Chapter 3

The HALO jumps goes off without a hitch just as it was expected to. The only thing Samantha, Spencer and the DEeP Six team has to worry about is sharks, but if the body suits can withstand bullets then shark teeth won’t matter. Using diver propulsion vehicles, the team is able to move effortlessly through the water and cut the travel time to the island by a substantial amount. Once on land, the team quickly hides away any excess equipment. The escape will be the same as the entry with the exception of being picked up by submarine. Once the gear is securely hidden, they move to the shadow of the closet building.

“Matthews. Find a couple good high ground area that will provide any cover we need,” Nash instructs.

Matthew nods her head and then she shoulders her sniper rifle. Before long she is fading into the foliage that surrounds the building. Soldiers are milling about across the open ground around the other building. With the angle of the sun casting long shadows from the building and the vast majority of plant life, there is plenty of cover for the team.

“Mason. Bridges. Get explosive set at the predetermined points and then haul your asses around to the front and set the diversion,” Nash orders. He then spins around to Spencer and Samantha. “You two will come with me.”

“No trusting us?” Samantha asks with a shrug of her shoulders.

“Not that,” he answers with a quick shake of his head. “I need someone I can trust to watch my ass.”

“Fair enough,” she says.

“Check in,” Nash says speaking into his throat mic.

“Matthews. Almost to my second position. First already selected.”

“Mason. Loud and clear.”

“Bridges. Same.”

“Roberts.”

“Reeds.”

“Maintain silence in case these guys have an open channel scanning for odd communications,” Nash instructs. “Chances are they think they know someone is coming.” He then waves to Spencer and Samantha to follow. As soon as he takes a step to the edge of the building that they are hiding behind, a Russian soldier steps past. But before the soldier has the chance to react, except to cast a look of shock on his face, Nash has his knife out and buried through the man’s throat silencing him forever. Spencer steps forward to help pull the body into the shadows. “Where are my eyes?” Nash asks calmly.

“Sorry, LT,” Matthews says. “Just set up when he went past the corner.” She settles in position, allowing her ample room to jump up at a second’s notice to dash to her other hide spot. The views from both spots give her a nice overview of the entire complex and the ability to keep her fellow teammates protected while allowing her to see any enemies that may attempt to sneak up on her.

She scans the area, searching for Bridges and Mason, looking through the scope. TO keep from being traced as an American operative, she has chosen to use a .338 Lapua Magnum cartridge. It is a highly used piece of ammunition used by hunters and law enforcement around the world. Quickly, she spots the two men as they slip past a couple unsuspecting guards. With her team in the clear, she decides to scan the area looking for the Spetsnaz that are supposed to be there. A glint of sunlight catches her attention. She whirls around to focus in and sees nothing. Sure that she saw something, she holds her position on the spot for several minutes and when she is ready to finally give up, she sees a small indiscretionary movement. Sniper!

Many snipers have a partner, one that will take a shot if the first misses or to cover the other in case of detection. Matthews knows they have spotted the team and she now has to act fast if she is to keep them alive. She slowly scans the tree line with her scope until she finds a small irregularity. The plants seem to part unnaturally as if someone is sitting among them. She focuses in, studying the abnormality. With the exception of the unnatural parting, she is sure that this is where the other sniper lay. With time running out, Matthews will have to go with her instinct and hope that she is right.
Her muzzle flash will give her away once she takes out the primary sniper and will not allow a search for the second if she is wrong. It is all or nothing. She realigns with the first sniper, calculating wind speed and distance and length of time needed to rechamber a new round. Matthews holds her breath and fires.

Half a second longer and it would have been too late. The moment the bullet strikes, the enemy sniper pulls his trigger. Not having time to ensure a team member is safe or not, Matthews is already sighting the second sniper. The enemy sniper is quick to respond but she is the faster of the two. With no time for calculations, she aims and fires. The second sniper doesn’t stand a chance as her bullet strikes his head, sending the back of his skull and brain matter splattering into the tree line. “Enemy snipers down,” she says into her mic.

“Damn Matthews, cutting it close ain’t you?” Mason asks jokingly. “That nearly took off my head.”

“I must be getting slow,” she says back.

“Cut the chatter,” Nash interrupts. “Good work, Matthews.”

Bridges shoulders his rifle and withdraws a pair of Kukri. The broad bladed curved knives, ten inches long, make them a formidable weapon against an unarmed or unsuspecting enemy. “I got these guys,” he says, looking back at Mason and referring to three soldiers huddled together in conversation. They are all laughing at a joke one of them tells the group. The shortest of the three pulls out a cigarette and asks for a light. Mason stands back in the shadows, ready to provide aid or cover Bridges should the need arise.

The soldiers stand in front of a small drainage tunnel that the team plans to use as a means to enter the complex. Now the problem lies in the tunnel being blocked, a problem Bridges is going to remedy. He twirls the blades a couple of times as he dashes toward the trio. His boot falls are silent and the men don’t notice his approach until he comes down upon the man with the cigarette, his back filleting open. As the two remaining soldiers reach for their guns, Bridges sweeps a Kukri across, cutting both of the soldier’s hands off at the wrist. The man’s rifle falls to the ground with a clang as the man yelps in pain. With the other Kukri, Bridges stabs straight out and into the other soldier’s heart, killing him instantly. The handless soldier has already turned and is attempting to run out into the open courtyard when he is met by a bullet through his eye.

Mason stands with his silenced pistol held high, smoke slowly rising from the barrel. “You missed one,” he chides.

“That’s why I have you around,” Bridges says with a grin.

Suddenly a bullet whizzes by Mason’s head, causing him to reflexively duck. The bullet impacts the brick, sending tiny fragments in all directions. A piece flies out, nicking his cheek and causing a small line of blood to appear. He looks up in the direction of the traveling bullet to see Matthews taking out the enemy snipers. “Damn Matthews, cutting it close ain’t you?” he asks through the mic. “That nearly took off my head.”

“I must be getting slow,” she replies.

“Cut the chatter,” Nash demands. “Good work, Matthews.”

Bridges looks down at the tunnel and reaches up to plug his nose. “Eww, gross,” he mocks. “Why do I have to be the one that does all the shitty work around here?”