Getting a second full night of undisturbed sleep felt like a miracle. But when I woke up the next morning fully awake and ready to go, all I wanted to do was finish this mission. I was tired of constantly being in a state of fight or flight and was just ready to pull back to a safer position. Being this close to the steel plant and this many Russian troops left zero room for error. The team had to constantly be on guard of everything we did.

The team started to set up patrols around our new alamo and we started to make notes of everyone's movements around. It took a good week for me to feel comfortable enough with the new lay of the land before we switched focus on the plant. The plant itself sits on four square miles of terrain which include warehouses and mazes of train tracks all surrounded by a river, with only one entryway over a bridge that is constantly guarded by a guard unit of Russian troops. We have been given maps of the plant and a few partial maps of the underground bunkers and shelters that have been being used by civilians and Ukrainian soldiers who were cornered into them from when the Russians attacked and have held the plant since.

We have to clear the plant in pieces as it is to large to take care of all on our own. I had half of the team switch over to night patrols to start to obverse the plant and all of movement going on there. Lucky for us, there are a few other buildings close to the plant that haven't been completely destroyed yet so we have been using them for cover to stake out the movement of soldiers in the plant. I took shifts on both teams, wanting to be in the loop of everything they have been seeing while out in the streets. I had this going on for another week before I pulled Rob, Monica, and Morgan into a meeting to go over different ways of searching the plant.

I wanted to hear all of there opinions on everything because this is a huge mission to attempt ourselves. After our council together, I took over our bedroom to speak with Major Collins alone. Our updates so far have been brief because I didn't want to run the risk of something getting picked up on Russian chatter. We have also been having problems getting the calls connected with the rolling power outages that keep happening. The Russian military has been attacking Ukrainian infrastructure and power outages have just become a normal thing now. Some times it's out for a few minutes, but other times it has stretched for hours and days.

After giving Major Collins the long update I've been needing too, she said she could send Alpha and Bravo team over to our location for additional support as the NATO and Ukrainian troops that were supposed to be here already, are only now being freed up from Odesa. The additional troops that were supposed to come in to support us have stayed in Odesa and the outlying areas as they have also been hit the hardest with missile strikes. Since our team is already here to try and help any civilians in the area, Major Collins couldn't stress the issue of us needing support of the NATO troops when Odesa doesn't have any kind of military force to help them.

But along with the update on the army moving out from Odesa, Major Collins let me know that the Ukrainian troops have taken over Alpha and Bravo's post in Chornobyl and they have been holding them firm. Alpha and Bravo can be here in two days once I give the go ahead. I told her I would think about it and give her an answer later that night, needing to think everything over.

Instead of having only my team cut in half to make two, I could have another two. Four or possibly five teams of special operators if we stretch out our teams a bit more, going up against an unknown amount of Russian troops that have tank and artillery support, I like those odds better then just my own team. I called Rob, Monica and Morgan back into the room and gave them the update Major Collins gave me and about the help she offered in sending Alpha and Bravo teams to us. All three of them were all for having the support in addition to our team.

I gave Major Collins a call back and let her know I wanted their support in this part of the mission. She told me that they could be here in two days with the help of our map that we have still been keeping up to date with missile and damaged roads. I asked that she have both teams keep track on there way down so if we need another route out of Mariupol, we would have it.

With those decisions made, we kept status quo for the next two days while waiting for Alpha and Bravo team to get into the city. We didn't have enough room for them to stay in our house but since we have been scouting in a few other buildings on the same street, it wouldn't be hard to pick the best one for them to stay in for the time being.

It didn't take long to pick the best one for them. We went with the only other building with a high enough fence to hide the trucks. We did make it clear to relay to Major Collins that the teams have to come in at night. If the Russian troops saw the trucks, I didn't want to be out number with there tanks. Rob and I set up shop two days later in the house waiting for them to arrive so we could guide them in with our infrared lasers. We couldn't give an exact location over the phone but I did code out a few major landmarks for Major Collins to relay over to them.

Rob and I camped out on the top floor of the house. I left Monica in charge of Gold team when Rob and I left in the afternoon. I wanted everyone to stay on there schedules while we went to retrieve the new teams. Rob and I played cards by flash light as dusk came while watching the windows for the trucks. Around 17:00 hours we finally got movement. Two trucks came in from the North and Rob and I abandoned our game to check it out. After scoping them out, I saw Ryan sitting the passenger seat of the front truck.

