Corporal Alexander Lavelle Harris stood in front of his CO and the two men from the CIA that had called him into the office.
"Corporal Alexander Harris reporting as ordered Sir." Xander stated as he moved into the room and stood at attention. His CO, Captain Blaine Hamlet sat behind his desk. He nodded to Xander and eyed the CIA operatives with a careful eye.
"At ease Corporal." Xander loosened his stance and took a seat as Capt. Hamlet motioned for him to. The two men in well pressed suits stepped forward as Xander took his seat.
"Corporal," His Captain began as the men looked through a file. "this is Agent Cody Harrem from the CIA. He'd like to have a word with you about your team." Xander sat silently as the agent on the left stepped forward with a manila file folder in his hands. He had blonde hair and blue eyes. His body was built but was also lanky. He seemed like a pencil pusher.
"Corporal Harris. As you know the enemy is gaining information from someone out of this base. The leak must be sealed and we think that your the man to do it." Xander looked at Capt. Hamlet in shock and disgust.
"Permission to speak sir?" Xander asked as he looked over the agent in front of him. Hamlet was silent as he nodded the affermitive. Xander looked Agent Harrem in the eyes as he spoke in his normal strong voice.
"No sir. I'm not going to roll over on a fellow marine as well as friend. Every single marine on my team is like a family member. You can investigate. I'll cooperate as much as possible without direct involvement." Agent Harrem did something Xander did not expect. He smiled.
"You act like you have a choice here Corporal. And I'm sorry to be the one to tell you that you don't have much of one. You can either work with us. Or, go back to grunt work... Your choice." Xander knew what grunt work meant. He had done it for a year and a half of his four year enlistment. He would be shipped overseas to fight the drug cartels again. Not something he wanted to do. Xander had seen action five times in the year he was on the special forces team. Two more when he had been on supposed R&R times. He had fought and he had killed. But he did not enjoy it.
"How much time do you have left on your active duty schedule?" Agent Harrem asked even though he knew Xander had only ten months and several days before his time was up and he could go home. Xander glared at the man who still smiled.
"So Corporal. You with us?" Xander smiled at the agents question and said two works that he would never regret.
"Fuck you." Xander's smile grew as the look on the Agents face turned to confusion. Xander took a glance at his Captain who had a smile on his face.
"Get packed. Your out of here in forty-eight hours." Xander stood saluted his CO turned and walked out of the room with his head held high. He was going back to the jungle.
Xander stepped out of the helicopter as the blades began to slow there cycle. His duffel bag on his shoulder he walked toward the CO building with quick confident strides. Just before he reached the door he noticed a man walking toward him from the corner of his eye.
"Corporal Harris?" The man asked as he stopped infront of Xander. The man was tall and broad shouldered. Dark hair and a hard face that showed he had been through hell and fought his way back.
"Yes Sir. Can I help you Sir?" Xander asked noticing the rank of the man. If anything the man had earned Xander's respect simply by fighting here. The man smiled.
"I think you can. I'm Sergeant Bill Williams." Xanders' eyes slightly widen. 'The Killer. This is the killer?' He thinks to himself.
"How can I help you sir?" Xander ask as he stands eye level with the legend. With the man with over seventy-five confirmed kills.
"I just sent my last spotter home with a hole in his leg. I need someone to take over. You were top of you class at Parade Deck and you have 20/10 vision. Neither really matter. The only thing that matters is you've been in the shit and came out alive. Seven successful missions. You can handle yourself and keep your cool. I need that. Intrested?" Xander thought about it for a moment. He knew that he would spend most of his time in the jungle. covered in camo and gear. But he would be working with 'The Killer'. Not to mention he only had a few months before he could pull out.
"I'd be honored Sergeant." Xander said in all seriousness as Bill Williams smiled and took Xander's duffel from his hands.
"Lets get your equipment." Williams began walking, Xander followed behind not sure of what was in his future. But he knew it would be intresting.
There drop off had been simple. The chopper flew in, they got out, the chopper flew back to base. That was the easy part. Now for there job. They had no mission as of yet and there only task was to search a radius of about twenty klicks. They would be picked up in a week. The rain fell hard and fast as the team of two moved further into the humid jungle. Xander turned on his radio to communicate with base camp only to here something that chilled him.....
