Page 79 of Rescuing Ally: Part 2
“Harbor’s suicide,” Carter observes quietly, speaking for the first time in an hour. When Carter talks, everyone listens. “Too exposed. Too many kill zones.”
The tactical situation becomes clear. Malfor built his facility to repel large-scale military assault, not small-team infiltration. The kind of oversight that creates opportunities for operators who understand how to exploit defensive blind spots.
“So Charlie team goes in as one unit,” Ethan continues, taking charge like he always does. “Six-man insertion, sweep, and clear as a team.”
“We need a support structure,” Sam interjects, looking to his operations chief.
“Alpha team provides covering fire from elevated positions,” CJ responds, taking over the broader deployment planning. “Bravo handles communications and coordination. Delta takes overwatch.”
“What about extraction?” Rigel asks, always thinking about the way out.
“We extract together,” Blake responds, tracing paths on the satellite photos. “Primary route via beach. Secondary, through the east cliffs if the beach gets compromised. Helicopter pickup if everything goes to hell.”
“Which it might,” Carter adds with characteristic understatement.
Walt looks up from his weapon. “What’s the building layout look like? Where are they most likely holding the women?”
I point to a central structure on the satellite imagery. “Main facility, probably underground levels. That’s where I’d put high-value assets.”
“Agreed,” Ethan nods. “Charlie team goes in together, sweeps and clears as one unit, locates targets, extracts as a team before they can mount serious resistance.”
“Time on target?” Blake asks.
“Fifteen minutes, max,” Gabe responds, his demolitions mind already calculating. “Any longer and we lose the element of surprise.”
“Fifteen minutes to find six women in a facility that size?” Walt’s skepticism shows.
“That’s why we move fast and stay together,” Ethan explains. “No splitting up once we’re inside. We clear room by room, systematic and quick.”
“Actually, we won’t be going in blind,” Mitzy speaks up from her analysis station, excitement building in her voice. “I can deploy my bumblebee drones ahead of you. They’ll rapidly map the interior of the facility and locate the women in real time.”
“How fast?” Blake asks.
“Three minutes to map a standard facility layout,” Mitzy responds. “The drones are silent, nearly invisible, and can transmit location data directly to your tactical displays. You’ll know exactly where they’re holding the women before you breach the building.”
Walt’s expression shifts from skepticism to hope. “That changes everything.”
“Cuts our search time from fifteen minutes to maybe five,” Gabe adds, his tactical mind already recalculating. “Get in, get them, get out before anyone knows we’re there.”
The plan takes shape with the efficiency that comes from men who’ve worked together long enough to anticipate each other’s thoughts. Every man has a role. Every role serves the mission. Every mission objective serves one purpose—bringing our women home.
“What about air support?” Walt asks, his voice carrying a roughness that’s been there since Malia disappeared.
“Collins has helicopters positioned offshore,” CJ responds, consulting waterproof tactical notebooks that contain every operational detail we’ve planned. He shifts his massive frame on the piece of driftwood he’s claimed as a seat, the wood creaking under his weight. “Medical extraction and fire support if we need it.”
“What about rules of engagement?” Blake’s question carries weight. We all know this isn’t a standard hostage rescue where we worry about collateral damage or legal consequences. He looks up from the weapon he’s been field-stripping, blue eyes hard as winter ice.
“Whatever it takes,” Forest states with granite certainty. His weathered face shows no emotion, but I catch the way his eyes sweep the beach, taking in every man under his command. “Primary objective is recovering our people alive. Everything else is secondary.”
“Not everything,” Sam interjects, his voice carrying the weight of broader tactical concerns. “We need to neutralize Malfor and eliminate the nanobot threat. Those nanobots could spread worldwide if we don’t shut down his operation completely.”
The reminder settles over the group like cold water. Rescuing the women is personal, but stopping a global surveillance network from falling into the wrong hands affects the entire world.
“Secondary objective then,” Forest acknowledges. “Destroy the facility and eliminate Malfor’s operational capabilities.”
“With Alpha, Bravo, and Delta already assigned support roles, we’re stretched thin for a dual-objective mission,” CJ observes, consulting his tactical notes.
Sam and Forest exchange looks, recognizing the need for additional resources beyond Guardian HRS capabilities.
