The screen went dark. The fluorescent hum returned to dominance. The SCIF door unlocked with a heavy metallic click.
As they stepped back into the hallway, the base noise returned faintly. Boots on tile. Distant engines. A helicopter spinning up somewhere beyond concrete walls.
Joker rolled his shoulders. "Well. That's a party."
Ghost was already mentally building a signal map. "I want updated satellite pass before wheels up. Latest thermal."
Bulldog exhaled. "Twelve hours. Christ."
Hawk fell into step beside Steele, his voice low. "Tunnel."
"Yes."
"Civilian complication."
"Always is."
Behind them, Risk walked in silence. Steele didn't look back.
"Gear up," he said. "Full combat load. I want everyone weapons-hot and ready to roll by 1400."
The team bay became a hive of controlled chaos.
Steele found Bulldog in the armory, surrounded by breaching charges and det cord. "How much you pulling?" Steele asked.
Bulldog didn't look up. "Four frame charges for the gate. Two for interior doors. Plus linear for the western office wall if that tunnel's real."
"Split it with Joker. I don't want you gassed before we even hit the compound."
Bulldog's jaw worked. Started dividing the charges into two packs without argument.
Ghost was in the communications room, three monitors glowing. "Talk to me," Steele said.
Ghost pulled up a map. "Cellular towers here, here, and here. Coverage overlaps the compound. I hit all three simultaneously, we get maybe six minutes of dead air."
"Six minutes enough?"
"Has to be."
"Do it."
Hawk was on the range. The crack of rifle fire echoed across the empty space. Steele waited until Hawk paused to check his target. "How's it looking?"
Hawk pulled the target back. Tight group. Dead center. "Elevation adjustment for Erbil is negligible. Wind's the variable."
"Night operation. Thermals shifting."
"Already factored. If I have to take a shot, it'll be clean."
Risk was in the medical bay, inventory spread across two tables. Trauma kits. IV supplies. Hemostatic gauze.
"Thoughts?" Steele asked.
Risk didn't stop organizing supplies. "Standard combat load. Extra restraints if we're taking Nazari alive. Field dressings if guards go down and we need them talking."
"Civilians?"
"Don't plan on treating them unless absolutely necessary. Minimize contact. Get Nazari and get out."
