Chapter 82 Newcomer Joins the Team
"Why the heck does Daniel need Michael's help?"
"In the Novarians' hood, taking down a few outsiders needs some sneaky moves and quick action."
"Michael's bodyguards are tough, but they're bodyguards, not hitmen. Those PMC dudes ain't signed up for extra risky stuff."
"Daniel's been hanging around here forever, just waiting for it to get dark."
"Donovan's been texting the Mori Family every couple of hours to keep them chill, so Daniel's not too stressed."
"Donovan and the crew's rides, loaded with weapons, are parked on a little road at the hill's base. It's just a two-hour drive to Mystic Town, so waiting till it's pitch black ain't a big deal."
"Daniel sold off a couple of small armed choppers on this trip, plus some other loot, raking in $2.58 million. He's in a killer mood and feeling pretty generous."
"Out of the Beretta 93R pistols they snagged, Daniel kept one for kicks and handed the rest to Joseph and the gang. The leftover machine guns? He just gave 'em away."
"But Daniel held onto the mortar that was still in decent shape."
"He quickly took apart the mortar, had James and Donovan carry the barrel and base, and got everyone else to lug a few shells each. They soon found the truck Donovan and the others had stashed."
"Donovan lifted a camo net like a pro, revealing the hidden pickup truck. Then, the five of them piled in, with James driving towards Mystic Town."
"Riding shotgun, Donovan was eyeing James's gear with envy."
"Plopping an MP7 on the dash, Donovan tapped his chest and said to Daniel, 'You guys are one of the few teams I've seen in Afrilon that roll out with body armor. Can you hook me up with a couple of ballistic plates? I don't mind the extra 20 pounds.'"
"Donovan checked out Nis's gear and said, 'Jackal's a solid boss; at least he splurges on weapons. Oh, right, Jackal's an arms dealer himself.'"
"Three people crammed into the back seat of the pickup was tight. Daniel, getting annoyed, kicked the back of the passenger seat and said, 'Just spit it out.'"
"Donovan turned around and said, 'If, and I mean if, I make it and stick with you guys, can you get me an HK416 like yours? With a 7.8-inch barrel, a suppressor, and subsonic rounds, this thing's quieter than the MP7. I once trained with the Thunder Squad, and they used this gun. It was awesome!'"
"Daniel handed his gun to Donovan and said, 'The HK416 ain't all that special; I use it 'cause it's easy to carry.'"
"Donovan handled the rifle like a pro, popped out the mag, cleared the chamber, and pulled the trigger. After hearing a crisp click, Donovan said, 'This is one sweet modded gun.'"
"Reluctantly, Donovan handed the rifle back to Daniel and said, 'Convenience is a big deal. Anyone would say it's better than the MP7, even indoors.'"
"Daniel, curious, said, 'I thought most special forces liked high-powered rifles. Why's your Shadow Ops Unit into the MP7? It's just a beefed-up pistol.'"
"Daniel then reached under Nis's feet, grabbed the P90 and four mags, and handed them to the passenger seat, saying, 'Use this today. At least it's more accurate than the MP7.'"
"The P90 is a gun anyone would drool over, and Donovan was no different."
"But Donovan's got his pride. Even though he was clearly into it, he said, 'In indoor CQB, where you're fighting at less than 30 feet, it's all about the soldier's skills, not the gun.'"
"Daniel didn't call out Donovan's BS. Instead, he said with a smirk, 'You say you're an assault specialist, good at indoor CQB, but why do I keep reading online that the Shadow Ops Unit is full of all-rounders? What's the deal with that?'"
"Donovan, curious, turned and said, 'Why do you think special forces are all-rounders? The Shadow Ops Unit's main gigs are counter-terrorism, anti-hijacking, and hostage rescue in Italica. All our training is for those missions. We can parachute, dive, blow stuff up, drive, and use all kinds of weapons, but everyone has their specialty. I say I'm good at indoor CQB 'cause that's my team's thing, and I'm the best at it. But that doesn't mean I can't do other stuff. Give me your HK416, and I can be a solid street combat assault guy. With an HK417, I can be a designated marksman.'"
"Donovan was all fired up, but Daniel caught the drift: the Shadow Ops Unit is all about urban combat and counter-terrorism, not field stuff."
"Donovan might be able to handle any weapon, but his jam is urban street and indoor combat."
"Specialization has its perks, and Donovan's skills are exactly what Daniel needs."
"In field combat, Daniel could take his time learning with James, but street and indoor combat? That needs some serious training."
"No joke, without pro training, indoor combat would be a bloodbath."
"Right now, Daniel's stepping away from just being an arms dealer. As things heat up, he needs to up his combat game to survive the craziness."
"At the end of the day, Daniel's still a newbie, a rookie who hasn't even dipped his toes into the international arms trade!"
"But there's a silver lining: Daniel's gonna sharpen his combat skills under pressure."
"Daniel's got time to figure things out. Compared to arms dealers who come from business backgrounds, if Daniel makes it, his confidence and strength will blow most of his peers out of the water."
"Seeing Donovan's 'don't underestimate me' look, Daniel shook his head with a grin and said, 'You might not believe it, but you're the only one here with special military training. We've got an hour before we get there. Got any practical tips? Here's a hint: I wanna take out everyone from the Mori Family here, and that Oakenshield contact.'"
"Donovan was floored, then turned to look at Daniel and the crew, saying, 'You guys haven't had formal military training?'"
"Daniel shrugged and smiled, 'Not really. Let me give you the lowdown. Harpy, former Skyhawk Military Academy sniper, now our sniper. Komodo, a former hunting guide, now our Afrilon combat expert. Owl, former Auroria militia sniper, now our spotter. And me, Jackal, I used to be a mechanic.'"
"Daniel laughed, like he remembered something funny, 'A mechanic who mods and sells guns makes sense, right?'"