The only easy day was yesterday 

—————————-

Interlude: Golden Gate Bridge Incident.

San Francisco.

Levi's Stadium.

5 years before the relocation of Captain Gallahan.

2030.

General POV.

‘Whistle!!!!’

The crowd of fans goes wild as the player catches the ball and runs towards the end zone. He dodges the tackles of the opposing team and scores a touchdown. The player throws his helmet in the air and celebrates with his teammates.

“Damn look at him go!”

“Daddy Look!” a little girl shouts, pointing at the giant screen that shows the replay of the touchdown.

“Hah! Your investment in the Team seems to have Payoff Louie ey?” Avery Gallahan, my former protégé calls out over the loud cheering crowd.

I smiled and clapped my hands. I was a former Navy Seals and heir to a successful PMC, or private military company. I inherited the business from my father, who died during the Korean crisis five years ago. He had been leading the extraction of US diplomats from Seoul when an NK missile hit his helicopter. I was devastated by his death, but I vowed to honor his legacy and continue his work.

Sure there were a few hiccups along the way, such as rival PMCs, corrupt politicians, and rogue agents. But I had always managed to overcome them, with the help of my loyal employees, allies, and friends. I had also made some enemies, of course, but none of them could touch me. I was too powerful, too rich, too smart.

Since then, I have expanded the company's operations and reputation, taking on contracts from various governments and organizations around the world. I had also invested in other ventures, such as sports teams, media outlets, and technology startups. One of them was the San Francisco 49ers, the team that was playing right now.

"Isn't he amazing?" I say, referring to the player who scored. "That's Jake Carter, the best quarterback in the league. I scouted him myself, you know. He was a rookie from Texas, with a lot of potential, but no one wanted to give him a chance. I saw something in him, and I offered him a contract. He accepted, and now he's a star."

Avery nods and smiles as he continues to watch the game. "You have a knack for spotting talent, commander."

“Hey! I retire from the Navy, you can drop the title... it's just Louie now."

"Yeah yeah..."

“Speaking of rank, I recently heard that you got promoted to Captain. Your father would have been proud."

"You think so?" Avery said. “Although it is still strange that Admiral Hanson is still going to let me keep my command of Fireteam Vega, I thought being promoted to Captain would mean less fieldwork, but instead, they are sending us more missions. "

"Don't worry, Avery. I'm sure things will work out. After all, you've proven yourself capable many times over. And besides that just means less paperwork for you!"

He laughed, "That's true!"

Avery was also a Navy Seal, and his father Otto Gallahan was a British SAS, and I met him during the invasion of Iran, where we were stationed together. We quickly became friends, but when both Otto and his wife died tragically, I decided to take him under my wing and mentor him after he turned 18.

He was an African American a Navy Seal and the leader of Fireteam Vega, a special operations unit within the U.S. Navy. He is a tough, no-nonsense soldier who has seen action in multiple conflicts, including Operation Nonstop, the Philippine crisis, and the Korean crisis.

"So tell me, how are things going with that beautiful lady from the CIA?" I asked cheekily.

"Eww… no.” Avery gave me the stink eyes. “ You know that I don't like spooks in general, and the last thing I need is getting involved with someone who could potentially use me for intel."

"Aw come on, don't be like that," I said, nudging him with my elbow. "You're a good-looking guy. I'm sure you could find someone if you tried."

"Yeah well, I've been busy." He replied.

"Too busy to date? Don't tell me you're spending all your free time playing video games and reading Comic books again. "

"What's wrong with that?" Avery defended himself. "It's relaxing and fun. Besides, it helps me clear my mind."

I shook my head, chuckling softly. "Whatever floats your boat, kid, and besides unlike you I have a lovely wife and a daughter.”

Suddenly on cue, the door burst open and a small little girl came running inside. She was about 5 years old, had blonde hair, a light skin tone, and wore a little blue dress.

"Daddy!" she cried as she ran towards me. I caught her in my arms and lifted her up, swinging her around.

