Buck's POV

*Takes place about a 2 days earlier*

Buck's POV

The night was cold as the team settled in their dugouts. Their HUMVEE hidden in the brush behind them.

There was a sense of disquiet in Buck's gut, she just knew something felt wrong. But then again she said that when they were standing in TOC. Of course, the brass seemed more interested in eliminating the target, than the safety of her team. "Chief looks like we've got company on the main track" Mike 'Hammer' Whitley their team breacher said.

Buck and the team looked through their binoculars and there was a soft rumble of irritation running through them all. This whole mission has been one big clusterfuck from the beginning." Dammit, Ricky, get on the horn, find out who these guys are!" Buck snarled

"Copy Chief,"

" Base do you read me? This is Splinter 6."

"Splinter 6, this is Base good copy. Sitrep? "

"Base we've got unknown bogies on our main track. Do you have better graphics on them?"

"Hold Splinter 6, we are confirming sight."

"Copy Base, over."

"Well?" Buck asked.

"TOC is looking into it Viper"

"Fuck, that's just great, we're sitting here and they have their thumbs up their asses" Buck glared at the approaching men.

God, she couldn't wait for this tour to be over. Then she could go home and hold her sweet Christopher and kiss her husband Eddie.

The team watched the men slow their vehicles and get out of the jeeps, clearly searching.

"I don't like the look of this" Miller 'Boomer' Jackson, their EOD expert, muttered.

"None of us do jackass" the corpsman, Dave 'Red' Willis said.

"Enough" Buck growled, "pay attention. Noise discipline boys.Keep your heads on a swivel. Last thing we need is these yahoos crawling up our ass."

Sounds of acknowledgment reached her as they watched the 10 men draw ever closer.

"Ricky? Get back on the horn to TOC, they are taking too long for my liking." Buck said drawing her rifle closer to her shoulder. The sense of danger getting more prominent then before.

" Copy." Ricky said. "Base this is Splinter 6. Do you have a SITREP on our unfriendlies? Over"

"Splinter 6, this is Base, copy. Affirmative on those tangoes. Intel suggests they are part of the cell your team was sent to eliminate. Suggest you hunker down, till you can extract safely. Over"

"Good copy. Over" Ricky said with a wrinkle to his brow.

"Viper, base intel says they are part of the cell we took out this morning. TOC says hunker down till we can extract."

"How the hell did we miss these bastards?" Steve 'Columbus ' Daniels, their maps and linguistic expert, said.

"Doesn't matter now. We just keep an eye on them." Hammer said.

"Uh…guys? Why is that guy pointing in our direction?" Boomer asked?

"Fuck! Viper they know where we are. They are heading this way and fast." Red said pulling his weapon closer, and flicking the safety off.

"Alright boys, looks like we're about to engage. Keep it tight, make every shot count." Buck said with a calm and deadly look in her eyes.

The only thing heard was the sound of weapons being cocked. Determination clear on a their faces.

The first shot was fired as the terrorists came in close, bullets pinging close to Bucks's shoulder. For the next 10 minutes, gunfire echoes through the hills. Yelps of pain and death surround them. It was the shout of "RPG!" From somewhere to Bucks left that sent a cold chill through her. "COVER!" Buck yelled.

The impact of the explosion was rattling, the rocks stinging her face. Cutting into the flesh.

Shaking off the fuzziness, blood dripping down her face, Buck looked at her team. "All Splinter elements, report!"

"Splinter 2, I'm good" Hammer yelled.

"Splinter 3,good" Boomer said.

"Splinter 4,fine! But I've got a problem! Splinter 5 took a hit" Red yelled.

"Splinter 6. I'm fine ." Ricky grunted.

Just then more bullets pinged and they ducked. Buck yelled, "Contact, left!". And with that fired off shot after shot. " Fuck!" Buck grunted as a bullet tore through her shoulder.

"Viper!" Hammer yelled, scrambling to her side. "I'm fine, stay on point!" Buck said. "Red? How's it looking with Steve?" Buck asked Red, while taking cover? "Not good, Chief!" Red replied.

"Come on! Steve stay with me brother! Open your eyes, you lazy bugger!" Red said hands clamped over Steve's chest, blood pouring over his fingers.

"Fuck we lost him!" Red signed. Before Buck could so much as glance at Red and Columbus, an explosion sent her rolling to the side. "Viper!" The team yelled, but before they could do anything they were surrounded by more tangoes. Weapons pointed in their faces. They knew that to fire their weapons now would mean certain death for them. With a laugh the leader of the cell said " You American dogs, always so confident that you will win. Take their weapons and tie them up."