"We need immediate air support! We have over two hundred enemy troops moving toward our location." Xander looked at his teamate in shock and confusion as the answer came over the frequency.
"Hold your position ALPHA-CHARLIE. Air support will be there in about three hours. We need to call in the F-16s from the island." The curses that came through the radio told Xander and Bill all they needed to know.
"There not going to last that long are they?" Xander asked as he turned down the radio. Bill shook his head slolwy.
"Hand me the GPS." Bill set there coordinates and then showed Xander the screen
"Three klicks. If we move fast we might be able to head off the group and take some of them down. In kid?" Xander began picking up his gear.
"Lets hit it." Bill 'The Killer' Williams smiled as the young man before putting his rifle sling over his shoulder and moving toward the sight of ALPHA--CHARLIE base camp.
The hike was devestating. Five clicks wasn't that hard to walk or jog if the land was anywhere near level. Well.... the land here wasn't. As Xander gulped in the humid wet air he thought back to the last time he was home. Two years, eight months, and three days.
"Where do you think your going?" Buffy asked as Xander shut the trunk of his Uncle Rory's car and moved toward the drivers side.
"Don't know Buff. Could end up anywhere." Buffy didn't seem to like the answer as she stepped in his way to stop him from opening the drivers side door.
"Why are you going?" Xander looked at Buffy for a moment before answering.
"I need to. You, Wills and Oz all know what your going to do. Your going to college getting degree's and trying to live your lives. I need to find out what i'm going to be living. I can't stay here and be the pizza guy Buff. I deserve more than that." Buffy nodded somewhat hesitantly before moving aside and letting Xander get in the car.
"Tell Wills I love her and that I'll call as soon as I can. Bye Buff." Xander waved as he started the car and put it in gear. Driving away from Sunnydale California. Little did he know that he wouldn't be back for at least four years. And when that happened he wouldn't be the same.
"Xander. We need to set up man. You ready?" Bill asked as they crouched on a hillside overlooking a half worn trail.
"No. But we don't have a choice. What do you need me to do Boss?" Bill smiled at Xander then they began to work out a plan.
"How many claymores do you have?" Bill asked Xander who didn't have to check to know.
"Five. I've got about 7 clips for my M16, five for my Berreta and three speed loaders for my .38.Oh. and five frags." Bill nods then names off his ammo and artillery as well.
"I've got about 60 rounds for my Remington. 5 clips for my Berreta and two for my mini-tomcat." 'We better make everyshot count.' Xander thought to himself as the two talked about stratagy.
"We have suprise and location on our side. My guess is they'll come through here with a couple of troop transport trucks first. I'm going down to set up a couple of tricks. I'll need a couple grenades." Xander nods his head along with the plan as he pulls out two grenades and hands them to Bill.
"We take out the front trucks first. Then I'll start knockin em' down. You stay back and make sure they don't try to flank me. Set the claymores up anywhere but make sure I'm not around when you use em'. Got it?" Xander nodded and Bill took a deep breath before grabbing his gear and moving down the hillside to the 'road'. Things were about to get really exciting. And really dangerous.
Bill moved down the hill and set up his suprises. He trusted Xander to watch his back. Sure they had only been working together a short time but Xander was trustworthy. And he had the skill to back Bill up. Bill finished his trip wires and moved up the hillside opposite of Xander. He found a nice spot to shoot from with a broken tree to use as a lean to. He had to move fast so the bi-pod was out of the question. He sat there for what seemed like hours. Finally he heard the sound of desiel engines moving toward his position. Popping his neck he pulled up his rifle and sat up for a shot. The trucks came around the bend. Two in the lead with soldiers walking behind them. A rag-tag type of army brought together by a local drug distributer. Marco is the only name he was known by. Bill shook his head of all thoughts. He needed his mind clear for what he was about to do. Two explosions rang out as the lead trucks front end flew into the air and flipped landing on the hood of the truck behind it. Then. The shooting started.