"Hello, sweetie," I said, smiling.

"Did you see the touchdown daddy?" Lennox asked excitedly. "It was so cool!"

"Yes, I did," I replied. "It was very exciting, wasn't it?"

Then the door opened again allowing my wife, Lola, and our nanny, Maria, to enter.

"There you are, honey," Lola said, giving me a peck on the cheek. "We've been looking everywhere for you."

"Sorry, love," I replied, apologizing. "I got caught up watching the game with Avery."

Lola smiled and rolled her eyes. "I should have known. Well, it's time for us to go now. Maria has prepared dinner for our daughter already, and I have a hot date waiting for me."

I laughed. "Alright then, I'll be right behind you."

"Bye Daddy, Bye Uncle Avery, see you later." The little girl waved at me as she left the room.

I waved back, smiling, before turning to Avery.

"Well, duty calls," I said.

"Good luck, Commander." He replied with a knowing wink.

—————————-

5 hours later.

“So how is the food this time honey?” I asked as we left the restaurant.

Lola laughed, "Not bad. Better than that one Italian place you took me to a few weeks ago. I still don't know how you managed to mess up pasta, but you did. "

"Hey, it was an honest mistake. How was I supposed to know that the chef was Italian? He looked Irish. "

She shook her head, amused. "Whatever you say, Mr. Louie Hayden."

"Are you sure you want to go home already, or do you want to do something else?" I asked.

"Hmmm...well, since we're in the city, maybe we could take a stroll down the street and check out the shops?"

"Okay," I replied, wrapping an arm around her waist. "Let's go."

The street was bustling with activity as we walked along. There were people walking their dogs, couples holding hands, and children running around. It was a beautiful evening, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

We were driving down the street of San Francisco, the night lights shining on our car. Lola was beside me, holding my hand and smiling. We had just come from dinner, and she looked gorgeous.

She was wearing a tight red dress, her brown skin tone contrasting beautifully against its dark color hair falling loosely over her shoulders, and her eyes sparkling with happiness. I couldn't believe how lucky I was to have such an amazing woman by my side.

"Hey, did I ever tell you how much I love you?" I said suddenly.

She laughed, shaking her head. "Only about a thousand times today, honey."

"Well, I just wanted to make sure you know," I replied.

She rolled her eyes and leaned in, giving me a quick kiss. "I know, baby."

As we approached a crosswalk, a group of college students crossed in front of us. Suddenly, a black SUV came speeding through the intersection, swerving around the corner and almost hitting one of the students.

The student jumped out of the way and landed on the sidewalk, safe and unharmed. The SUV screeched to a halt, and the driver, a man dressed in black, got out of the vehicle. He started shouting and swearing at the student.

“Huh… I wonder what that's all about?" I mumbled as we continued to drive through the intersection with our eyes on the SUV.

"Maybe it was an accident," Lola said, shrugging. "Or maybe the driver was drunk or something."

"Could be," I replied.

"Well, it doesn't matter. As long as no one gets hurt, right?"

"Right."

“LOOK OUT!”

CRAASSSH!!!*

Suddenly we felt our bodies jerk forward, and everything went black.

—————————

2 days later…

Slap!*

“Rise and shine!”

Slap!*

“Rise and shine!”

I then suddenly felt a sharp pain on my cheek and my eyes flew open. I saw a man in front of me, dressed in black combat gear, with a balaclava covering his face staring with a cold look into mine while he slapped me across the chops hard enough with a gun pointed at my face. I looked around, trying to figure out where I was.

It looked like the inside of a van, or maybe a truck, and there were more men in the same clothes as the one in front of me, standing guard at the doors. There was also a woman tied to a chair next to me, who I recognized as Lola. She was unconscious, and her face was bruised and swollen.

“What the Fuck!? Where am I? What the hell is going on!?"

“Now now, no need for such language Mr. Hayden. Let's have a chat." The masked man replied calmly.

"Who are you and why the hell have you kidnapped us?!" I yelled.