With the teams weapons secured and their hands tied, they were forced to their knees. "Take the men to the jeeps. I'll keep the bitch with me." He laughed when Bucks men started to pull on their bindings. Cussing and yelling at the men holding them captive.

"Now, what shall I call you?" The leader asked Buck.

Buck just glared at him, saying nothing. "Ah you are being stubborn woman. You will tell me your name!" The man said running a finger down her face tucking a strand of her dirty blond hair behind her ear, dropping his hand on her shoulder, digging his thumb into her bleeding shoulder. "Fuck you!" Buck gasped, curling over slightly.

"Let's try this again. My name is Hakeem."

"Yeah? Well fuck you Hakeem." Buck spit out.

With an angered snarl, Hakeem gave Buck a hard slap to her face, sending her to the dusty ground groaning. Hakeem pulled her to her knees by her hair, sending bolts of lighting pain through her head causing her to grit her teeth.

"You are brave now woman but no one will save you. And I assure you, your death will be slow and painful, should you continue to be so stubborn. Tell me your name and your team's purpose and no harm will come to you."

"Ha, you think I'm a fool? Do what you want Hakeem. I'm not telling you shit. Don't think for one second I'll believe a word you say, you bastard!" "You know what I find strange? That you seem to be on a very combat-active team. Not very often we see a woman out here that is in a combat team." With that Hakeem punched Buck in the stomach, winding her. Followed by a punch to her side, sending Buck to the ground. The kicks that followed, broke two ribs and cracked three more, leaving her gasping and in pain. With a final kick to her back he gestured for his two men to take Buck to the jeep where the rest of the team was held.

When they arrived at the jeep, the team sighed in relief when they saw Buck, though they could see she was roughed up.

Buck was tossed in the jeep with the rest of the team. And then they drove off. Buck sat up against the side and looked at her team asking "you guys good?"

"Yeah, we're good. And you?" Hammer asked.

"I'm fine. We just gotta figure out where these fuckers are taking us and how we can get out of here. I'll be damned if we give them anything. You hear me? No matter what these bastards do you keep your mouths shut, copy?

" Chief…?" Ricky said then trailed off.

" We copy. Loud and clear" Hammer responded with a tight look on his face.

After an hour on the road, the jeeps came to halt in the mountains. Clearly at a hidden base of sorts. Once stopped the team and Buck was pulled out of the jeep and led to an enclosed room with only a cell door and a single light source. Creating an almost eerie feeling in the room. With a shove to their backs they stumbled into the room. The door clanging shut behind them. "Well this ain't the Ritz, that's for sure." Boomer grumbled sarcastically.

"Ain't that the truth. Looks more like the No Tell Motel." Hammer laughed.

"Alright, you boys. Let's settle down. Conserve our strengths the best we can. We need to be alert." Buck told her team.

"Let me take a look at you first Chief. You're looking a bit pale." Red said taking a closer look at Bucks's face. Before Buck could protest, Red took off the ropes tied around his wrists and untied the other's ropes. With quick and sure fingers, Red ran his fingers over Bucks torso and back." You've got at least a few broken ribs chief, and I'm guessing by your grimace, cracked ones too. And it looks like a minor concussion." Red told Buck.

"So a normal Tuesday at the office?" Buck huffed with a smile.

"Yup," Red said laughing.

It was about six hours later when a guard came in weapon held up,while another placed a bucket of muddy-looking water on the ground by the door and five moldy loaves were tossed in their cell. The guards backed out and locked the cell door again. The team looked at the water and loaves then at each other and shrugged. Taking a mouthful of the sandy-tasting water and a loaf of bread. Eating sparingly, trying to conserve their resources and strength. Preparing for what they might have to endure soon.

It was a day later when Hakeem had them moved to another room, the purpose of this room all to clear to them. Chains bolted against the wall on one side, one set hanging in the middle of the room and what could only be described as a collection of sharps laid out on a table, gleaming silver and bright. Old and rusty dried blood staining the floor. Pointing a gun at Buck, Hakeem told the rest of the team to remove their clothes, which they did with a hard look, leaving them in only their underwear.

"Tie the men up against the wall and the woman in the center, " Hakeem told his men.

Two men grabbed Buck and dragged her struggling frame to the chains in the middle of the room. Her hands were secured above her head while the rest of the men were chained to the wall.

