At 8 a.m., the cramped 20-square-meter conference room was packed to capacity. Some attendees, unable to find seats, grabbed chairs and lined the walls, while others simply leaned against filing cabinets to listen.
On one side of the long conference table, six SEAL Team members sat in a row. Opposite them were Jack, an intelligence officer, and members of the logistics support team.
Bravo Team currently consisted of six official members, with call signs ranging from Bravo 1 to Bravo 6:
Bravo 1: Jason Hayes, team leader and assault specialist.
Bravo 2: Ray Perry, deputy team leader, sniper, and designated marksman. A mixed-race man with faint African ancestry, Ray's slightly darker skin and curly hair were his only distinguishing features of that heritage.
Bravo 3: Sonny Quinn, support gunner. Short but powerfully built, Sonny had a boisterous and impulsive personality. Though fiercely loyal to Jason, his antics often gave Jason headaches.
Bravo 4: Trent Sawyer, team medic and assault specialist. Quiet and almost invisible in his presence, Trent exuded reliability—likely a result of his medical training.
Bravo 5: Brock Reynolds, recon specialist and K9 handler. Alongside his partner, Cerberus (a Belgian Malinois), Brock was the team's sharpest eyes and ears.
Bravo 6: Clay Spenser, designated marksman and assault specialist. Despite being on the team for over two years, his youthful looks and occasional naïveté still earned him the "rookie" label.
Seated next to Jack were two women: Lisa Davis, a logistics support officer in her early thirties, and Mandy Ellis, a CIA intelligence officer just shy of 40.
When everyone had settled, Major Eric Blackburn addressed the group. "Good morning, everyone. You may already be aware, but I'll reiterate: Bravo Team is about to execute a highly sensitive and classified mission.
After months of coordination among various agencies, this operation has been authorized by the White House. I need everyone to ensure there are no mistakes. Understood?"
Despite the rhetorical question, no response was expected. With that, Major Blackburn shifted his gaze to the right side of the table, his eyes flitting uncertainly between Jack and Mandy Ellis.
Under normal circumstances, the CIA officer, Mandy Ellis, would deliver the intelligence briefing. But this time, things were different.
Whether due to the fallout from a previous failed joint operation or friction between the CIA and DEA, the FBI had been inserted into the mix as a liaison.
Mandy, clearly displeased, remained silent. Jack had no choice but to stand, pick up the remote on the table, and press a button. A photograph of a middle-aged Latino man appeared on the screen.
Jack had only received the detailed briefing materials a day earlier and had worked late into the night with Mandy. Taking over her presentation now felt like stepping on her toes, but he had little choice.
"Andrés Doza," Jack began. "Currently one of the most ruthless leaders of Mexico's CJNG cartel and certainly the most elusive.
Over the past 20 years, the DEA and CIA have only managed to capture four clear photos of him. The image you see here is one of those, taken last year. His closest lieutenants are equally hard to track."
The SEALs exchanged knowing smirks. Sonny Quinn, ever the troublemaker, exaggerated his reactions to tease Mandy Ellis, drawing quiet laughter from his teammates.
Jack rapped his knuckles on the table to regain their attention. His history with the team wasn't without its bumps—he had endured their hazing during training until a few bruising "friendly exchanges" earned their grudging respect.
Now, having once split a hefty windfall with the team, he had earned their trust to the point where they would entrust him with their lives.
Once the room quieted, Jack continued. "Doza was born in 1978 in Guadalajara. His parents were bankrupt farmers. Over 25 years, he rose from a small-time smuggler to one of CJNG's top leaders."
Jason Hayes, visibly impatient, interrupted. "So he's the target. What's our mission? We've spent three months preparing without even knowing the guy's name."
Jack turned to Mandy, who finally broke her silence, handing a dossier to Jason. "Capture him alive."
This point of contention had been at the heart of the mission planning. The FBI, playing the role of intermediary between the DEA and CIA, preferred a pragmatic approach: kill Doza if capture proved too risky, and bring back either his body or photographic evidence to minimize operational hazards.
The CIA, however, insisted on capturing him alive, citing the importance of a "righteous" trial. Jack didn't buy their justification but played along.
"Capture?" Clay Spenser looked puzzled. "Do we even have jurisdiction to arrest anyone in Mexico?"
"Yes," Jack confirmed. "We'll be working with the Mexican Navy's Marines. As you've heard, Doza's movements are notoriously difficult to track. Finding him could take weeks, even months. The operation timeline has been left open-ended.
We'll be in Mexico for an extended period—long enough to ensure we get him."
"Sounds like a paid vacation," Sonny Quinn quipped, his expression turning playful. Jack suspected he was imagining the allure of Latin women in Mexico.
Jack glanced at Lisa Davis, seated across from Sonny, who wore a bemused, almost knowing look. Office romances really are universal, Jack thought grimly.
"Don't get too excited, Sonny," Jack sighed. "This mission won't be easy. Doza isn't like the small-timers we've dealt with before."
"CJNG boasts over 10,000 armed operatives and billions in resources. Doza alone commands several thousand well-equipped soldiers, better armed than Mexico's official military."
Jason passed the dossier to Ray Perry. "If this guy's been untouchable for over two decades, why now? This sounds less like a mission and more like a small war."
"Because he executed a DEA agent," Jack explained, clicking on a video file. "And sent this footage to the DEA."
The video began to play, casting a grim silence over the room.
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Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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