Operation: Pointed Spear

The chat

Alik's POV
     I looked at Mike "what can I do for you mate?" He replied "we've got a lead on the potential location of a Mask officer, one we believe is responsible for orchestrating the attack that killed your officers. I want you and Monika on the team" I gave him a look and question in return "when do we leave?" He spoke "we've got a final brief in 30, grab your gear and be there" I lifted my tea cup "thanks" as I looked at Monika and widened my eyes "guess the lazy day is over" she sighed and replied "they always end too fast" I nodded and continued eating before I stood threw away my garbage and started walking back to the dorm. When I arrived I grabbed my fatigues and switched into them looking over as I held my gray shirt when I heard the door open and saw Monika walk in. She stared at me her face turning pink before she spoke in her deep accent "put your shirt on" I laughed as I put my arms through the sleeves and started buttoning it up before pulling on my plate carrier. I holstered my taser, Baton, glock and pulled my MCX over my head tightening it's strap before pulling on my balaclava and grabbing my helmet and looking at Monika as she zipped up her vest and pulled on her own balaclava as she grabbed her AUG and pistol, shifting her scanner as I situated my medkit.
     She nodded to me as I slid a magazine into the mag well and opened the door, I commented "nice outfit" she chuckled and replied "just don't stare at my ass" I shook my head as I joked "I could say the same" she shook her head and snorted as we moved through the halls with purpose. We barged into the briefing as Six and Mike were setting up the model of the target, I nodded as Monika spoke "Harry, Mike" six spoke "Alik, Monika. We're just waiting for Lera(Finka) and Jack(Pulse)" I looked at Mike and asked Six "are the teams preselected?" He nodded "Your teammates will always be Mike, Monika, Lera and Jack" I nodded slowly before sitting down and going to pull out a cigarette before Six spoke "Aht, no smoking inside" I put it back in the pack and swore "fuck" as I leaned back.
Monika spoke "you should be able to smoke after the mission" I sighed as I looked over and replied "if you jinxed me and I can't smoke after I'm gonna be pissed" she rolled her eyes and asked "so what's your design you had drawn up in the mess hall?" I replied shyly "oh, just a new taser I want to work on... nothin' important" she asked intrigued "what's new about it?" I replied with uncertainty "I'm thinking about adding a second trigger so my back up charge delivers a dosage of morphine" she replied "good idea but what about getting through our uniforms? Not everyone shows a lot of exposed skin" I pulled out my book and scribbled down the problem and answered "I haven't a clue, I haven't gotten there yet" she giggled as the door opened and the other two walked in. Six started talking "welcome to your final briefing, we've built this scale replica of the building and are going to plan how this mission should go. You'll advance to the target from the south moving up this block until you reach the rear alley entrance, after that you'll breach and make your way through the main hallway to clear the adjacent rooms before walking up to the second deck and doing the same."
      We all nodded to which Six straightened and motioned to the board where we saw 2 blown up pictures of a mask with a Grey Mask and 3 red triangles around his eye. Six spoke "this is your target, code name Feral. He has been tracked by MI6 to the target, I want him bagged today." We nodded as Mike started "the target is believed to be the mastermind behind the increased effectiveness of the Mask's gas attack. We're going to breach, wipe out his unit of the masks and try to take him alive" I heard Jack(pulse) behind me "and if we can't take him alive?" Mike spoke "we can't afford to kill him, we need the intel he has" Monika asked "what's our additional equipment? Gas masks? Flash bangs?" Six stepped forward "Youre all mandated to carry a gas mask with you, as well as an air quality scanner. Any additional equipment is your own choice" we nodded as Six asked "anymore questions?" I asked "are there any non-combatants at the target?" Mike replied with "No"
I nodded as we stood and Six spoke "Welcome to Operation: Jack Hammer" I stood and double checked my gas mask before I heard Mike "Alik, come with me. We're getting the SUV ready" I gave a thumbs up and followed him out as he spoke "you and Monika are getting close" I replied "just getting to know each other, she's interesting" Mike nodded "I'm not quite able to keep up with her mentally but she is an interesting person." I asked "so why'd you bring me out here?" He spoke "I don't want you to lose your shit when we see Feral." I sighed and replied "I won't" he looked over and asked "can you promise me that?" I looked down and nodded "yeah... yeah I can" he smiled before speaking "we're gonna be working with another team on this mission, they're our QRF" I asked "who's on the team? He replied "Wendigo, Rodion, blackout, Ying and Frost" I nodded as I looked forward and asked "what if Feral isn't there?" Mike answered "then it's a dry hole and we move onto the next one. You know how that works" I sighed and spoke "after this mission I need a pint and a cigar"
Mike laughed before replying "too right mate" I gripped the door handle and pulled it opens holding it for Mike before I followed him out to the SUV. I looked at Mike and asked "who always gets shotgun?" He replied simply "Jack, something about American pride" I rolled my eyes and nodded as Mike started the SUV and we pulled out to the main exit. I saw another Van there and 5 operators standing around, I walked towards them with Mike and introduced myself, the Unit operator quickly became my favorite. "Corey, if we get into a sticky situation. What are you going to do?" He laughed and replied "I'll finish eating and then I'll come save your monocle wearing ass" I nodded as Tina bounced around excitedly, I looked at Corey and asked "is she always this......." he supplied "hyper?" I nodded "yeah, hyper" he replied tiredly "yea, she makes me feel old with how much energy she has" I shook my head before watching as he stared lovingly at her causing me to assume "are you two together?" He nodded "going on 7 months together now" I looked down and wondered if I'd have that.
I looked over and saw an operator standing alone away from the group I asked Mike "who's that?" He replied "Blackout, named Odin. Antisocial, doesn't get along with others well. He's a good operator however, plus Siu is close to him. Probably his only friend" I thought about Monika and how she's probably my only friend here. I spend most of my time with her, Mike continues to guide me, I haven't had time to talk to Adrianno again, even here I'm disconnected from my teammates. Our other three walked out holding there surplus equipment while I fiddled with my taser until Monika leaned on the SUV next to me "I see you met the others, what do you think?" I replied looking over the group "they're interesting, Tina has a bit too much energy, Corey is cool, I think I'll like him, Blackout I haven't done much past give each other a nod and Siu was nice but a bit too aggressive in her 'let's not kill hostages' tirade. I thought not killing civilians was the usual?" She replied "we have an Alpha group member in the team who's gadget is a bit too.... destructive, for hostage rescue missions. Something we found out the hard way" I nodded as Monika and I fell into our signature silence.
     Mike looked over with his Gas Mask pulled up exposing his face, he had an eyebrow raised while looking at Monika and I "How can you two just fall into silence so easily?" I shrugged as Corey looked over "they're perfect for each other" I rolled my eyes as Mike spoke sternly "enough of that talk, everyone mount up! We're moving!" I turned and opened the door to the rear seat of the SUV and waited until Monika climbed in and I followed her. Lera walked around to the other side and climbed in, Jack slid into the passenger's seat while Mike climbed into the driver's seat. I shifted my MCX so it wasn't in Monika's way I looked out the heavily tinted windows which I could tell were too tinted to be legal as the cop in me wanted to write the ticket to be an ass but decided against it and looked out as we left Hereford and started the long drive to London. Monika had pulled out the book she'd been glued to since I let her borrow it.
Lera, Mike and Jack talked amongst themselves while I put in my ear buds and started listening to music until I offered my other ear bud to her, she looked at me surprised as I shrugged and she took it and put it in while I picked Safe to say by Aitch