Xander moved farther down the hill. The butt of his M16 pressed tight against his shoulder and its barrel pointing toward the ground as he sprinted from tree to tree in a shallow crouch. As the first eplosion rang out Xander hit the dirt with his M16 pointed down the slope to the nearest target. Without a second thought he opened fire. One down with a three shot burst. Letting out half a breath he moved to a second target.
Bill didn't notice that Xander was shooting almost in time with his own shots. Hell Bill didn't even know what color his pants were at the moment. He was focused. Pure and simple. He pulled the trigger twice more before standing in a crouch and running to another spot about a hundred yards from the first. He reloaded his rifle as he ran and slammed the bolt home as he crouched again and pulled the trigger. Five down. Only about one-hundred and ninety-five to go. Bill thought to himself as he squezed the trigger again. And again.
Xander fell to his stomach as bullets flew through the trees around him. His breathing was shallow and even and his eyes seemed to dart around seeing everything at once. He was in the zone. Xander sat up slowly and tossed a pineapple grenade in a hooklike throw toward the enemy. He hit the ground a half second before the explosion. Two grenades left. Three claymore mines, five clips for his M16, and five clips for his Berretta. He also had his back-up .38 in an ankle holster with three speedloaders. Xander took a deep breath. Sat up in a high crouch position and fired. Two more enemies went down.
Bill squeezed the trigger. Then moved again. He had ran more tonight then in any of his college football games. His breathing was beginning to get ragged and his movements choppy. But his aim was dead on. His concentration was dead on. Bill would later think of how many he killed that day. He had 60 shells. One shot. One kill. He didn't know at the time if he would survive. But he knew for sure that Xander would. That was his mission now. To get his spotter home. Bill had never failed a mission. Never.
The loud noise of low flying aircrafts were heard across the jungle. Xander didn't look up, he could somehow tell by the sound that they were still five or so minutes away. Enough time for him and his partner to be killed. Xander unloaded his last clip into a group of four enemy soldiers before tossing the empty gun aside and pulling his Beretta. Xander took a deep breath before smiling at an unknown thought. The smile fell from his face as he saw Bill running toward him with a group of about twenty enemies on his six. 'Oh shit.' was the only thought in his head as he turned and ran, Bill followed close behind.
"I hope you have something up your sleeve kid!" Bill yelled over the gunfire as he reached his spotter. Xander only smiled in reply and picked up his pace. Bill huffed as he pushed his body harder than ever before. His and Xander's legs pumped up and down in a fast rythme that was only broken by the occasional twist for cover. As they ran Bill focused purely on what was ahead not caring about his sides. It was the first time in his life that Bill didn't look at the big picture. He would later call it tunnel vision but at the time he didn't care what the hell it was it was keeping him alive. Bill was so focused on what was ahead he didn't notice Xander tackle him into a trench until he hit the ground. Xander rolled as they landed and grabbed the detonators for the Claymore mines he had set up around the trench and surrounding trees.
"Hit it kid!!" Bill yelled over the sounds of gunfire and the roar of the low flying jets moving there way. Xander shook his head his eyes watching the group of enemies that were roughly one hundred yards away. eighty, sixty, twenty. Xander pressed the levers. The mines expoloded sending tiny metal balls toward the enemies that were far to close to survive. Xander and Bill watched in regret and morbid fascination as the bodies fell and then the planes bomb run started. Both the sniper and the spotter hit the deck.
General William Holden sat to the right of the Secretary of Defense John Sandford.
"Are you sure about this man General?" John asked as he looked over a file the General had handed him ten minutes ago. The General was silent for a second before speaking in a rough and extremly authoritive voice.
"Yes sir. I believe the young man will bring exactly what we need to the table." The Sec. of Defense nodded along with the General's observation.
"I agree General. But, the boys inlistment time is almost up. He would only be here long enough to maybe train two people." The General seemed to fidget in his seat for a second before clearing his throat and preparing to speak.
"That is what I wanted to talk to you about. In my opinion he would be a black-ops life operative. A splinter-cell." John Sandford was beginning to see what the General was stating and he nodded along.
"You think we should pay him with the shadow ops financing?" The General nodded with an awkward look on his face that evaporated when the Secretary smiled slightly.
"Do what you need General. The goverment needs someone trustworthy on the hellmouth and this young man seems to fit the bill. I'll make the calls." The General nodded, stood, and began to walk from the table.
