“And it would make the ultimate sniper’s nest up there… Speaking of which, I got this guy… ” Bones’ finger began squeezing the trigger in anticipation.
The commanders’ eyes were glued to his watch, his arm slowly rising as he looked at it.
Maddock continued, speaking rapidly. “Let’s split up in case they do try to shoot us in the open. Bones and I will meet up at the base of the tower. Professor and Willis: you two prowl the boulder field, separately. Stay in comm. Sound good?”
All three men gave one syllable answers indicating their agreement. Then the commander’s voice came over the megaphone, loud enough to be heard by the other teams in the rocks, painfully so for Green Team.
“Green Team cleared for go in three… two… one… now. Engage!”
The report from Bones’ P226 served as a starter pistol for Maddock and Professor, each of whom set out in opposite directions toward the boulder field. A shouted curse followed by the words, “I’m hit!” told them that his round had found its mark. Per the rules of engagement, the Blue Team member who had been shot placed his hands in the air and began walking back to the cargo net.
Bones’ pistol spat again, multiple rounds this time, and a member of Black Team who had been bouldering on the near perimeter of the rock field froze when struck by Bones’ paintball, and then slid to the ground. Two men now took the walk of shame across the open plain to the commander.
“Six left. Let’s find that thing.” Bones thumped Willis on the back and rolled off to his right, aware that standing now would present a higher profile to those seeking to return fire. Willis dashed straight ahead toward the boulders, keeping his considerable frame low to the ground, moving almost crab-like at times as he sought whatever low, rocky cover he could find.
A paint round splattered a squat barrel cactus next to Maddock as he took the longest, most off-center route to the rocks. He raised his radio to his lips and hit the transmitter. “Taking fire, still moving.”
“Copy that, under fire,” came the grunted reply from Willis, already on the move himself, straight toward the rocks.
Bones, meanwhile, had just holstered his pistol and taken the first few steps toward the rocks when he saw a bright blue spot bloom on the hard-packed dirt in front of him. Blue Team was shooting at him. He dropped and rolled before transitioning into a low crawl behind a mesquite bush for cover.
“I made the rocks.” Professor’s voice boomed over Green Team’s channel. Even though Maddock, Bones and Willis still needed to get there, the news buoyed their spirits. Running the gauntlet could be done. Maddock’s voice came over the comm channel in panting rasps.
“Copy. Anybody still taking fire?”
Three replies in the negative greeted Maddock’s ears.
“I made it, too.” Willis’ voice informed them over the radios.
“Me three. I’m in a small boulder cave. Nice and cozy. ” Bones sounded almost happy, like there was nothing else he’d rather be doing.
“I see a man on the tower wall,” Professor reported.
“Copy that, I see him too,” Maddock sucked in a deep breath. “I just reached the rocks, east end.”
Maddock was formulating his next sentence when they heard a shot.
“Oh! He’s down. Picked off the wall!” Willis reported.
Blue or Black, you know?” Maddock asked.
“No bino’s in this kit and I can’t see from here.”
“Only five guys in our way now, whatever color they are. Green 1, ready for tower approach?” Bones’ voice traveled through the comm system.
“Affirmative, Green 2. Contact when the base is in sight, over.”
“Copy that, dude.”
Out of sight from each other, Maddock and Bones began bouldering toward the central rock spire. The going was treacherous and demanded their full attention; turning an ankle or falling and shattering an arm would be an easy thing to do. For the outlying boulder field, neither Maddock nor Bones required the assistance of climbing gear. Both SEALs were experienced mountaineers and had bouldered this type of terrain many times. Still, the added element of active shooters in the environment introduced an additional layer of stress, a factor over which they had little control.
Maddock paused at times to listen above the rush of blood in his ears, but he detected no “enemy.” He reasoned that rather than hunker down silently, waiting and hoping for someone from an opposing team to cross your path, the odds were better at winning if you focused your energy on finding the prize.
While he traversed the uneven terrain he kept his eyes open for the asset. They weren’t told what exactly it was but so far he hadn’t seen anything that wasn’t natural. After sliding down the face of a ten-foot high stone into a dirt ravine surrounded by large rocks that became taller as he neared the center spire, Maddock heard the sound of a rattle. He froze in place, knowing all too well what the noise likely signified. His eyes scanned the dusty desert floor for signs of the rattlesnake. There it was, a couple of feet off the dirt game trail Maddock followed between the boulders, shadowed in rocks.
Maddock nimbly sidestepped the serpentine threat and wound around another boulder until he reached a break in the rocks where the rocky tower jutted skyward not fifty feet in front of him. He whispered into his radio.
“I have visual with Base. Green 2, status?” Maddock tried to stick with approved SEAL field protocol, but Bones had never been a stickler for the rules, though his reply was immediate. “I also have visual with the base, bro. Don’t see anybody up there. They must all be looking for your mom’s house. Over.”
Maddock shook his head while replying. “I don’t see anyone up there either.” Maddock couldn’t blame anyone for looking thoroughly everywhere else before attempting to scale the tower. It was an easy place to get shot down from, as they had already seen, and besides that was a difficult, arduous climb to the summit, with no guarantee the asset would be there. “Let’s meet up on the south side.”
“Last one there’s a rotten egg.”
Maddock slithered amongst the rocky piles toward the south face of the tower. As he neared the target he came to a relatively open space leading up to the vertical wall. He knelt among a clutch of rocks and waited for a minute, observing his surroundings. At first he detected nothing but then the sound of a boot slipping over loose soil reached his ears, off to his right. He swiveled his head and saw a member of Blue Team step over a dried Yucca log. Maddock raised his pistol but kept his finger still on the trigger. When the soldier crept out of sight again, obviously patrolling for the asset and not tipped off to Maddock’s presence, Maddock holstered his weapon. He could eliminate him, but it would be at the expense of giving up his own position. As long as he and Bones remained undetected, they could be well up the rock face before anyone noticed.
“Psssst. Maddock!”
Maddock looked toward the source of Bones’ hissing — to the rock tower — but saw nobody. On closer inspection he caught movement, saw Bones’ big hand waving, seeming to come directly out of the rock itself. Maddock traced the rocky spire from its apex back to the ground, noting the seams where the three massive pieces of the formation came together. Bones had found his way inside the space where they met.
Taking a last look around to ensure he had no eyes on him, Maddock shot across the small amount of open space and into the crevice in which Bones hid. It was an interesting spot. Looking up, they could see a pinpoint of blue sky as the three sections of rock narrowed until they almost but not quite touched. The area on the ground was wider and roughly circular, but with not much more room than was required for the two of them to stand in.
Bones pounded a fist on one of the smooth rock walls. “It’s like a stone teepee.”