Bridger cursed under his breath and brought his scope to bear on the second group. He saw men being pulled from the area, their boots leaving trails in the freshly disturbed earth as their compatriots dragged them to safety.
“Clear.” He lowered his eyes and sighed, the thought of possibly killing the assault team members tugging at him.
Camp Deric, South of Dallas, TX
JAY LINED UP his next shot and silently swore when he nearly killed another oak tree. “Mother, I need a head count.”
“No can do, Poppa Bear.” Gregg shifted to his other computer and tapped at the keyboard. “I’ve got nothing on thermals.”
“It would be nice to know what I’m facing out here.” Jay quickly dumped the magazine from his rifle and slid another into the well. He let his breath out slowly and scanned the area with the reticle of his scope.
“Poppa Bear, we have movement. Another team is coming up on your six.” Gregg slid to his primary computer and tapped at the keyboard. “I’ve got six bodies. Staggered two by two formation. Approximately fifty yards from bingo.”
Jay cursed and wished he had eyes in the back of his head. “I’m stuck, Mother. If I shift, I give away my position.”
“Understood, Poppa Bear. Wait one. I’m sending reinforcements.”
Jay slowly inhaled and scanned the soldiers advancing through the woods again. He caught movement but couldn’t react in time to fire. He continued to scan and smiled to himself when he heard the familiar sound of their small drone departing the pillbox.
Steve’s voice broke over the coms. “Chair Force One is in service, Poppa Bear.”
“Tell me you armed it,” Jay whispered.
“That is affirmative.” Steve sounded almost sad. “I fear we’ll have to replace Chair Force One after this mission.”
Jay heard the small drone buzzing overhead and prayed that the secondary force was far enough away that he wouldn’t catch the brunt of the activity. The small drone buzzed around the edge of the tree line and Jay ducked his head, squeezing his eyes shut when the C4 exploded.
He felt dirt and debris raining down on his position followed by screams from the men who were unlucky enough to be within the blast radius.
“Poppa Bear…I have an idea,” Deric said.
Jay keyed his throat mic and whispered, “I’m all ears. Hit me.”
Camp Deric, South of Dallas, TX
DARREN CHESTERFIELD PRESSED his back to the tree and stared wide eyed at the men being dragged away from the site. “What the hell? I thought you guys were professionals?”
The team leader marched toward him and pressed an iron finger to his sternum. “Your intel stated that they would be holed up inside. I believe your exact words were ‘minimal resistance.’”
Darren’s eyes widened and he stared at the man. “Who the hell said that? I specifically said that they were previous military, government contractors, well armed and dangerous!”
The team leader stepped back and eyed Darren suspiciously. “That’s not what our briefing stated.”
“Somebody is deliberately trying to sabotage this insertion!” Darren spun and began muttering to himself. “Who would benefit from…” He slowly raised his eyes and met the team leader’s gaze.
“What?”
“I think I know who might purposely misguide you and your men.”
The team leader advanced and grabbed him by the collar. “Spill it, pencil pusher.”
Darren smirked and shook his head. “The only man who specifically directed me not to take this action.” He squared his shoulders and practically growled, “Colonel Nelson.”
Camp Deric, South of Dallas, TX
“I DON’T LIKE it,” Bridger stated flatly. “These guys are Americans. They don’t deserve—”
“They’re trying to kill us Bridger.” Jay’s voice was curt and to the point. “They won’t give quarter to any of us.”
Bobby growled low in his chest but fought the urge to argue. “It’s your home turf. You’re calling the shots.”
Jay’s voice softened. “We can intervene if we have to. No need in letting any more of them be killed then necessary.”
“I’m prepping Little Joe now,” Gregg stated. “He’ll be airborne in a few minutes. I just hope this works.”
Bridger heard the heavy steel door of the machine shop open then the loud buzz of a large drone as it took to the air. He watched as it made slow lazy circles over the bunkers then widened its flight pattern.
“If this doesn’t work, we’ll have no choice,” Jay stated. “Let’s bring the party to a head.”
Gregg piloted the drone from his primary laptop, using the USB powered joystick to direct its flight. He buzzed low to the ground and popped up in front of the squad behind Jay then shot the drone across the open expanse to the second squad still advancing through the woods.
Gregg saw the first flashes of gunfire then dropped the drone to the ground and skimmed it across the surface toward the bunkers.
He quickly adjusted the flight pattern and buzzed the roof of the bunkers, settling the drone into another lazy circle behind the earth-bermed concrete structures.
He slowly advanced the drone to the north, then toward the west, doing his best to catch the attention of both groups of assault teams.
“Okay. They know that we know where they are. Let’s lose another drone.” He shot the unit upward and put it into a hovering holding pattern above the front of the bunkers. “Let’s see if they rise to the bait.”
He wheeled over to his second computer and switched the exterior cameras to IR. He watched as heat signatures slowly emerged from the trees. Switching to another camera, he could see the second group round a bend and slowly converge on Jay’s position.
The cameras to the west had been taken out by the RPG, but he was able to observe the most northerly group slowly come together and form up a second time.
He watched as the three teams slowly advanced on the bunkers. “Okay boys. It’s showtime.”
Camp Deric, South of Dallas, TX
ALI WAVED HIS men forward. “They know we are here. Follow the machine and