"One more thing General," John said causing the General to turn around, " Who referred the young man to us?" The General looked in thought for a second before speaking.
"Sergeant Bill Williams." The Secretary nodded with a smile.
"The Killer is never wrong. Good-bye General." The General nodded and left the room. John Sandford looked at the file in his hands.
"Your exactly what we need Mr. Harris. Exactly what we need." He said to himself before standing and closing the file. With the smile still on his face he left the room.
Xander walked out of the plane and surveyed the area surrounding him. Desert, and a top secret joint Military operations and research base. 'Dreamland' was exactly what everyone wanted it to be. An Air Force operated Research, Development, and tactical command base in the middle of nowhere. Xander saw the people waiting for him at the end of the runway. The man that stuck out the most was Lr. Colonel Tecumseh 'Dog' Bastian. Xander had memorized the mans file while on the plane. Dog was one of America's top fighter jocks in the Gulf and also one of the best tactical thinkers in the military. Then and now. Beside the older looking man was his daughter Captain Beanna Bastian Stockard aka. Bree. She was one of the best test pilots in the airforce with a quick wit and an overall uproarish attitude about her. Beside her, her husband Major Jeffery 'Zen' Stockard sat in his wheelchair. Xander didn't notice the chair at first. After seeing so many friends wounded for life the chair didn't even register. Zen was one of ,if not the best, fighter jock in the country. At least until a serious plane crash on the very runway paralyzed him from the waist down. He still flew though. He was head of the Flighthawk program. A program originally developed for a single fighter jock to control three jets. Two automated Wingmen and his own jet. Now it was used as an unmanned spy plane as well as an unmanned wingman in the air. He had more Mig kills with the flighthawks than most pilots had with there own jet. He was a man to be respected and Xander knew that he would show that respect. Next and last was the man he was supposed to study under for the duration of his stay. Captain Danny Freah. Freah made a name for himself by heading a daring rescue of a man in Bosnia. Captain Freah is team leader of the elite Air Force special ops group, Whiplash. Xander knew he would learn alot from the man. Xander walked forward stifly his uniform neatly worn and pressed. He sat his bag down at his feet and snapped a perfect salute as he reached the officers. The officers saluted him.
"At ease." Dog said with a stone face. Xander could tell by looking at the man that he was the man the military put on recruitment posters. About fifty with slightly grey hair the man was still in prime shape and had the attitude of a hardened combat veteran.
"Welcome to Dreamland Corporal Harris. How was your flight?" Xander noticed the man had a sense of humor under his mask and smiled.
"Peanuts were a little stale sir." Xander answered with a straight voice causing Bree, Zen, and Danny to laugh. Dog smiled slightly but you had to look hard to notice.
"Sorry to hear that Corporal. Captain Freah. Show Corporal Harris to his quarters. Then to my office." Dog said as he still looked into the eyes of Xander.
"Yes sir." Freah spoke easily as he to looked over Xander Harris with a fine tuned eye.
"Follow me Corporal." Freah turned and Xander picked his duffel off the ground and followed.
"Yes sir."
"What the hell are they sending you to fight?" Captain Freah asked as he picked up the classified incideary rounds that he was supposed to clear Xander on. Xander only shrugged. Not even he knew EVERYTHING about his assignment.
"I don't know. I'm not sure if I want to do this anymore." Xander said as he looked at some of the large anti-tank weapons he would have to be field tested on in the following weeks.
"Hell after looking at this stuff. *I* don't want to be in your shoes. And people think I'm nuts." Danny laughed to himself as Xander looked around the weapons hanger with wide and fearfull eyes.
Xander took the weapon from Captain Danny Freah's outstreatched hands.
"It'a an M40A." Xander said as he looked at the rifle with no scope. He was already cleared on the M40A rifle. Had been cleared for almost two years now. Freah only smiled while looking at the rifle. At roughly fourteen and one half pounds with a twenty four inch stainless steel barrell, it was a Remington. Xander nodded with a sigh.
"So, where's the scope?" Xander asked making Danny smile larger.
