Chapter 34 – Among the Giants
The morning sun illuminated the vast landscape of Fort Bragg as Grant walked toward the training ground. Now officially part of C Squadron, he felt the weight of responsibility to be among the best.
The operators around him weren't just veterans—they were living legends. Some had participated in the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993, others had hunted insurgents in the early days of the War on Terror, and all had impressive combat records.
Grant knew that, despite all his training and experience with the Rangers, he still had much to learn.
The first week was dedicated to integration. Unlike the rigid environment of the Rangers, Delta operated with a more flexible structure. Each operator had individual autonomy and responsibility.
His team leader, Master Sergeant Cole "Reaper" Daniels, was a veteran of over 20 years and someone who commanded respect without raising his voice.
"Cine, you've proven yourself in the field, but here we want more than just a good operator. We want a guy who thinks quickly and executes without hesitation. Are you ready for this?"
Grant nodded.
"Always."
The answer satisfied Cole, who smiled slightly.
"Good. We'll see about that in training."
The training sessions were brutal and demanded absolute perfection. CQB (Close Quarters Combat), infiltration tactics, operations in urban and desert environments, and explosives simulations.
Grant was used to engaging in combat with the Rangers, but the Delta operators took lethality to a higher level.
They didn't just defeat the enemy, they eliminated the threat with surgical precision.
In one of the CQB exercises, Grant and his team had to clear a simulated building in under 30 seconds.
The clock started ticking.
Boom! The door was blown open with an explosive charge.
Grant entered quickly, aligning his sights and eliminating the simulated targets with clean, controlled fire.
"Cleared!"
Each room was taken with speed and precision. When they left, the timer read 27 seconds.
The instructor looked at them and nodded.
"That's why you're the best."
During breaks, Grant bonded with his new teammates.
There was "Bishop," a demolitions expert with 12 years at Delta who always seemed to be chewing tobacco.
"Ghost," a silent and precise sniper who rarely spoke, but when he did, everyone listened.
And "Hawk," an infiltration and intelligence specialist who had already completed some of the most secret missions the U.S. government would never admit to having carried out.
During a break, Bishop looked at Grant and laughed.
"So, Cine, I heard you like to make some noise in the field."
Grant gave a small smile.
"I guess the nickname stuck, huh?"
"It did. But tell me, what was the most intense mission you've ever had?"
Grant thought for a moment and then replied:
"Probably my last one in Afghanistan. We were sent to capture an HVT, but it turned into an intense firefight. In the end, I had to neutralize it."
The operators nodded. They knew the weight of a moment like that.
"And you're okay with that?" Hawk asked.
Grant looked at him and replied sincerely:
"I did what needed to be done. But I don't let it consume me. That's the path to destruction."
Bishop slapped Grant on the shoulder and laughed.
"That's how it has to be, brother. If you let the war consume you, it'll kill you before the bullet even hits."
One night, over beers after training, the older operators began to share stories.
Reaper, who had been in the Battle of Mogadishu, looked at the younger ones and began:
"You think you've been through hell? That was pure hell."
Everyone fell silent as he recounted the 18 hours of intense combat, the downed helicopters, and the struggle to survive on the streets of a hostile city.
"We didn't have drones, we didn't have communications like we have today. It was us against an entire city. We lost good men, but we also showed the world what we're made of."
Hawk, who had also been in Mogadishu, added:
"That's where we learned that war is never fair. You can plan everything, but in the end, chaos decides."
Grant listened intently. He knew that, despite his experience, he still had much to learn from those men.
To finalize Grant's integration into the team, they completed realistic infiltration and assault training on a simulated target.
The objective: to capture a simulated enemy officer in a hostile village.
The team approached in the dark, using night vision. They communicated only with hand signals.
Grant led the entry into the building. As soon as they approached the door, he signaled Bishop, who planted the explosive charge.
BOOM!
Grant entered first, moving quickly through the rooms. His training, reflexes, and experience guided every step.
In the end, the mission was a success. The commander was waiting for them at the extraction point and gave a satisfied smile.
"Welcome to the team, Cine. You're already one of us."
Grant knew this was just the beginning. Now, he was part of the elite.
Chapter 35 – The Return of the Prodigal Son
The plane landed smoothly at Los Angeles International Airport, and Grant grabbed his backpack from the overhead compartment. This time, there was no military uniform, no visible insignia, nothing to indicate his service. Just an ordinary man returning home.
Walking through the terminal, he wore a backward black cap, sunglasses, and a light jacket, a look that made him blend in with the civilians. But inside him, there was something that would never change: he was no longer a simple soldier, now part of the most secretive and lethal Special Operations unit in the United States.