"My name is unimportant, and as for why you are here, well that's simple, You are going to help us in our cause. "

"And what cause is that exactly?"

The man suddenly pulled out what looked like… some sort of trigger before pressing it against my palms that was when I noticed that there was a… vest strapped to my body.

"It's a simple task, get to Levi Stadium no matter what, or we blow your wife's head off, along with yourself and maybe your daughter."

I immediately tried to pull away, but the man was too strong, and he easily kept his grip on the trigger.

"I would not do that if I were you what you are holding is a dead man switch, if you try to let go it will send the signal and trigger the explosion and blow us both sky high. "

"You son of a bitch, why the fuck are you doing this!?”

“Is Not about what we do is about sending the message, that no one is safe no matter how powerful you are, no matter how rich or connected." The man said, laughing. "The world is changing, and the strong will survive while the weak perish."

"You're insane," I muttered.

"No, I'm just a realist, now come on, let's get going, we have a show to put on." The masked man then took out a syringe before injecting it into my neck.

I only struggled briefly before my senses were dull and I could feel myself losing consciousness.

"Prepared the dirty bomb with the Nerve Gas." That was the last thing I heard before everything went black.

So much for being Smart, Powerful, and Rich…

—————————

1.5 hours later...

BANG!*

BANG!*

“SHIT THE COP IS HERE!! HURRY UP AND KILL HIM!! WE NEED TO BOMB THE TARGET SOON!!! "

"On it boss."

BANG!*

CRACK!*

“HOW THE FUCK DID THEY KNOW WE WERE HERE!”

My eyes shot open as I saw one of the masked men driving suddenly get his head blown off causing the Van to slow down and crash into the wall into one of the bridges… the Golden Gate Bridge.

BANG!*

"Shit!!"

“Sniper!”

CRASH!*

“Fuck we are being shot at!! Boss call for extraction now! "

“How the fuck does this go wrong so fast!”

BANG!*

Another one of the masked men gets his headshot causing the van to swerve before the other masked men open the side doors and start to open fire onto the road of the Golden Gate Bridge.

The masked man approached me and then suddenly pressed something on my vest causing it to light up an ominous red. “You better hold on to that thing! And remember get yourselves to Levi's Stadium or your family will die, LET’S MOVE! FOR THE SUPREME LEADER!”

———————————

San Francisco.

On route to the Golden Gate Bridge.

Avery Gallahan POV.

“This is Vega-1 What is the situation at the Bridge?” I called out as my team and I flew in from a helicopter heading straight towards the Golden Gate Bridge.

"Vega-1, we have confirmed a terrorist threat on the Golden Gate Bridge, UAV confirms that there are Five suspicious-looking convoys of vans heading towards the bridge with the hostages." The voice of Admiral Hanson responded. “We also have a positive ID on the hostage they have, it's 100% it's Mr. Hayden and his wife. We have the snipers on standby and We need your team to secure the area, neutralize the threat, and save the hostages. But be advised, there are potentially trapped civilians in the area"

"Roger that Cobalt-actual we'll take care of it. Vega-1 out." I said as I looked at my team, Fire Team Vegas. We were the best of the best, a special forces unit trained to deal with the most dangerous situations. We had faced many enemies before, but this was different. This was personal.

Mr. Hayden was not just any hostage. He was my mentor in the SEALs and my commanders, he took me under his wing after my parents died, and he taught me everything I know. And now he needed my help. He and his wife were being held hostage by terrorists. I couldn't let them down.

"Vega-1, this is Cobalt actual. We have eyes on the vans. They are approaching the bridge. You have a clear shot. Take them out." Admiral Hanson said.

"Copy that, Cobalt actual. We get it done.”

"Good, watch out for civilian and law-enforcement casualties over and out."

As the chopper neared the bridge, I could see the convoy of vans racing across the highway on the bridge. I looked out the window and saw several police cars chasing after them. The chopper began descending towards the bridge, and we could see the vans speeding down the highway. As we got closer, I could see that the terrorists were firing out of the van's windows, shooting at the pursuing police cars.