"Your an impatient one." Danny said thinking back to his encounter with the old woman who gave him his first lesson with the M40A. He had asked the same questions as Xander. Danny held up his right hand producing a small tornado shaped sight, in his left was a visor set with cords.
"Laser?" Xander asked a little confused at the sight. Danny shook his head again thinking of his first lesson.
"Hardly," he said, taking it from Xander's hands and mointing it on the gun. He fiddled with a pair of set screws on the side, held the visor out, squinted, frowned, fiddled some more, then smacked the top.
"Here," he said finally. "I'll get you some cartidges. The range is over there." Xander nodded as Danny moved away from him. Xander looked down at his weapon. The sight was perfectly mated to the weapon, allowing the usual adjustments for wind and range and providing a remarkable amount of light to the viewer. The visor thing, on the other hand, was dark.
"It can be adjusted." Danny said as he returned and began to play with the LED screen on the visor.
"Try it." Danny said as he handed Xander the shells. After loading the weapon Xander steadied it against his shoulder, firing from a standing position. The visor projected an image similar to a scope, though it was spread in an oval rather than a circle. A legend below the target read that the image was precisly one hundred meters away. The young man braced himself and fired. Bull's-eye.
"Wow." Xander said as he lowered the weapon. Danny smiled slightly and moved the target back, one hundred yards. Xander braced himself and fired. Dead-on. Danny moved the target back again.
"Touch the bottom of the screen." Xander did as told and a range-to- target legend appeared next to the cross-atch. Five hundred yards. Xander braced himself and squeezed the trigger, and missed. By a centimeter. Danny frowned slightly.
"Don't worry kid. You'll get used to it soon, I can hit at seven hundred dead-on" Xander only nodded mutely for a second before looking at Captain Freah.
"How the hell does this thing work?" He asked with disbelief in his voice. Danny Freah smiled and chuckled as he thought up the specks on the weapon.
"A focused magnetic pulse, two signals with the Doppler effect. If it were simply a laser you would have trouble shooting through water and glass." Xander again looked shocked.
"You can aim through glass?" He asked as he looked at the weapon in his hands. Danny nodded and grunted affirmative.
"With manuel corrections." Xander could only say one thing.
"I want one." Danny chuckled.
Xander and Danny sat with four of the Whiplash team in the level B bar.
"Xander this is Frankie, Matt, Rich, and Helen. Group this is my newest and by far worst trainee." Danny said as he introduced Xander to the group. Xander laughed along with them as Danny went to get the beer.
"So you joining the team?" Rich Pearson asked as he leaned on the table. Rich was an African-American with a shaved head and tough guy persona. He was team Whiplash demoliton expert. He basically made and un-made bombs.
"No. The higher-ups wanted me trained and sent me here." Xander said as he surveyed the bar.
"They sent you to the right place. Danny's the best in the business." Frankie Marks said as he leaded back and streatched. Frankie was a caucasian young man of about twenty-five with a mustache. At 6'4" the man was a force to be recond with. His shoulders broad and his arms muscular he was team Whiplashs Hand Weapons expert. A man deadly without a gun or knife. Before the group could say anything more Danny Freah walked over in full strides.
"Whiplash has been called up. Get your gear and meet me in hanger eight. You to Xander. We need a six man team and we only have five. Up for it?" Xander's face turned to stone as he nodded.
"Yes sir." Danny looked at the group.
"Bust ass and meet me in hanger eight in ten minutes." The group rushed from the room to prepare.
Xander sat on the plane. The KM2 armor he was wearing was heavy, to heavy to carry around really and most of the team had ditched all but the vest. Xander had wanted to but Danny wouldn't let him. Said that it could save his life and that he didn't want to get bitched at by the higher ups for getting Xander killed. Xander didn't blame him.
"Okay soldiers. This is what we're looking at. A plane to plane mid- flight exchange. Sound crazy enough for ya?" Danny rallied the troops with a fake smile. Xander seemed to be the least nervous of the bunch. But it was just a mask. He was scared shitless. Although it helped him to know that Zen was piloting the aircraft. Zen was tucked away in a cargo hold about fifty miles behind them in a B2 with his cockpit sit up. It was hard to fit a wheel chair in a real cockpit. But, Zen was the best pilot at Dreamland hell maybe in the nation. So he was givin the job and a few minor and or major changes were made to the F-117 the group were in. A co-pilot sat upfront just in case of an emergency but the plane was fully in the hands of Major Jeff 'Zen' Stockard. And those were the best hands to be in while in a plane.