Rob flashed his laser over to them while I watched through my rifle scope. Ryan caught our attention and flashed the peace sign. I stayed upstairs while Rob went down to open the fence to let them in. As their trucks came inside the wire, I waited upstairs until saw the other two trucks. Using my scope, I saw Raymond sitting in the passenger seat. It didn't take long to get his attention with my laser sight to guide him into the fence.

When I got down to the main level of the house, I found Rob and Ryan chatting away while the rest of the guys from Alpha team started to unload and pick rooms to store there gear. I gave them a second before I walked over to them.

"It's nice to see you guys made it down here in one piece." I said to Ryan. He laughed and pulled me into a quick hug.

"We didn't get into any trouble up north so you had to call us down here to kick a hornets nest didn't you?" Ryan asked.

"NATO is still in Odesa and this plant is four square miles. When Collins offered up you guys up on a silver platter, I couldn't say no." I said.

"Don't fret now fellas, party's here!" Raymond said as he pushed through the back door holding a crate of something. I rolled my eyes and moved out of the way so his guys could get inside.

"I don't know about you Ryan, but guarding a wall was getting boring. The team and I are glad to be here to kick in some doors Daniella." Raymond said and put the crate down on the table.

I rolled my eyes and rubbed my forehead before turning to look at Ryan. He just shrugged and grabbed his bag from one of his team members that walked past him.

"Dinner at the alamo at 18:00. This is an active neighborhood. You can't be wheeling rifles. Side arms and street clothes only while the sun is up. There are to many Russian's around to stand out now. We will go over everything we have gotten since we've been here. Don't be late." I said.

I nodded at Rob and he handed me my backpack so I could break down my rifle. Once it was concealed inside, we left Alpha and Bravo to get settled. When we got back to the alamo, Monica told me one small team was out on patrol now and would be back shortly while I gave her an update on Alpha and Bravo joining us for dinner later.

I left her in charge for now while I retreated back to my room to reassemble my rifle. Morgan was sitting on the floor updating some paperwork we have all over the wall and floor. We worked in quiet silence for a while until I finished putting together my rifle and placed it back next to my vest and helmet. I made sure the door was mostly closed and nobody was lurking before I crouched down behind her to wrap my arms around her stomach and kissed the back of her head.

"Alpha and Bravo will be here for dinner. We need to finalize the plan now to present it as a united front to them. Hopefully once is done, the sooner we can move and the sooner we will be out of here." I said quietly in her ear.

"The plan is mostly done my love; we just need to present it and get everyone on board." Morgan said and leaned back into my chest. I pressed another kiss to the back of her head before pulling away.

After Monica broke it to us about the rumors she heard, we have put some distance in between us in case there is anybody watching us. Always making sure not to sit near each other at meal times, having to send her out on different patrols without me. Shifting watch schedules so we wouldn't be up together. It makes my chest ache, but I know it needed to be done.

When I got up from the floor, I left Morgan to her work and grabbed my notebook on the way out to the kitchen to find Monica sitting at the table. I joined her and we talked a bit more about the plans we've made. Now that we have Alpha and Bravo teams, I feel more comfortable splitting my team into three small teams. The matter just came down to breaking everyone up into groups that made sense.

I played around with a few different configurations before I found one I liked and made the most sense in relation to our assets. Just as I finalized it, the patrol that was out today came through the door. Monica led the debrief while I sat in and listened for any new information. There really wasn't much, just some new photo's of troop movements around the plant. Felix gave me the memory card out of the camera and I went back to our room so Morgan can upload the new photo's to our stock pile.

Since we have been here doing overwatch on the plant, we have been able to name a few of the major players leading the Russian troops here. While we haven't been given orders to take them down when we move in, it's going to make our job easier to ID the all the officers on duty when we come across them.

I helped Morgan while she prepped the photos just waiting for time to pass. It didn't take long to recognize some of the major players on the ground today. Most of them were still the same as the beginning. I couldn't help but stare at them and wonder how much noise we are about to make on the geo-political scale once we get into the steel plant.

I started to write down the high-ranking officers who we should pay attention to find and try to capture alive to get intel off of to bring into the meeting. As I kept writing I continued until I heard loud voices come from the other side of the door. I sighed and finished up before tapping Morgan on the shoulder. Slowly I stood up and then helped Morgan up off the floor. I left my notebook in here for now, we'll come get everything after dinner. Morgan walked out of the room first and I shut the bedroom door behind myself.

Alpha and Bravo team were greeting everyone when we got into the kitchen. I gave them nods but laughed when Raymond pulled me into a hug so tightly, he lifted me up off the floor. When he put me down on the floor he pulled me over to the front of the house and leaned down to pull a bottle out of the crate I saw him carry inside when they got here earlier in the day.

