The SEAL Admiral Asked Her Call Sign as a Joke — Until ‘Iron Widow’ Made Him Collapse in Shock
Chapter 6
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"I have no objection to Lieutenant Thade's suggestion," she replied calmly. "Battlefield conditions rarely conform to training parameters. Adaptability under pressure is a valuable skill to assess."Something in her response seemed to surprise both Thade and Coltrain, though for different reasons."Very well," Coltrain decided. "Tonight's evolution will feature direct competition between teams. Standard safety protocols remain in effect, but tactical approaches are at team leaders' discretion."As the operators dispersed to complete their preparations, Captain Reeve appeared beside Coltrain. "Interesting modification to the training schedule," she observed."Not my preference," Coltrain admitted. "But sometimes revealing moments emerge from unexpected situations.""Indeed they do, Commander," Reeve agreed, her gaze following Arwen as she moved efficiently through her pre-mission routine. "Sometimes that's precisely the point."The night infiltration evolution unfolded under a moonless sky—perfect conditions for the type of covert operations SEALs specialized in. Both teams inserted via fast rope from helicopters into densely forested terrain five miles from their objective: a simulated enemy communication center.Thade's team moved with aggressive confidence, taking the most direct approach possible while maintaining reasonable cover. Their progress was rapid and efficient, exactly what would be expected from experienced operators.Arwen's team, by contrast, seemed to disappear entirely. Their tracking beacons showed minimal movement for the first 30 minutes, causing the command center to wonder if they had encountered technical difficulties."Blackwood's team appears stationary," Admiral Hargrove noted with poorly concealed satisfaction. "Perhaps the terrain is proving more challenging than anticipated."Commander Coltrain studied the tactical display with professional interest. "Their position suggests they may be gathering intelligence rather than moving directly toward the objective.""Or they're stuck and too proud to call for assistance," the admiral suggested.Captain Reeve's expression remained neutral as she observed the tracking data. Only someone looking very closely might have noticed the slight tension around her eyes as the minutes ticked by with no apparent movement from Arwen's team.At the one-hour mark, Lieutenant Thade's team had covered nearly 70% of the distance to the objective, their progress textbook-perfect for a standard SEAL insertion."Thade will reach the objective at least 30 minutes before Blackwood's team even gets close," Admiral Hargrove predicted. "This should conclusively demonstrate the performance differential I've been documenting."The words had barely left his mouth when the tactical display erupted with alerts. The simulated enemy communication center, which should have been unaware of any approaching forces, had suddenly gone to high-alert status. All indicators showed they had detected Thade's team despite their textbook approach."What happened?" Hargrove demanded. "Did someone trip a sensor?"Commander Coltrain's brow furrowed as he studied the incoming data. "Negative. The alert appears to have been triggered by communications intercept, not physical detection."As they watched, Thade's team was forced into defensive positioning, their planned approach now compromised. The element of surprise essential to mission success was completely lost."Where the hell is Blackwood's team?" the admiral asked, scanning the tactical display for their position.The answer came moments later as new alerts flashed across the screen. The communication center's security systems were failing in sequence, their carefully designed defenses disabled by what appeared to be a coordinated electronic and physical breach from an unexpected vector.