"ETA 5 minutes. Get ready, we're gonna be doing a fast-rope insertion," I ordered, as the rest of the team prepared their equipment.

"They're opening fire on the police!" one of the team members, Lieutenant Commander Hunk Simon, my second in command or Vegas-2 exclaimed.

"Just another reason to drop their asses," Master Chief Petty Officer Smith Leroy or Vega-3, the second largest man after the LT and our newest members in the team commented.

We reached the bridge and hovered over the vans. We saw the terrorists looking up at us, and firing their guns. We returned fire and took out some of them.

"Vega-1, this is Cobalt actual. The snipers are in position. They have a clear shot at the drivers. Do you want them to take it?" Admiral Hanson asked.

"Confirm, Cobalt actual. Take the shot." I said.

"Roger that, Vega-1. Snipers, you have a green light. Take the shot." Admiral Hanson said.

We heard two shots and saw the drivers of the vans slump over. The vans swerved and slowed down eventually crashing into into one of the poles of the bridge.

"Good shot, Cobalt actual. The vans are disabled. We're going in." I said.

The helicopter flew lower and hovered above the bridge. We looked down and saw the crashed vans. One of the doors opened and a lone masked terrorists jumped out. He was carrying a rifle and started to spray the surrounding area with bullets.

Bracing my DMR on the frame of the chopper, I took a look through the hybrid scope on my DMR, and with a quick calculation, accounting for the wind, the distance, and the bullet drop, I took the shot and with a pull of the trigger on my suppressed specialized Mk14 EBR, sending Amor piercing 7.6251mm NATO rounds straight into the terrorists head.

"Nice shot, V-1. Good to go?" Lieutenant Commander Hunk asked.

"Let's do it," I answered.

Lieutenant Commander Hunk signaled to the pilot, and the chopper lowered until it was just above the ground. A rope dropped from both sides of the chopper, and the team began to rappel down. As soon as their feet touched the ground, the ropes were released, and the chopper took off.

"V-2, V-3, provide cover. V-4, V-5, on me." I ordered as the rest of the team quickly got into position. “The rest of you know the drill. Move in and secure the area. We need to find Mr. Hayden and his wife and get them to safety Hooyah?."

"Hooyah!" the team responded in unison. They split up, taking strategic positions and moving towards the crashed vans. As they approached, they began to return fire at the remaining terrorists who were still firing from behind the vans.

“V-3, you have a good sightline on the lead van, see if you can take the shot," I called out over the comms.

"Copy that, V-1. Taking the shot." Master Chief Petty Officer Smith replied before pulling the trigger of his Mk12 SPR.

"Scratch one." He reported with a hole blasted into the terrorist's head then ducked back as bullets began to pepper his position. “Shit!”

As the chaos unfolded, Vega-2 and Vega-4 provided covering fire while Vega-5, Vegas-4, and I moved closer to the crashed vans. We could hear the sounds of gunfire and shouting all around us as we cautiously approached the scene.

"Keep your eyes peeled, V-5 and 4. We need to find Mr. Hayden and his wife," I said, scanning the area for any signs of them amidst the chaos.

“On your six, V-1,” replied Vega-5, covering our rear.

“All clear on my side,” added Vega-4, checking the opposite direction.

“All stations moving to the first van,” I commanded. “V-5, stay here and cover us.”

As the team approached the first van, the gunfire intensified, and explosions echoed through the chaos. One SEALs on my team got too close to an explosion causing him to be thrown back with a nasty burn on his face as he landed against the pavement.

"Man down! Man down!" yelled Vega-4, rushing to provide medical aid.

"V-4, stabilize him. The rest of you, keep moving!" I ordered, pushing forward toward the crashed vans. The intensity of the firefight increased as we closed in on the terrorists.

