Chapter 1: Introduction
“Alright todays assistant are as followed SOG personnel have been assigned to various task during the chairman’s arrival 2nd battalion has been assigned to secure the outer perimeter while 1st battalion is responsible for handling his personal detail upon arrival.” SFC Henry, one of the top NCOs, said as he pointed out various chores on the huge map affixed to the tent behind him.
“Know I’ve been given instructions to assign two of are SOG personnel to be the chairman bodyguard during his travel onboard his VIP train .” He paused for a moment and looked around the attentive soldiers in the room, “the two soldiers that will be assigned to being the chairmen’s body hairs are Liz and Jager that is all the rest of you are dismissed you two come to my office” he said.
Hager and Liz got up and made their way to their NCO office .
“Listen up you two I need you to be at your A-game while on this assignment. The chairman is a wealthy and powerful man who’s been targeted by a radical terror group looking to make a name for themselves” said SFC Henry.
Jager looked over at Liz who he had worked with for two years now he had noticed a slight tick in her cold stoic expression “you ok Liz?” he asked her.
She was a tall, well-endowed soldier, with long black hair, and piercing blue eyes that could cut through a man. “I’m fine, just have some unfinished business” she replied.
“Unfinished business?” Jager said as he raised an eyebrow at her.
“I’ll tell you about it later” she replied.
”The rest of the details will be explained when you meet the chairman himself” said SFC Henry.
“Remember you to will be alone on this assignment the rest of us will be waiting for you two to escort the chairman on his train so good luck ” he said with a nod.
Liz and Jager exchanged a quick glance before they were dismissed.
“So what’s the deal with the chairman?” Jager asked Liz as they made their way back to the barracks
“Some personal history that’s all ” she said evasively.
He could tell that there was more she wasn’t saying, but he didn’t push the matter. They had only been with each other for 2 years their bond with each other was one formed out of pure trust and respect for one another others see their partnership as borderline fraternization but no one had the balls to say it to Liz face plus it never got in the way of their work they both were professionals and knew how to handle themselves.
As they arrived at the barracks, they found themselves being briefed further by one of the intelligence officers
"Listen up you two, we have reason to believe that there will be an assassination attempt on the chairman's life during the journey, it is your duty to ensure his safety at all costs"
The officer said with a grave tone.
Jager and Liz exchanged a solemn look, this went beyond just escorting a wealthy man, this was now a matter of life and death.
“Do we know who the potential threat is?” Liz asked.
The intelligence officer shook his head, “No, that’s the problem. We have received intel of a radical group, but not much else. All we know is they’re well-funded and intelligent. Keep your eyes open at all times, if anything looks out of the ordinary, take care of it”
Jager and Liz nodded in understanding, they knew the stakes were high and they would have to bring their A-game to keep the chairman safe.
“One more thing, the chairman has requested that he meet with his personal security team before the journey, I expect you two to make a good impression” The officer said before dismissing them.
They made their way back to the barracks, prepping their gear for the assignment, before making their way to the meeting. As they entered the room, they were met with the sight of Chairman Drake, a man in his 50s with graying hair, a sharp jawline, and an air of authority. He was dressed in a formal suit and had a demeanor that radiated confidence.
Jager and Liz both stood at attention, waiting for their orders.
“At ease, soldiers,” the chairman said, his voice booming through the room. “I’ve heard good things about you two. I hope you can live up to the hype.”
“Yes, sir,” Liz and Jager replied in unison.
“Good,” the chairman nodded. "but in my opinion, you are not needed you see I never travel alone," he said as Jager saw a man step out from the background, A tall man in his late 40s with a crew cut and ray bad dark shades followed by three more men .
“My personal security team, these men have been with me for years and are more than capable of protecting me. consider your assignment irrelevant .” Chairman Drake’s words hit Jager and Liz like a punch to the gut. They had prepared for this mission, briefed, and equip for it, only to be told it was unnecessary.
“But sir,” Liz spoke up, her voice steady and professional. “We were briefed that there is a potential threat to your safety during this journey. We would like to ensure your safety.”
Chairman Drake looked at Liz for a moment, his eyes scanning her up and down. He let out a sigh before speaking.
“I appreciate your concerns, but my men are more than equipped to handle any potential threats. I understand that you are both experienced soldiers, but trust me, I am in good hands with my team.”
Liz hesitated for a moment before giving a slight nod. “Understood, sir. But I must stress that the intelligence we’ve received indicates that the threat is serious, and that-”
“I understand your concerns, but I must insist that I have handled more dangerous situations than this in my lifetime,” Chairman Drake interrupted her with a wave of his hand.
“Now, if there's nothing else, I have other matters to attend to. Dismissed.”
Jager and Liz exchanged a confused look before nodding and turning to leave. As they made their way out of the room, Jager could sense Liz’s frustration
"well he hasn't changed much" she muttered under her breath.
"Who are you talking about?" Jager asked her while they walked the halls of the train carriage
, heading out to the observation deck.
"Chairman Drake. He's my father," Liz replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
Jager stopped in his tracks. "Your father?" he asked in disbelief.
Liz nodded. "I haven't seen him in years. I left home when I was 17 and joined the military. I haven't looked back since."
Jager could hear the pain in her voice, but now things were starting to make sense to him.
The way she acted when they mentioned the mission, the way she reacted to the chairman, it all made sense now.
"let's move we got work to do," Liz said focused on the task again "We need to check the train, make sure that there aren't any explosives or any other threats hidden on board. I know my father, and if he thinks that his team is enough to protect him, then he's in for a rude awakening."
Jager nodded in agreement as they made their way to the train. The train was massive, with multiple carriages, all filled with the chairman's personal belongings and security detail. They started with the first carriage, checking for any signs of tampering or explosives.