"Now let's have some fun, shall we?" Hakeem smirked while taking a sharp blade and running it over Bucks's chest mockingly, caressing her cheek with the edge of the blade. Smiling at the glare on her face and the tense look from the team. "Ah, you are protective of her? Good."

Before they could react, Hakeem took his knife and cut through Bucks t-shirt. Removing the tattered remains of the shirt, he grinned running his knife over her inner thigh. Buck kicked out, catching Hakeem in the gut with her boot, snarling ,"Piss off!"

With a thunderous look on his face Hakeem had one of his men put a gun to Ricky's head, the threat clear. Should she try anything, her men would pay the price.

Hakeem proceeded to tug off her boots, belt, and cargo pants. Leaving her in nothing but her black bra and panties.

Grinning Hakeem ran his hand over her side grip tight over her hip, bruising her skin. The team's faces turned red with anger when Hakeem squeezed her left breast with a grin. Buck twitched but said nothing, glaring over Hakeem's shoulder at the wall.

"Good, you can behave. Now what is your name?What is your mission?" Hakeem asked grinning.

The next two hours was a never ending blur of questions and a haze of agony for Buck, while the team yelled and shouted obscenities or turned mute, while Buck gasped through the pain. Never once answering the questions.

Just as Hakeem moved to place the cattle prod against Buck's back, the door opened and one of Hakeem's men came in holding a wooden box. "Hakeem? You will want to see this" the man said.

"What is it?"Hakeem asked taking a stand next to the man where he was opening the box, bringing out a large stack of photos, giving Hakeem the top photo grinning.

" Well what do we have here?" Hakeem said taking the photo looking at it then looking at Buck, before he turned it over looking at the back of the photo.

"Senior chief petty officer Evalynn 'Viper' Diaz" Hakeem read before looking at Buck, her face pale, eyes blank.

"I must say chief Diaz, it is an honor to meet the woman who has given my brothers so much trouble. Your reputation precedes you. You should be proud of yourself" Hakeem said cruelty and disdain clear in his face and voice, tossing the photo on the table. He walked up to Buck, taking the cattle prod and pressed it against her ribs long enough for Buck to let out a pained yell and pass out. The team swearing at Hakeem.

"If I were you? I'd get her to talk or the pain she and you after her will endure will make you wish for death" Hakeem told the team.

"Screw you!" Boomer hissed.

With that Hakeem left the room laughing.

"Chief? Come on wake up!" Red said while the others tried to get out of their chains.

"Mmhhh?" Buck groaned regaining consciousness.

"Thank God, your awake. How you doing Viper?" Red asked.

"Peachy" Buck muttered with a pained groan asking the team "you guys okay?"

Ricky snorted, "only you would ask us if we're okay when you're the one hanging like piece of beef in a butcher window. In pain! I might add chief."

"We're good. Though we need to get out of here soon. Before chuckles comes back for more fun." Hammer said, glancing at the door.

"Agreed" Buck said looking at the room and the table next to her. Fire burning in her gaze. Her eyes settled on where the box had been, gaze turning thoughtful and angry.

"Oh-oh, Chiefs got that look that says shits about to get real," Ricky said looking at Buck and the look on her face.

"What's up chief?" Hammer asked.

Buck turned to look at her team and said " from the moment we got this assignment, something felt off. Like we weren't given the full picture. Think about it. We were given a location, and a target. No more then that. The secondary target on that outlook? That was just off. There was nothing more then a location and the recon order. We were sitting ducks the minute we settled in that dugout and gave a check-in. These fuckers knew we were there on that ridge by the way they were pointing. And this guy knew our names before we were even brought in here. Those photos in the box were just window dressing."

"What are you saying chief? We got a mole in the ranks?" Ricky asked in anger. "You saying that Columbus is dead and we're in here because some weasel sold us out?"

"Makes sense, this whole thing reeked to high heaven from the get go." Boomer growled.

"Doesn't matter. We get out of here and we do what we are trained to do. Complete the mission and survive. We get home to our families. Copy?" Buck said with determination coloring her eyes and voice.

"Roger that" Hammer said for the rest of the team.

Buck nodded and with a glance at the door, raised her legs towards the table with the instruments on it. Dragging a thin needle-like instrument towards her and gripping it between her toes, pulling her legs up to her hands, she grabbed the instrument and started to pick the lock. Within a few minutes, the lock gave a soft snick as it unlocked. With a soft grunt Buck dropped to the ground and with a quick glance at the door, made her way to the team. Within a few more minutes everyone was out of their cuffs and on their feet. Hammer moved up to the door and peeked out, seeing a clear passage. "Okay, looks clear. We move fast we can get the hell out of here." Hammer said. Stacking up on the door Hammer in the lead, followed up by Buck, Boomer, Ricky and then Red. With a nod, they moved out the door on silent feet. At the edge of the hall Hammer held up a closed fist. The team came to a halt. Within seconds Hammer grabbed the guard coming around the corner, snapping his neck and handing off his rifle to Buck. They moved the body into a room, smiling at what they saw in the room. With quick work, they were dressed in some clothes and weapons.