Suddenly, I spotted movement near the second van. It was Mr. Hayden, tied up and being dragged away by a masked terrorist. Without hesitation, I aimed my rifle and took the shot, hitting the terrorist in the shoulder. Mr. Hayden fell to the ground, and I rushed to his side.

“Avery, is that you?" he gasped. “Thank God!”

"Yeah, it's me. We're getting you out of here," I assured him, quickly cutting the ropes and binding him. Vega-5 joined me, providing cover as we escorted Mr. Hayden away from the battle.

“Avery… listen to me, they got Lola," My former mentor said urgently, his eyes filled with concern. "They put her in one of those Van, which one, I don't know but there is another thing…”

“What is it, commander?" I asked, concerned.

"I'm… a walking dead man. They put a vest on me. A dirty bomb,” He revealed, showing the explosive vest with the trigger attached to his hand. “They already have this thing rigged and on a countdown. You have to get Lola out of there because there is no way I can make it. "

“Don't you dare give up hope, Commander? We'll get you out of this," I assured him, my voice determined. "And we'll save Lola too. Just hang in there." With a sense of urgency, I relayed the information to the rest of the team.

"V-2, V-3, secure and check on Mr. Hayden and Call in the bomb squad immediately. We need to defuse that vest. V-4, V-5, with me, we're going after Mrs Lola." The team swiftly adjusted their focus to the critical tasks at hand. "Admiral, this is Vega-1. We've secured Mr. Hayden, but Mr. Hayden has a rigged explosive vest. We need the bomb squad on-site ASAP,"

"Copy that, Vega-1. Bomb squad en route. Proceed with caution," came the response from Admiral Hanson.

Pulling the trigger on my Mk14, I fired a few shots toward the remaining terrorists to provide cover as Vega-4 and Vega-5 joined me in heading toward the van where Lola was being held. The chaos of the firefight continued around us, but our focus remained on the mission to rescue her. We then reach the van, finding it locked. Vega-4 quickly worked on picking the lock while Vega-5 and I maintained a defensive perimeter. As the door swung open to reveal nothing…

“Dammit empty!" I cursed, cursing my luck, frustration evident in my voice. “Let's hope the next Vans hold the answer. Move out!" The team quickly regrouped, heading towards the next van in search of Lola.

Thankfully the number of terrorists was beginning to dwindle as the SEALs and sniper team began taking them down, but the firefight continued to rage on as we closed in on the next van. We reached the vehicle and found the doors unlocked. With caution, Vega-4 pulled the handle, and the door swung open, revealing the unconscious Lola, bound and gagged.

The team quickly moved to secure Lola and checked for any signs of danger. With a sigh of relief, I approached her, gently removing the gag and checking her vitals. She stirred and looked up at me with a mix of confusion and fear.

"Lola, it's Avery. You're safe now," I reassured her, my voice calming. "We're getting you out of here."

"V-1, this is V-2. We have a situation. The countdown on the Vest of Mr Hayden suddenly has accelerated, we have only 3 minutes to save him, and the Bomb Squad is still 5 minutes out Requesting permission to proceed without them."

"Fuck..." I muttered, frustrated. “Are the civilians clear from the area?"

”Negative.” The LT replies in a grim tone. "There are still civilians nearby. We need to clear them out before we proceed."

"Copy that. V-2, and V-3, start clearing civilians from the area. V-4 get Mrs. Lola out of here, the rest of you with me. We're going to get this thing off Mr. Hayden before it's too late. Go Go!"

“Wait please.” Mrs. Lola spoke weakly, her eyes filled with concern. "Save him, Avery. Please save my husband."

"We're doing everything we can, Lola. Just stay with V-4, and we'll get you both to safety," I reassured her before turning to the team. "Move out, let's get Mr. Hayden out of that vest."

The team quickly coordinated to evacuate civilians from the vicinity of Mr. Hayden. As the countdown continued, tension filled the air, and every second mattered. Vega-4 and Vega-5 assisted in guiding people away from the danger zone while keeping an eye on the remaining terrorists.