"How do you want me going in Sir?" Xander asked as he finished tieing on his gear. Danny looked at him for a second before answering.
"Not two steps behind me Corporal. Your on my six at all times." Xander nodded showing his friend that he understood.
"You can count on me Sir." Xander said as he pu his MP5 on his shoulder. Danny didn't say anything. He didn't need to.
"Five minutes to targer sir." A voice said as it came from the cabin. Danny looked at his team with a smirk.
"Lock and load boys and girls. It's time to party."
Zen sat in his wheelchair and held the stick that was in control of the F-117. He had done this before. Well, something similiar to it anyway. He moved the stick forward slightly bringing the front nose down. He then added more power to the thrusters. 'Almost there.' he thought to himself. A second later.
"Got it!" He yelled into the radio.
The team stood in the cramped space of the planes cargo area.
"Alright team. I'm going up first. Xander your with me. Frankie take up the rear. Helen..." Danny said the last name into his radio.
"Yes Captain?" Her thick voice came over the radio.
"Take care of the intelligence end. Send us info in fifteen minuted periodocals."
"Yes sir." She answered with a no nonsense tone. Xander couldn't help but smile had how well oiled the team seemed to be.
"Lets go boys. The after victory beer is on Xander." Xander looked like he was going to say something but didn't get the chance.
"Hurry it up Whiplash I can only hold it a few more minutes." Zens' very annoying voice came over line. Even he was chuckling.
"Pricks." Xander said with a smile on his face and in his voice. Then the group entered the tunnel to move to the 727 Boeing jet above them.
Lt. Colonel Tecumseh 'Dog' Bastion stood in the command room. The roomf is lined with screens showing views of each Whiplash teammember.
"Looking good Captain. Remember watch your asses out there team." Dog said into his radio. A couple chuckles was all that was heard back. Then Danny came on the line.
"Don't worry about us Colonel. We've got your backs. Radio silence for ten minutes." Dog looked at the screen in fascination. This was going to be another make or break run. Whiplash could become a priority in the government funding programs. Or, it and Dreamland could be pushed so far into the background light wouldn't reach them. The pressure was on.
The cargo area the Whiplash team arrived in was spacious but with the luggage of 200 passengers the six man team was a tight fit.
The team moved around slowly and cautiously careful not to make to much noise in case the terrorist were patrolling the airplane. Danny motioned to himself then to Xander. He then pointed to exit of the cargo hold. Xander nodded pulling his tactical dagger and the two moved forward. Danny held up three fingers and slowly moved them down to touch his palm. Three. Two. One. At Danny's nod Xander slowly opened the door and searched the small joining hallway. Nothing. He looked back and nodded then motioned his arm forward. Danny nodded and the two stepped into the hallway each watching the other direction. Both men moved in opposite directions.
"Hallway Clear." Captain Freah said into his headset. His team began to file into the hallway silenced Mp5's at ready position. Freah turned to his team and spoke lowly.
"Two two man teams. Xander and I will move forward toward the passengers. Team two....." In minutes the plan was set into motion.
Lucas Davenport sat in his first class seat with FBI agent Mallard at his right.
"This is all your fault you know." Lucas, a man in his early forties with dark hair and broad shoulders stated to the FBI agent beside him.
"How do you figure that?" Mallard asked also with a calm voice. Both noticed the armed man walking toward them from up the isle.
"Well if I remember correctly it was you who said I HAD to fly with you to Washington to talk to the AIC of the Rinker case." Mallard didn't have an answer.
"I told you to shut up." The armed guard said with a thick Irish accent. Lucas looked at him seriously.
"I would, really I would. But, I have to take a piss." He received a punch in the face for his words.
Xander and Danny moved cautiously toward the passenger's area. Neither wanting to chance being seen and creating an even more dangerous situation. Xander followed Capt. Freah through the narrow hallways and around the sharp corners. Keeping a constant watch on everything behind them. The rules of the game were focused on one thing at the moment. Trust. And the two soldiers had it.
