Chapter 28 – The Jump and the Decoration

The mission was of the utmost secrecy. Details were scarce, but the gravity of the situation was clear. A British agent, infiltrated in Iran, had been captured during an espionage operation. The Iranian government, aware of the importance of the prisoner, did not disclose the capture, avoiding international repercussions. However, MI6 knew. Time was critical, and any retaliation against the agent could reveal sensitive information that would compromise British intelligence missions around the world.

It was in this scenario that Harry and his team from Squad A were called in. The operation would be an infiltration via a HALO (High Altitude, Low Opening) jump, entering Iranian territory discreetly at night, rescuing the agent and returning without a trace. The kind of mission Harry had trained for for years and now would need to execute with deadly precision.

In the C-130 transport plane, flying at 35,000 feet, silence reigned among the squadron members. Each one mentally reviewed their roles in the mission. Harry, as always, remained calm. His focus was on every detail of the plan, but also on something more instinctive—the feeling he had developed over the years in operations like this.

"Time to target: 10 minutes!" the pilot shouted.

The rear ramp of the aircraft began to descend, revealing the vast, starry sky below them. Strong winds were blowing into the compartment, but they did not shake the team's determination.

"Get ready!" Harry ordered, leading the group.

One by one, the soldiers jumped, launching themselves into the empty night. The silence of the jump was unsettling. There was no sound other than the wind and the rapid heartbeat. The mission had already begun, and there was no room for error.

They dropped silently, deploying their parachutes at low altitude, ensuring they would not be detected by radar or enemy forces.

Upon landing in the Iranian desert terrain, the team quickly regrouped and began advancing towards the compound where the agent was being held. Intelligence suggested that he was being held in a heavily guarded facility located in a remote area.

The infiltration was quick and efficient, as expected. Harry led the group, moving through the shadows like a ghost, using the knowledge he had gained from his numerous previous missions. Upon reaching the perimeter of the facility, they silently disabled the cameras and neutralized the patrolling guards.

Everything was going according to plan, until, upon entering the building, they were surprised by an elite Iranian unit, which was already on alert, perhaps due to an information leak. A confrontation was inevitable.

The ensuing combat was intense. Harry's team found themselves outnumbered and surrounded. Despite his elite training, the situation quickly spiraled out of control, and the chances of success were dwindling by the second.

It was then that Harry made the decision that would change the course of the mission. He ordered his team to protect the hostage while he, alone, advanced on the enemy. Moving with a speed and precision that only someone with his level of experience could have, he picked off the Iranian soldiers one by one. Bullets flew, but Harry seemed untouchable, like a shadow moving across the battlefield.

His years of SAS training, his operations for MI6, and the tactical knowledge he had learned from Delta Force all came to fruition in that moment. He killed most of the enemy virtually single-handedly, using hand-to-hand combat techniques and firearms, while his team watched in disbelief.

Finally, with all the enemy eliminated, Harry approached the hostage and lifted him onto his shoulders, leading his team to the extraction point.

The extraction was completed successfully. A helicopter was waiting for the team a few miles away, and the group managed to escape before any enemy reinforcements could arrive. The rescue had been carried out flawlessly, and the British agent, who knew what he had risked, expressed his deep gratitude to Harry.

Back in England, the success of the mission was celebrated in silence. It was an operation that would never be made public, one of those that took place in the shadows, invisible to the naked eye. However, among the military and intelligence community, Harry's name, "Ghost," became even more legendary.

Given the complexity and success of the mission, Harry's superiors decided that he deserved one of the highest honors possible for a British soldier—the Victoria Cross. This medal, awarded for extreme bravery in combat, was one of the rarest and most prestigious decorations a soldier could receive.

Because of the secret nature of the mission, the award ceremony would be held in private, at Buckingham Palace, with few people in attendance. Harry, who had never sought recognition, was initially uncomfortable with the idea, but he knew that, in part, the honor of receiving such a medal was also a tribute to his team and the efforts of everyone who had contributed to the success of the operation.

On the day of the ceremony, Harry was driven to Buckingham Palace. Dressed in his impeccable uniform, he stood before Queen Elizabeth II in a private room, with only a few members of the royal family and his military superiors present.

The Queen, with her warm and imposing gaze, approached Harry with the medal in her hands.

"Harry, you have served this country with a dedication and bravery that is truly exceptional," the Queen said. "The mission you recently completed not only saved a valuable life, but protected many others around the world. And for that, I am immensely proud to award you the Victoria Cross.

She pinned the medal to Harry's chest, then, looking directly into his eyes, continued

"Furthermore, for your continued service to the United Kingdom and the world, it is with great honor that I knight you."

Harry, moved and honored, bowed as the Queen named him Sir Harry. The knighthood was something he had never imagined receiving. He had dedicated his life to service and protection, but never to seeking glory or recognition.

After the ceremony, the Queen exchanged a few private words with him.

"Sir Harry," she said with a slight smile, "please know that the Realm will always have the deepest respect for all that you have done. And we, as a nation, are blessed to have someone like you to protect us."

Harry, now a Knight of the British Crown, left the palace that day knowing that despite the shadows in which he operated, his work would always be valued by those who mattered most.

The legend of Ghost, now Sir Harry, continued to grow.