The next ten minutes were spent quietly and efficiently moving through the compound and killing any guards they came across. Boomer placing explosives as they go.

20 min after they first escaped the room they were tied up in, they settled in the shadows of the hills, observing the compound in grim satisfaction.

"Ricky, get in touch with Admiral Lee, and only him. Till we know where the leaks is I want a tight leash on our location." Buck said.

"Copy." Ricky said dialing the SAT phone to the Admirals private line.

"Lee!" the admiral barked into his line.

"Admiral Lee, don't say anything ,this is Petty officer Coulson. Splinter 6 communications officer. Are you alone?" Ricky asked.

"Yes, I am. Want to tell me what's going on petty officer Coulson? Why has your team missed all check-in calls?" Lee asked?

"Sir, the running theory is that we have a mole in the ranks. The guys who ambushed us knew where we were from the start. And the intel that led us to our last location was info light." Ricky said

"Alright, where is your CO?" Admiral Lee asked.

"Please hold." Chief? Admiral wants to talk to you." Ricky said handing Buck the SAT phone.

"Sir? This is Senior Chief Diaz. Splinter team lead." Buck said softly.

"Give me a Sitrep Chief Diaz." Admiral Lee commanded.

"Sir, at approximately 16h00 this afternoon, after we completed our primary objective, we were given a secondary location and orders from TOC stating we were to do short range recon on a road leading to Kabul. No further intel was provided by TOC, we were in the AO for approximately 120 mikes when two vehicles approached our location, stopped and got out of the cars. After a few minutes staring at a screen they started pointing at the ridge we were using as cover and started towards us, firing. We returned fire. I lost one of my men due to an RPG strike. His body is still in those hills sir. We were taken captive and questioned. About 30 mikes ago, one of them brought in a box of pictures and they were able to positively identify me, and most likely my team. Our names are on the back of each photo I would assume, as that's where the leader of this group, a man by the name of Hakeem, found it. Sir there has to be a leak somewhere in command."

"Dammit, this is a shit show!" Admiral Lee growled softly, " Can you get to an extraction point, and can you do so safely?"

"We're Oscar Mike sir, soon as we do some housekeeping, we can be on the move. I'm just not liking the idea of our location being made known to everyone and their dog." Buck said.

"Understood chief. However I'll get you a extraction team that owes me a favor. We keep this radio silent until you and your team are back on station. Do what you need to do and come home chief." Lee said.

"With pleasure sir." Buck replied.

"The coordinates will be sent shortly on this number."

"Yes sir" Buck said handing the SAT phone back to Ricky. " look for RV coordinates. Boys we got the green light to clean house." Buck said with a grim smile.

"Alright lets blow these fuckers!" Boomer said getting ready to blow the charges he placed. The rest of the team load their weapons and prepared to take out any squirters that might survive the explosion.

"On my mark"Buck said. Everyone nodded. " 3,2, mark!" Buck said and braced as Boomer detonated the charges. Buck and the team took out the few that came running out, quick and clean.

When a soft 'ping' sounded Ricky looked at the SAT phone and grinned. " got the location. 1 click east.We gotta move though, extraction is in 20 mikes and and we gotta hoove it."

"Let's move ladies" Buck said getting to her feet while the others joined and they all made their way to the LZ.

20 minutes later, the team heard the distinctive 'whap-whap' of the rotar blades from a Black Hawk chopper in the air. "Hammer, pop smoke!" Buck orderd. "Popping smoke" Hammer stated seconds later.

"Splinter actual, this is Comanche 1, I've got green smoke. Confirm?" A gruff voice said in their comms.

"Confirmed. Green smoke that's us." Buck said. "Copy green smoke confirmed. We are landing." The voice replied. And with that the chopper landed and a soldier hopped out and ran to the team. While a gunner took position. Guarding them as they hustled to the chopper, Hammer grabbing Buck around the waist to help her into the helo. Within seconds they were airborne and heading to base.

The pilot said over the headphones. " Base this is Comanche 1, package acquired. We are RTB. I repeat...package acquired. Over" "Affirmative