"Team two copy?" Danny whispered into his receiver.
"Team two."
"Move on my mark."
Xander slipped the night vision goggles from his belt on and adjusted his hold on the MP5 in his hands.
"3"
Danny Freah slipped his goggles on quickly
Frankie Marks popped his knuckles and gripped the large bolt cutters in his hands tightly.
"2"
Richard Pearson cracked his neck slightly and held his sub-machine gun in the ready to fire position.
"1"
Frankie marks tensed as he readied to cut.
"Mark"
One second later everything went black.
Lucas Davenport was slightly shocked when the lights went out. It was because of this shock he didn't act but a second later as he grabbed the wrist of the terrorist that loomed over him and twisted the masked man to the ground. Without being able to see Lucas simply hit in the general area he thought the mans head would be.
Finally Lucas stopped his fist and sat back in his seat. Looking in Mallards direction he felt the shock on the mans face. With a smirk Lucas said.
"He hit me first."
Xander moved through the cramped aisles of the plane quickly. Taking out the two men per room was simple. Danny Freah in one aisle and Xander in the other it seemed like it would be over quickly. That is until the backup power kicked in.
"Ah Shit!" Xander yelled as he pulled his night vision goggles off and waited for his eyes to adjust.
"Marks didn't make it to the backup in time!" Freah yelled from somewhere on his right. Xander was about to yell a remark but the sound of a gunshot cut off his
witty comeback. Xander fell to the floor of the plan in agony as he felt the .45 caliber hollow point mushroom against the KM2 armor he was now glad to be wearing.
He heard the whistle of several silenced shots and began to sit up.
"Damn that hurts." Xander said through gritted teeth as he stood and pulled the vest off so he could breath. Danny had crossed the middle seats to check on him.
"You okay?" Freah asked keeping an eye out for anymore armed men.
"Yeah. Go! I'm right behind you." Captain Freah nodded and turned moving toward the first class section. Behind him Xander stood and pulled his Beretta.
"Right behind you." Xander said in a raspy voice. He slowly began to walk toward first class. When Xander entered the room he saw something that they hoped wouldn't happen. Freah and two other men had there weapons on the one of the two remaining terrorist. The terrorist had a small child.
The plane took a sudden dive to the right knocking the little girl out of the terrorist arms. Quicker than Captain Freah thought possible the figure was tackled by Xander.
"Get to the cockpit!" Xander screamed as he wrestled with the bigger man along the floor of the plane. Freah gritted his teeth and moved toward the cockpit Agent Mallard following. As the two bodies on the ground detangled Lucas tried to get a shot but couldn't get the angle. The people in the rows sat in fear and awe as Xander and the other man drew to almost identical tactical daggers and began to test each others defenses. Lunge, back step, lunge. The dance moved forward and backward through the limited space of the airplane aisle. Finally Xander saw an opening and took advantage of it. The terrorist lunged forward as Xander jumped onto the arm of one of the seats and landed behind the man. Putting his left arm around the mans neck he pulled the mans head back and thrust his dagger in between
the neck and collar bone. Three seconds later the man was dead.
Danny Freah kicked in the cockpit door as he heard the three shots seconds between each other. He entered the cockpit to see two dead pilots and a dead terrorist.
He grimaced slightly as he pulled the captain out of the chair, then looked at Mallard.
"You know how to fly one of these things?" Mallards eyes went wide with fear and shock as he shook his head no.
"Good thing I do." Danny Freah said with no humor in his voice. Mallard sighed and looked toward heaven in a silent prayer.
The Whiplash team plus Xander sat in the debriefing room, there full attention on Dog as he congratulated them on a successful mission.
"Good job team. The threat was neutralized with minimal civilian casualties. You've done remarkably well for your third time in the field." The team nodded to each other in respect but didn't smile. In there minds there was nothing to celebrate.
"You might be glad to know that Whiplash is going to get the green light on government funding. Your safe for the time being." The team again nodded there respect.
"That's all I have to say. Get out there and release some tension." The group stood and walked from the room. To Xander the mission didn't feel successful. They hadn't been able to save everyone.