He takes out a cartel underboss during a military raid, now Gunnery Sergeant Michael Hobbs readjusts to home life, but things go sideways. Is Michael's past in the Marines coming back to haunt him?
Chapter 1 Trouble Across the Border
"LCpl Watts and PFC Taylor, approach from the rear of the compound and breach on my command." Ordered GySgt Hobbs. "Aye, GySgt!" they responded. They were in the process of clearing their second compound of the day.
Michael Hobbs is a Gunnery Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps. His unit was recently deployed across the southern border in a joint coordinated effort between the United States and Mexico in response to a failed policy trying to track cartel movements.
Their task was to retrieve government property, while shutting down supply chains of different cartels' drug rings, and their current focus was on the Sanguina Cartel. This particular cartel was responsible for a supply chain that ran cocaine up the east coast all the way to Washington D.C.
"3,2,1, breach!" Hobbs issued the command. His fireteam entered through the front of the compound while LCpl Watts entered through the back. Immediately after entering the compound, gunfire broke out. Members of the Sanguina Cartel had seen the marines coming and bunkered down inside the compound.
"Flash out!" a marine called out. With the cartel members disoriented, the marines were able to swiftly move in and overpower the bunkered down cartel. LCpl Watts' fire team swept through the upper level of the compound with efficiency until they came to the end of the hall. It was a two paneled door with a palm sensor to open it. PFC Taylor approached the door to set breach charges when he heard shouting on the other side of the door.
"I have hostages! If you come in here, I will dust them!" the man behind the door yelled. "GySgt Hobbs, come to the upper level, we have a situation." Watts informed. "Roger that." Hobbs answered.
After verifying the lower level was secure and all tangos were detained, Hobbs made his way to the upper level to rendezvous with Watts and Taylor. "We have tangos with hostages inside. With the security system on the door, I'm guessing it's someone important." Reported Watts.
Hobbs assessed the situation and then ordered Watt's fireteam to maintain control of the hallway while guarding the door. Outside, other members of the company were controlling the entrance and the perimeter. The compound was located just to the southeast of Mexicali outside a small farming village. The walls surrounding the compound were ten foot high and had one iron gate in the front.
"Get me a sniper team on the back side of the compound. Get me eyes inside the back room of the northeast corner on the second story of the building. I have hostages in the room. I want to know who we have in there." Hobbs requested. During the sweep, they had not found any High Value Targets (HVTs) and he had a suspicion they were all holed up in that room.
The compound they were securing was believed to be the headquarters operation of the Sanguina Cartel, headed by Hector Sanguina. Hector had three sons and two daughters. His oldest son was Carlos Sanguina and served as Hector's underboss. His two daughters, Carmina, and Angelina were his pride and joy and kept them close, even though they were adults.
In the intelligence briefing before the raid, Hobbs' team was briefed on the ends and out of the information gathered on the family and the compound. There were hopes that Hector himself would be at the compound at the time of the raid. Reconnaissance shown there were three males in the compound that were believed to be members of the Sanguina family.
"GySgt, the Eagle 2 is in place. I have eyes on two males and a female. I have positive ID on Carlos Sanguina. He is holding a gun to the female. I have no ID verification on the others." Sgt Morgan of the sniper team reported. Him and his spotter, Corporal Saylor made up the sniper team known as Eagle 2 were on the ridge behind the compound about four hundred yards away.
"Copy that Eagle 2, standby for orders." Hobbs' relayed. The Commanding Officer of GySgt Hobbs's company was Lieutenant Godfrey. Outside of the unit, Hobbs and Lt. Godfrey were good friends and their families often gathered for cookouts and other gatherings. Inside the unit, all the marines called Lt. Godfrey L. T. for short.
"L. T., we have positive recognition on Carlos Sanguina in the room. He is holding a female hostage at gunpoint behind a sealed door. We have Eagle 2 in place with open visibility. We have Watts' fireteam in the hall outside the room awaiting orders." "Copy that, Gunny. Let's get in there and see if we can reason with him." Lt. Godfrey ordered.