Mitchell cleared his throat, and that quickly silenced those chuckling. He lifted his chin at Beasley. "Matt, we can assume the Tigers will bring their own security force. The larger that force is, the more attention they'll call to themselves, so we expect they'll limit that team to two or three squads, hopefully no more than twenty. I've requested streaming video of the castle so we can make an accurate threat assessment, assuming the security team will arrive before the Tigers do. If all goes well there, we'll run a split team op." Mitchell nodded to Ramirez, who brought up the personnel list:

ALPHA TEAM

Mitchell (team leader and rifleman)

Ramirez (asst. team leader, commo, and rifleman)

Smith (asst. operations sergeant and grenadier)

Nolan (medical sergeant and SAW gunner)

BRAVO TEAM

Beasley (operations team sergeant and rifleman)

Jenkins (engineer sergeant and grenadier)

Hume (engineer sergeant, demo, heavy support)

Brown (commo and SAW gunner)

CHARLIE TEAM

Diaz (marksman/sniper)

"Alpha Team will be the inner cordon, tasked with infiltrating the castle and terminating the targets. Matt? You guys will be outer cordon, taking out security, removing any chances of escape from the AO. Alicia, you're on your own to clear Alpha Team an entry point."

Jenkins raised his hand, his expression dubious.

"What do you got, Bo?" asked Mitchell.

"Sir, I don't doubt Bravo can secure the outer cordon. But even with our guy on the inside to help locate the targets, you'll be going through multistories, probably got animals running around to make noise, old guys getting up in the middle of the night to use the outhouse, and a thousand other things that can go wrong to blow your cover."

"You mean it's just another day at the office."

"All I'm saying, sir, is if we recon the place, and it looks too hairy, why don't you let Johnny and me cut loose with some rockets. We'll be standing off and take down the entire castle."

"Sounds like a plan to me," said John Hume, who would always vote yes for explosives.

"I agree, that's safer," said Beasley. "But if the general wanted it big and loud, he wouldn't have called us."

"That's right," said Mitchell. "But I understand your reservations, Bo. And I hope you don't mind me acknowledging your sacrifice to be here. Bo's father was admitted to the hospital just before he got the call. His dad's stable, but he didn't even get a chance to say good-bye. Bo, I speak for everyone when I say thanks for being here."

Jenkins averted his gaze and nodded.

Ramirez glanced up from the computer. "Sir, we have a call from General Keating."

Mitchell exhaled in frustration. "I thought he wasn't calling until later. Put him through."

With that, everyone sat up.

"Mitchell, good to see you soldiers arrived on time."

"Thank you, General. And we'll be happy to stop breathing in the asbestos and ship out ASAP."