrow" Harry nodded before responding "take some time to recoup before the next missions" as I walked past Sebastien and patted his shoulder and spoke softly so only he could hear me "you did good on the mission, I'm proud of you" I saw a small smile form on his face as I walked down to the cafeteria grabbing some food and sitting down, just glad to have actual food in my stomach for once instead of the MREs. I ate quietly until I heard Ela next to me "witam(hello there)" I replied quickly "generał kenobi" she chuckled before replying "you're such a nerd" I pointed out "you got the reference" she raised her hands in surrender "fair, fair" I asked intrigued "did you hear the rumors that's been floating around?" She looked confused "nie, what's the rumor?"
I answered "apparently we're in love and dating, whoever started this rumor is living a fantasy" I saw her look deep in thought as I asked "Ela, you broken?" She shook her head and spoke with fake cheerfulness "nie, I'm good. Just confused" I nodded as Erik and Timur sat down with their food. I nodded to them as Erik asked "so what are you lovebirds talking about?" I sighed as Ela answered "that rumor actually" Timur nodded and spoke "the one of you two in love, no?" I confirmed as Erik spoke "I already know it's bullshit, no one could love Viktor's ugly mug" I flipped him the bird as he laughed before I continued eating. I suddenly remembered that Ela had talked to Zofia forcing me to look over and ask "how'd your chat with Zofia go?" The other two paid attention to the conversation as Ela sighed "not too well, she still wants me to stop doing missions with the team. She's upset that I could die and wants me to take safer missions" I rolled my eyes at the overprotectiveness before I realized I'm the same way with the team. Constantly given them safer jobs, putting myself between the enemy and them, anything I could do to keep them out of harms way.
I gave a suggestion "why don't you sit down and explain why you do the missions? Maybe she'll understand then" Ela laughed coldly as Erik spoke "brother, I don't think Zofia wants to know. I think she just wants her sister safe" I nodded as Ela spoke "Timur you're being oddly quiet" Timur jumped at his name before speaking "oh, sorry. I'm just thinking, those assaults were a lot easier than I thought they'd be" I responded "they're a lot easier than they should've been, I think the enemy is trying to get us to underestimate them" Erik nodded as Ela asked "so did you get permission to keep your gun?" I chuckled and replied "we can all keep our guns, Harry's making cards that we can show the Guards so we don't get stopped by them for our guns" Erik sighed in relief "oh thank god, I've felt so naked since we turned in our guns" I finished my plate and spoke my happiness "jeez, this foods so much better than what we've been eating the last 5 days" Ela nodded and replied "ain't that the truth"
I stood and threw away my trash before walking back to the table and sitting talking with the team before I saw Zofia making her way over looking determined causing me to stand and step infront of her "Zofia, walk with me" she looked like she wanted to argue before I cut her off "this isn't up for debate, walk with me" as I headed towards the door and she followed. We walked into the courtyard and I stopped before asking "why do you continue to make Ela hate you?" She sounded hurt "I don't mean to, I just want to look out for my little sister" I replied "do you trust her?" Zofia nodded as I asked "do you believe she deserves to be here?" Zofia nodded again causing me to speak "then trust her decisions on what missions she takes, besides she's a lot better than you give her credit for" Zofia just sighed and spoke "I don't want my daughter to grow up without her aunt, I don't want to lose my sister either" I nodded before I turned to her "she'll be safe, she's on the best team I could form with some of the closest bonds in rainbow. Well all look out for her"
Zofia nodded looking more calm now as she spoke "thank you, it means a lot to know my sister has a friend like you" I looked out at the Rainbow 6 flag on the flag pole "I'm glad to hear that, you should tell her that you'll support her decisions from now on. Maybe you can start to heal the scars of the past" she smiled before joking "Ela's lucky to have you" causing my confusion to become apparent as she disappeared back into the cafeteria with me hot on her heels "Zofia, what the fuck does that mean?" She didn't answer as she pulled Ela out of the cafeteria while Ela looked helplessly around. While I stood confused next to the table before Erik laughed "bro you look like Helen Keller the first time she touched water" causing Timur to laugh before cringing at the fact he laughed at that, I looked over and spoke "I don't even know what I feel right now, I'm so fucking confused" Timur stood and spoke "well I hope you figure it out my friend, I'm going to sleep. Wake me if we have a mission" I gave a nod as I looked at Erik "I'm taking a nap to, if anyone's looking for me send them to my dorm alright?" He nodded and joked "don't have any wet dreams about Ela, we don't want to have to change your sheets" I threatened "I'll draw dicks on your gear if you say some shit like that again" Erik replied with a small cocky grin "uncle, uncle" as I walked through the door heading towards my dorm.