Naval Special Warfare Operator Julian Cadell Gibbs has been assigned to SEAL Team 3 and is preparing to deploy to Afghanistan. Despite earning his way into the brotherhood he has sought to be a part of his whole life, he is still alone.
Six months into their deployment Jace had been selected for a Reconnaissance Operation near the Pakistan border. The village neighbored the Wakhan Corridor, part of the Pamir Mountains, the terrains were harsh, and difficult to get a radio signal. They were going in as a team of four, consisting of Lieutenant Victors, Chief Branson, and Petty Officer First Class Ben Grayson were going. Branson and Grayson were the snipers, and LT Victors and Jace were the observers, with the latter doubling as the radio operator. Jace and the LT were packing M4A1 carbines with a Trijicon TA01NSN ACOG sight fitted with a Docter mini-reflex sight and an M203 40mm grenade launcher. They were tasked with surveying and identifying a Taliban tactician, Samoon Bulfati, responsible for the deaths of an entire Army Special Forces ODA and Marine Corps Armored Recon Convoy. Once they identified their target they were to call in an airstrike, a Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit would take out the village. The Taliban and Al-Qaeda entirely occupied it, and there were no civilians on site. No women or children lived on the premises. An entire company from the 75th Ranger Regiment and the rest of the platoon was their QRF.
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They were going in via helicopter under the cover of night. They were to maintain radio contact every hour as they rucked their way through the mountains. They needed to be quick, stealthy, and careful; the mountains weren't just difficult to navigate, they were traveling through Taliban territory. Scouts were likely to patrol the area, guarding and reporting anything that could be construed as a threat.
Once they reached the LZ they set the perimeter until the helos departed. They kept marching to their destination, maintaining diamond and wedge formations. They made it to a designated rest point, and Jace relayed their location to the TAC.
"Hotel-Six to Hotel Actual, we've reached Wilson."
The platoon had named the phase lines after television wrestlers, Jace practiced boxing and mixed-martial arts since he was ten years old out of preparation and fitness. He joined the swim and dive team during high school and competed in track since the sixth grade. Peanuts compared to what he endured in BUD/s.
His entire childhood since his mother and sister's deaths had been dedicated to becoming a warrior.
They camouflaged themselves as best they could and took turns taking watch.
The squad made it to their target but a hut obstructed their initial observation point, the meeting was taking place in front of it. They lost their radio connection and couldn't get a signal. Jace went with Branson and LT Victors went with Ben.
They had a good view from the southwest, both teams confirmed visuals on the HVT. Unfortunately, they still had no radio connection. According to intelligence, Bulfati was going to be staying at the village for another nine days. They could find a place to radio their findings to the TAC and give the green light for the bomber.
There was a ridge point fifteen miles away, they could try to contact the TAC from there.
On the way there, they rested for ten minutes; however, the silence didn't last.