and continued to stare out the window, eventually I pulled out a small book I had wanted to read for a while but never had the time. I heard Monika ask "what's that?" I answered "SOG chronicles, it's the stories from MACV-SOG from Vietnam" she nodded and asked "is it any good?" I nodded before speaking "it's not really a book like A Brief History of Time where you'll get smarter for reading it but it's a nice read" she replied "I'll have to read it after you finish" I skipped a song and continued to read as we drove, I looked up and out the window watching the country pass before I looked over my shoulder and saw the black Van with deeply tinted windows behind us, our Quick Reaction Force if we happened to be caught off guard and needed to be recovered.
I continued to read as we kept going closer to the city I had just left, I heard Mike "Alik, do you think the police will respond?" I nodded and replied "CTSFO will if shots are fired, you should have six inform them of our operation so we don't get a Blue on Blue." He nodded as Jack pulled up his phone and I continued to read, my mind preoccupied with other thoughts than the mission. I heard Lera ask "are the CTSFO really that dangerous?" I answered simply "yes, I'm here, aren't I?" She nodded and answered "fair enough" I looked through the window shield and saw the expanses of London on the horizon. I leaned back closing my eyes as I interlaced my fingers and started to relax, calming my mind, nerves and heart rate before we reached the target area. I didn't want to walk into a mission with my mind and body out of sync, that's how you get killed, the moment your mind and body stop working together things go wrong. Monika closed her book and slid it into her vest as I took in a couple deep breaths before opening my eyes and shifting my hands to the grip and buttstock of my rifle.