Breacher Up.

Under the safety of cover James stood there on one knee staring out into the darkness just outside the halo of the flashlight's glow. Something was out there and he was determined to figure out what.

To his front left was the door to which the triggerman who killed Sgt Williams ran into. To the right: the building that was believed to be a weapons cache, the building that housed the enemy, the place where they have been talking fire out of for the night. Shots from AK-47s, RPGs, and M60s had pined them down until the improvised explosive device went off.

The choice was go left, and kill the son-of-a-bitch who killed Sgt Williams and others, or right and take care of some more fuckers. Both had to be done... That was the only thing to choose.

James was one of two E7s on the team made up of multiple experts in specialized areas of combative tactics. Alongside him was:

E7 Williams, Liam pointman and canine handler to canine Ppoet; E6 Mann, Brandon sniper and translator; E6 Davies, Danni spotter and senior team diver; E6 Bleu, Joshua senior medic; E5 Hannibal, Christopher radioman; E5 Poe, Allan medic; E5 Kelly, Jonathan demolition expert and go-to guy; E5 Simmons, Blake driver etc-go-to guy he had more skills than most senior teams had combined into one; E5 Robinson, Drake weapons sgt and spotter/DM.

"Hornet's nest this is WASP One. Be advice that I am going to split the team."

"Roger WASP One. Your call." Came out over the radio frequency from mission control.

He would have Hannibal carry Williams' body to safety. Hannibal was to help clear the structure of the house to the right. Once cleared he would stay back while Mann and Davies , also known as Charlie Team, took up over watch positions on the roof top of the two story home. At that point Bleu, Kelly, and Simmons as Bravo Team would regroup with James, Robinson, Poe of Alpha to track down the bomber.

They stacked and Blue calls back to Simmons,"breacher up", after checking the status of the door. "You are good to go. No wires".

"Roger that", pulling the air jack (Jaws of life)--- which he called the devil's key to the city--- from his ruck. " Boom in three,two, one....." BOOM. The door blows off its hinges.

Poe kicks the remaining amount of wood, once used as a door, down. Once it falls Bleu throws a flash-bang into the structure of the house. Within seconds the men are inside the doorway. Shots fired from the stairwell hit Kelly just below the left lung. Ppoet starts barking at something in the room next door causing Bleu to decide on clearance of this area first. Two seconds later smoke rolls from the place that is daise-chained with claymores; Bleu and Mann are missing limbs and Williams is KIA, Kelly has a concussion and wants to sleep along with a sucking chest wound due to a puctured lung. Hannibal calls for an extraction and bird to medivac the wounded out, James hears the nine-line and decided to go get them.

"Mission control to all WASP. A Quick Reaction Force is in-route. There is a good opposing element closing in on your location."

Everyone was thinking it: it was Mogadishu once again. They were 8.3 miles from the city limits of the area where a Marine forward operations base had been set. It was stay in the fray or retreat in hope all goes well; he did the math: 8.3 miles from American friendly Afghanis at 10 minutes a mile--- due to the wounded and hostile environment--- equals

Over an hour and a half Of hell. Certainly Mogadishu once again.

James recalled that operation very well. At the time he was 18 years old and new to the army. A Ranger, yet to get wet behind the ears, his cherry wasn't popped--- until he was sent out to save the man, who had became brothers, of the 75th Ranger Regiment. Walk to safety like he did just a little over ten years ago or fight until all that is opposing him lays in blood; like he has done every episode of life as an elite operator since.

Door one: live to kill more tomorrow. Door two: fight and kill the fuckers now. James always loved the windows: live to kill more tomorrow by killing the mother fuckers that need killed now now. It was the clearest choice;the one he could see through--- it had no secrets on the status of what lies ahead on the other side.

A casualty collection point was established in the room cloeses the entrance, snipers Davies and Robinson provide what they do best, so the team can treat the wounded; while Hannibal calls for air support Apaches.

James takes Simmons and Ppoet to try to get to the five story hotel a few blocks away to draw fire away from the CCP until QRF's unknown arrival time. Ammo is measured and distribution of is made: not enough. They were going to have to make sure every single shot is a kill.

****

It has been Twenty-three months. Most spent in recovery at Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital. It is James first mission outside the wire since that night in the fall of 2003; Afgan has not changed much though he has. And that causes him to look at it all differently.

The guys are all new to the team. Looking at the faces of the young men through the night vision lens he sees ODA 556. Reed is a lot like Williams; who died due to burning and bleeding out. Swayor has Mann's dark humor and evil smile. Mann losted his left leg and lower left arm; that is the only difference really between the two. Swayor laughed, at a guy who blew himself up after getting shot in the chest by him, and James thinks about the only thing he sees.... His brothers.

He is waken from his day dreaming. When he hears.....

Two doors that make the difference between work tomorrow or early retirement stand before him and his new brothers.

...." Breacher Up".