"Admiral, this is Vega-1. We have civilians in the proximity of the explosive vest. We're working on clearing the area. I need an update on the bomb squad's ETA," I communicated, my focus divided between the task at hand and coordinating with higher command.

"Vega-1, this is Cobalt actual. The bomb squad is now 3 minutes out. Hurry, Avery. We need to defuse that vest before it's too late," Admiral Hanson responded, the urgency evident in his voice.

As we approached Mr. Hayden, the gravity of the situation became more apparent. The countdown on the explosive vest was ticking away, and every passing second brought us closer to a catastrophic outcome. The remaining terrorists were putting up a fierce fight, trying to prevent us from reaching our objective.

"V-2, V-3, update on civilian evacuation?" I inquired over the comms.

"Evacuation in progress, V-1. Civilians are being directed away from the danger zone," replied Lieutenant Commander Hunk. “But not quick enough even with law enforcement personnel helping us. "

The team moved swiftly, neutralizing any remaining threats as we closed in on Mr. Hayden. Vega-2 and Vega-3 continued to assist with civilian evacuation, ensuring that no innocent lives were endangered. As we reached Mr. Hayden, the urgency of the situation was palpable.

“Avery…” My Former Mentor began. “You need to…to throw me off the bridge. It's the only way to ensure the safety of everyone around here."

“Goddamit! Commander, what happened to the idea of never leaving anyone behind!? That includes you, sir." I yelled back, anger and frustration in my voice as I began to inspect the bomb vest, seeing if there was anything I could do. Seeing that there were 30 seconds left on the timer, I cursed again.

"Avery, that's an order! Get the civilians to safety. I'm not worth it. Don't let them die for me," He said, his voice filled with resolve. "Promise me you take care of my wife and daughter.”

"Commander, I can't just leave you!" I argued, desperation in my voice as I continued to assess the bomb vest. "There must be something we can do, some way to defuse this thing."

"Avery, time is running out. You have to make a choice," Mr. Hayden insisted, his eyes locking with mine. "Save the civilians, save my family. That's an order."

With a heavy heart, I nodded. "I promise, Commander. We'll get your family to safety." Turning to the team, I signaled for them to evacuate the area immediately. "Vega Team, pull back! Get civilians out of here!"

As the team rushed to carry out the evacuation, I could feel the weight of the impossible decision on my shoulders. The seconds ticked away, and I knew that sacrificing Commander Hayden was the only way to prevent a larger tragedy.

"Admiral, this is Vega-1. We're initiating evacuation. The bomb squad won't make it in time. Prepare for detonation, and clear the airspace," I communicated, my voice heavy with the burden of the decision.

"Copy that, Vega-1. Godspeed," came Admiral Hanson's solemn response.

With a heavy heart, I lifted Mr. Hayden and carried him to the edge of the bridge. The countdown reached its final moments, and I hesitated for a moment, looking into his eyes.

"Thank you, Kid. Remember your promise," he said, his voice filled with gratitude. “Tell them I'm sorry…”

I nodded, unable to speak, and with a deep breath, I threw him off the bridge. The explosion followed, and the shockwave resonated through the air. The sacrifice weighed heavily on my conscience as I watched the aftermath.

"Vega-1, this is Cobalt actual. Report!," Admiral Hanson's voice came through.

"Mission accomplished, sir. But at a heavy cost," I replied, my voice somber.

"Understood, Vega-1. We'll debrief later. Focus on getting the team and civilians to safety," Admiral Hanson instructed.

“Copy that…”

“Vega-1, this is Cobalt actual. Your dedication and sacrifice saved countless lives. Take care of your team and the civilians. We'll handle the aftermath. Over and out."

I took off my earpiece after hearing Admiral Hanson's words, the weight of the sacrifice still heavy on my shoulders then with a heavy heart, I turned away from the scene and headed back to the team, but as I walked away I felt an eye on me causing me to look behind me, only to see… A woman in a kimono staring at me but when I blinked she was gone.

Who the fuck was that?