Never Back Down

Today we arrive at the base in Arizona. Tomorrow we head for Puerto Peñasco to take down the drug smuggling operation there. They run a lot of cocaine into the states and our job is to eliminate the operation permanently. Basically we go in, shut it down, and then the Marines get stationed there to clean up the mess we left behind and secure the town so no new operations come in. My team is among the best soldiers in the Navy, and that’s why we’re seals. They don’t make mistakes, execute orders to perfection, and we’ve never failed in securing a target.

This isn’t a war anybody wants to fight but somebody has to. Will we ever eliminate the drug cartel? Probably not but we probable can reduce the amounts coming into the States. That is the real mission. We were informed today that the smuggling operation is one of the larger operations shipping to the U.S. Our target is Luis Santiago. He is high up in the cartel and head of this operation. Our orders are to take him dead or alive but destroy the rest. We were also told that they have a human trafficking business as well. Kill two birds with one stone I guess.

Personally, I want to get in and get out and let someone else deal with it. I don’t want anything to do with the drug lords. They always want revenge and American soldiers are not their favorite people. We will have to finish what we start even if things take a wrong turn. Either way, this next week will not be fun, then again, no war is.



“Alright boys, here we are” I said. “American soldiers aren’t really welcome here so let’s get set up.”

“Where’s Intel say our target is? We need to be close enough to grab him but not so close that our presence is noticed,” said Scott.

“He has a boat on the docks that we think he is hiding in,” said Lee. “Intel’s already got a safe house for us. It’s about ten blocks away from the docks so we can cover the boat at night”

“Let’s go then,” I said. “I want to be scanning the area for anything that could endanger the mission. We need to scout the docks tomorrow before we make a plan”



So far we haven’t encountered any problems. We’ll do some surveillance on the docks tomorrow. From what I can see from here, the drug runners are pretty cocky about their operation here. The town is tiny. It probably wouldn’t even exist anymore if there weren’t smugglers working here.



The boats on the docks are all smuggling boats. Intel just needs to confirm that. They don’t even try to hide the fact that they are smuggling cocaine. It’s pretty obvious to all of us that none of the people living here go within half a mile of the docks. My guess is that this Luis Santiago gut controls the town and runs it with fear. The citizens aren’t really involved in the operations with the drugs. They aren’t really with the cartel, but they don’t get in their way, ever.

Above all, the goal of the whole mission is to prevent a war. I don’t know if this operation will help prevent a war, but if we do it clean, it won’t start one. They don’t want a war because we would absolutely destroy them. But we don’t want a war because we’re already fighting those terrorists in the Middle East which is costing billions of dollars. We don’t have the money of the firepower to fight a drug war. It would be unwinnable because there will always be another plantation somewhere in the world. I don’t want to fight them and nobody else does either.

The only problem is that the boat is well protected by guards so a land approach is out. I suppose that we could come in by water and fake being part of the cartel but that is too risky. We decided to approach from under water and take the boat from its blind side. That is the only approach that we could stay concealed until we attack. Better get it drawn up for the rest of the team.

“How are we going to get in unnoticed? We can’t use and EMP because the operations boat is our ticket home,” said Turner

“I seriously doubt that they are using radar or anything else,” I said. “They’ve been here for years with no opposition from the Mexican government. We’ll just board it from the back and execute the plan.”

“What will we do once we take the boat? We need their leader alive to bring back home. Once we take the boat, their whole crew will come straight towards us.” said Scott.

“Turner will be stationed about 500 yards away to provide some fire support for that reason.” I said.

“The boat is designed to be able to hold off a land attack. I’d be willing to bet that it is armored and armed. That is how I suspect they will counter-attack by land. With any luck, we can be gone before they get an attack on us. The chopper is waiting up the coast about five miles. Let’s get in and out very quickly. I don’t like this country any more than the next guy,” said Turner.

“That just leaves the problem of shutting down the operation permanently,” said Ryan. “We don’t even know where they operate out of.”

“Yes we do” said Scott, walking back into the room. “Intel just sent orders saying where their headquarters is and that all of the boats in the dock are theirs. Their HQ is also where they cocaine is kept.”

“There are only eight boats so we have plenty of C4 to destroy their HQ as well,” I said. “Scott, you and Ryan set the charge on their HQ. Turner and I will rig the boats and set up on the docks meet us there and we’ll go in.”

“Yes sir!” was the resounding response.



We started perfectly. Scott and Ryan got the whole store house wired to blow and Turner and I were got our job done easily. So far, everything had gone according to plan. The weird thing was that none of us saw any of the drug runners the whole morning. It should have tipped me off. Then it went horribly wrong.

“All right let’s get in and out in three minutes. You hear?” I said.

“Yes sir.”

Then we went in. When we were 50 feet away, we got confirmation to proceed from Turner.

“Turner, we all clear?”

“Yes sir. Proceed to target.”

We kept going. Then we got the call.

“Hold up. We got a man with …. some sort of remote device.”

“Detonator?”

“Probably.”

“Does he look like a civilian?”

“Negative. I think he’s cartel.”

“Does he look like Santiago at all?

“No, should I take the shot?”

“Green light.”

We heard the crack of his rifle and then the boat exploded right in front of us. If Turner didn’t get that guy, we’d all be dead. The detonator that the man had must have had a dead man switch. I should have seen that one coming to. Mistakes aren’t all right. They can’t be turned over and they get good soldiers killed.

We had to get back to our boys up the coast a few miles. We spent one day there to get back on our feet then we were to be deployed again. I guess this mission was top of our list with the impending border war. So we went back in with a plan of attack in the early morning. They never even saw us coming.



“Got the detonator?” I said.

“Yes sir.” said Scott.

“Turner, in position?”

“Yeah.” said Turner.

“Let’s go.”

“We boarded the boat (different boat) easily this time but there were six guards on the boat with Santiago. Nothing for three Seals. Wouldn’t be too hard for one. Pop, pop. One down.

“Scott, take the left. Ryan, go right.”

“Alright.”

“Turner, do you have a visual on Santiago?”

“Yes, he just went down to the living quarters. Two guards went with him.

“Alright. Ryan, Scott anything on your sides?”

“Yeah. Got one in my crosshairs.” said Scott

“Same here.” said Ryan

“Good. Shoot in three, two, one.”

Pop, pop, pop.

“Clear.”

“Clear.”

“All clear” I said

Turned chimed in, “I got one coming up the stairs.”

“Take it.”

Crack.

“There’s one less.” said Turner.

“Move in boys.” I said

We met up at the stairs and went in.

“Scott, lead the way. Ryan Watch the stairs. Turner, any men outside?”

“Negative.”

“Bang and clear just don’t shoot Santiago. We need him alive.”

Bang. Pop, pop.

“Clear.” Let’s move out.

“Turner, get ready to move.” I said. “The package is secure. Let’s finish this place.”

We picked up Turner, got moving and blew everything up. No trace of any drugs or drug dealers. Marines cleaned up and government covered up.

We did a real good job that second time. Now we’re going to Afghanistan. Sounds like a lot of fun. I signed up for it.