The flight from Fort Bragg to LA was uneventful. He couldn't wait to see his family again.
As he exited the terminal, he spotted a car parked near the curb. Mitchell and Cam were outside, waiting for him.
"Look who finally showed up!" Mitchell said, opening his arms to hug Grant.
"Our hero! And out of uniform this time!" Cam added, smiling as he hugged his stepson.
Grant smiled.
"This time I don't need to wear one."
He threw his backpack in the trunk and got in the car.
"So how was the trip?" Mitchell asked as he drove.
"Rest assured. But I can't say the same about my training these past few months."
Cam turned in the front seat, curious.
"Are you finally going to tell us what you were doing? Because we know you weren't just practicing push-ups."
Grant took a deep breath and, for the first time, said the words that marked his new phase:
"I'm officially a Delta operator."
Silence.
Mitchell and Cam looked at each other.
"Like... Delta... like, 'THE' Delta? The one the government pretends doesn't even exist?" Mitchell asked, trying to process the information.
Grant just nodded with a small smile.
—"Yeah, that's it."
Cam let out a dramatic sigh and placed a hand on his chest.
"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph... my stepson is basically an American ninja."
Mitchell slammed his hand on the steering wheel, still surprised.
"Okay, wait. Does this mean you're above the traditional chain of command? That you can grow a beard without a problem? That you no longer have to wake up at four in the morning to run with a hundred-pound backpack?"
Grant laughed.
"Yes, yes, and yes. We don't follow the same hierarchy as the regular Army. Inside, we're all operators and work much more flexibly."
"So... no uniform?" Cam asked.
"Only when necessary. Otherwise, street clothes. And before you ask, I can't go into details about what I do."
Mitchell let out a sigh, still trying to take it all in.
"This is surreal. You went from high school quarterback to... this." A Delta operator."
Grant just smiled. He knew the family was still trying to process it.
When they got home, Lily ran to the door as soon as she heard the car pull up.
"GRANT!" She jumped into her older brother's arms, who spun her around before setting her back down.
"You took your time this time."
"Hard work, Lil."
She looked him up and down.
"You seem... different. Like, more badass. Your hair is longer, your beard is fuller..."
"Let's just say the rules are a little more flexible for me now."
They went inside, and Grant finally dropped his backpack. The feeling of being home, in the environment where he grew up, was indescribable.
The smell of Cam's dinner filled the house, and the table was already set.
"Well, since we have a member of the CIA... oops, sorry, I mean, Delta at the table today, the least we can do is make a feast," Cam joked as he brought in a plate full of food.
"Delta, Cam. Not CIA," Grant corrected, picking up a piece of meat.
"Still, it's the stuff of action movies."
Everyone laughed. Dinner was filled with laughter, funny stories, and that family warmth Grant missed so much.
Even with everything he'd been through, that moment there, around the table with his family, was one of the most precious things to him.
On the day The next day, Grant, Mitchell, Cam, and Lily went to Jay and Gloria's house for lunch with the whole family.
As soon as Grant entered, Jay was the first to stand up and shake his hand firmly.
"I heard my grandson is now one of those guys the government denies exists."
"Something like that, Grandpa."
Jay smiled proudly.
"Damn, kid. If I had any pride before, I have it doubled now. You're serving at the top of the food chain."
Gloria hugged him tightly, followed by Manny and Joe.
"Are you okay? Do they treat you well there? Do I need to hit anyone?" Gloria asked.
Grant laughed.
"I'm fine, Gloria. It's a different environment, but I enjoy what I do."
Everyone gathered at the table, and soon Claire, Phil, Hailey, Alex, and Luke arrived, completing the family.
Halfway through lunch, Phil, being Phil, couldn't contain his curiosity.
"So, Grant... now that you're in this top-secret unit, can you tell us about any missions we'd never know about otherwise?"
Grant laughed and shook his head.
"No, Phil. Not at all."
Luke, standing nearby, crossed his arms.
"Damn, man. You're like John Wick now."
"Kind of."
"That's so cool!"
Jay slammed his glass down on the table and looked around.
"Look, the kid's doing a job few others can do. Don't keep asking him questions."
Claire nodded.
"You're right, Dad. We just want him to enjoy his time with his family."
Grant smiled at everyone.
"I'm enjoying it. This is what keeps me sane."
Everyone clinked glasses and continued talking.
Grant knew his time there was short, but he would enjoy every second before heading back into the unknown.
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