"One just for the boss lady, the rest of the team can share." Raymond said and handed me what looks like a bottle of beer.

"Only you would be able to find beers in the middle of a war Ray." I said clapped his shoulder.

"Hey, we were basically playing babysitter for the last two weeks keep the line. When we had some free time, I went shopping." Raymond said.

I could only laugh and pull him back towards the group as everyone started to pick there MREs. Dinner went over really well. Seeing the other teams put some moral back into my team and lighten the mood overall. Raymond actually made me crack open the beer and drink some of it with dinner. It was definitely a weird combination my stomach will probably not agree with later but that's later me problem to deal with.

Since we still had work to do, I couldn't finish the beer yet. I had about half and waited for everyone to finish there dinner before I looked at my team leaders. They got that I was about to start talking shop so they sat up a bit straighter as I left the table to get my notebook and Morgan's laptop.

When I returned to the dining room I looked around at the group and took one more sip of beer before I opened the book.

"Ryan, Ray, did either of you keep a map about the roads coming down here?" I started with. Ryan nodded and pulled the folded-up map out of his pocket and gave it over to me. I handed it off to Morgan and she unfolded it to start working on adding the new locations to our map.

"Alright, now for the reason why you guys are here, to assist us in clearing and capturing the Azovstal Steel Plant. The plant itself is four square miles with many warehouses, work stations, homes and the underground bunker where it is believed that hundreds of civilians are taking cover right now. My proposal is for Gold to split into three smaller breakout teams, and then with both of your teams added into the mix giving us a total of five teams of the Army's best special operations teams." I started laying it on thick to start and gave it a second to settle in the room.

"Damn Daniella, already playing into our ego's here. I knew I always liked you." Raymond said and sipped on his beer. I flashed him a smile and let out a little chuckle before I was able to settle down into the rest of my speech.

"With the five teams we can divide and conquer the steel plant in sections which would make it a lot faster for us to clear, which would give us the advantage so we can be half way through the plant before Russian re-enforcements arrive. Lieutenant Alexander and myself have compiled all the intelligence we have collected and used that to create one giant master map." I said before returned to Morgan and I's room.

Morgan and I have been making this map since we have gotten to Mariupol. Ever since we moved closer to the steel mill, we have been taking the time to detail everything we have been able to find out through out patrols and pictures. Carefully I picked the map up off our floor and brought it into the kitchen. It looks like Morgan made the guys clear the table so I was able to put the map right down.

Once it was on the table Ryan and Raymond looked at it then back at me. This was also the first time the Gold team has seen it. Morgan and I try to keep them out of our room so we the map doesn't get ruined, but when I looked around the room, most of Gold team has a lot of shocked expressions.

"This is what you and Morgan have been doing in your room with the door closed?" Micah asked.

"Yes, unlike what you guys think and are gossip around the house, Morgan and I haven't been hooking up behind closed doors. So help me if I have to hear that rumor continue to circulate you will be off this team so fast your head spins. Am I understood?" I yelled looking around the room at my Gold Team members.

"Yes Ma'am!" They all yelled back at me and my anger simmered down. I have been wanting to get that off my chest since Monica told us about the rumor but I haven't had a moment to do so until now. I took a deep breath and refocused in on the meeting.

"Back to the map, we can split it into five parts for the surface locations. Once they have been cleared out of enemy and civilians, we would reconvene to tackle the underground bunker. They are on another map in my room. Major Collins wasn't able to get many maps of them and they are a bit outdated so we don't really know what's still accessible, but that's our later problem. Right now it's getting through the plant. So what do you guys say?" I asked looking at Ryan and Raymond. The guys looked at each other, sharing a serious look before they both turned back to me.

"We're in boss." Ryan and Raymond said at the same time. A wave of relief waved through me at there answer and even the respect they showed me. It took another second for me to level my head before I took my seat next to Morgan. Together, we started to block off sections of the map and going over all of the intelligence we have been able to capture to build a plan of attack. Maybe with all of this support, the raid will actually be successful and we will all get to go home in one piece.



a/n: the plan has been made. buckle up buttercups, because sh!t is about to go down.

I wanted to give you guys an extra treat with this chapter and say a happy thanksgiving to all of you guys who continue to support me and my works. Who keep following me from work to work, liking, commenting and always being there. So I wanted to give back to you guys today. You will still get your regular scheduled update on Sunday as well, so show this chapter some love before Sunday.