CHAPTER 6 “THE NEW TEAM”

I walked into the briefing room with my team, feeling a mix of nervousness and excitement. We had been training for weeks, preparing for our first mission with the PMC. Captain Taylor, Sam, Jake, and Matt were my new partners and I was eager to prove myself to them.

"Alright, listen up everyone," Captain Taylor began, standing at the front of the room. "We've got a high-stakes mission in the works and I need you all to be on your A-game."

We all leaned forward in our seats, hanging on to every word.

"We've received intel that a key witness in an ongoing war crimes trial has been taken captive by a hostile force," Captain Taylor continued. "Our mission is to extract this witness and bring them to safety."

"Sounds easy enough," Jake quipped, making the others chuckle.

"Don't get too confident, Jake," Captain Taylor warned. "This mission won't be a walk in the park. We'll be operating in a highly hostile environment, and the enemy is well-equipped and well-trained."

"What's our plan?" I asked, eager to get started.

Captain Taylor pulled out a map and began pointing to various locations. "We'll be inserting by helicopter into this remote jungle region, here. From there, we'll make our way to the enemy compound where the witness is being held. Once we've secured the witness, we'll exfiltrate back to the extraction point and return to base."

We spent the next hour going over the details of the mission, discussing potential scenarios and going over our equipment. By the time we finished, I felt confident and ready for anything.

The next morning, we boarded the helicopter and took off into the sky. The ride was bumpy and the sound of the rotors was deafening, but I was too focused on the mission to let it get to me.

As we approached the enemy compound, I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. This was it, the moment of truth. I checked my weapons and gear one last time, making sure everything was in order.

We fast-roped down to the ground, landing quietly in the jungle. Captain Taylor took the lead, with Sam, Jake, and Matt following close behind. I brought up the rear, keeping a watchful eye on our six.

We moved silently through the jungle, staying low and moving quickly. The sound of gunfire echoed in the distance, reminding us of the danger that lay ahead.

Finally, we reached the edge of the enemy compound and took up positions around the perimeter. We could hear the sound of voices coming from inside the compound, but we couldn't see any enemy soldiers yet.

Captain Taylor motioned for us to move in. Sam took the lead, moving in silently and taking out the first guard with a well-placed shot. Jake and Matt followed suit, taking out the next two guards before they even had a chance to raise the alarm.

I moved in next, taking out two more guards with a burst of automatic fire. The enemy was caught off guard and we quickly secured the compound, freeing the captive witness.

We regrouped outside and made our way back to the extraction point, moving quickly through the jungle. The enemy soon realized what had happened and began pursuing us, but we were able to hold them off long enough to reach the helicopter.

As we lifted off into the sky, I let out a sigh of relief. We had accomplished our mission and were one step closer to becoming the best team in the PMC.

As we completed the mission, I felt a sense of pride wash over me. We had successfully extracted the target and the team had worked together seamlessly. I couldn't help but feel grateful for this new family I had found in the PMC.

Captain Taylor was the first to break the silence. "Good job everyone," he said, a broad smile on his face. "We make a great team."

"Hell yeah!" Jake exclaimed, punching the air in excitement. "That was one smooth extraction."

Sam gave me a nod of approval and even Matt, who was usually quiet, had a small smile on his face.

As we made our way back to base, I couldn't help but think about how much my life had changed since I joined the PMC. I had gone from being a lone mercenary to being part of a team, a family.

When we arrived at the base, we were greeted with cheers and applause from our fellow PMC members. Word had already spread about our successful mission.

Captain Taylor led us to the bar where drinks were already waiting for us. We toasted to our success and the team took turns telling stories about the mission.

"Remember when Matt took out that enemy sniper with a single shot?" Jake said, chuckling. "That was epic."

Matt just shrugged, a small smile on his face. "Just doing my job," he said modestly.

Sam turned to me and grinned. "And what about Ghost? Taking out those guards single-handedly, that was impressive."

I felt my face flush with embarrassment. "It was nothing," I said, trying to play it cool. "Just doing what I was trained to do."

As the night went on, we drank and laughed, the events of the mission becoming more exaggerated with each passing moment. I was grateful for this new family I had found and I couldn't wait to see what the future held for us.

The next morning, we all awoke with headache and tired eyes, but the sense of camaraderie from the night before still lingered. As we went about our duties, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in being a part of this elite group of soldiers.

I had found a new purpose in life and I was determined to make the most of it. With my team by my side, I knew that there was nothing we couldn't accomplish.