Summer, another hunting season in southern Florida wetland.
Gun blast rent the air, and the boat engines started to roar. Cross J. Harry was struggling with the rope in his hands; on the other side of it, came the splashing muddy water, and a writhing dark green monster.
"Shot missed! Again, hurry! Screw this motherfucker! "Cross shouted gravely.
"Aiming, aiming! Steady!" His partner and his son, Neville, a big fat guy, was holding his breath and his Ruger 10/22 rifle, seeking another opportunity to shoot the monster in the head.
"Neville, the fuck are you doing?! "
"Now!"
The deafening gun blast rent the air again, and the water finally calmed down.
"Well, it's eleven feet long - maybe eleven and a half - that's a big shot." Cross sighed with relief, and tapped Neville's shoulder, "Splendid job today, son. Seven games, that will do." He slowly walked to the bow, "Get the engine, I'm riding shotgun." And threw himself onto the seat, "Need some goddamn rest."
The Blackhawk 2170 hunting boat swiftly turned around, dash through the wetland and the golden drizzling sunlight.
Back to his own wharf, their first thing to do was to unload the alligators and to peel off the skins; usually a larger and more intact skin meant a better selling price. As for the meat, it would be a delicacy on the dining table. Of course, before everybody sat down and enjoyed it at the sunset, there would be tons of work to do.
"Five feet and a half, six feet and a quarter, that's it. " The buyer folded his notebook and started to prepare the rig.
"So how many notes in it?" Cross asked.
"Let me see, hm" the buyer stopped and thought for a while, "see if you can keep the skin intact, it's up to 1200 dollars, at most — Oh, the meat and intestines, you still keep them? Like before?"
"Yeah, keeping the goodies in-house, you know. And by the way…"
"Hey, Crock, someone behind the crib wants to see ya." The conversation was interrupted by another hunter.
"It's Cross," Cross spoke with displeasure, "What guy?"
The hunter threw up his hand, "Dunno, sweetie, guy driving a Corvette, definitely not one of the yee-yaw folks. Said he's a friend of ya."
Taking off the rubber gloves, Cross slowly walked through the car park. And finally, a Corvette C8 arrived outside of the entrance; a 6-ft-tall man got out and stood alongside it. When he saw Cross, he immediately stood at attention, like a soldier waiting for orders.
Cross gazed at him up and down. Buzzcut, grey eyes, with short grey sleeves; black jeans, black 511 mil-boots, and tons of muscles on his body – quite a fresh and clean look, typical military man style. Indeed, that man looked quite similar to one of his colleagues decades ago, but not that similar.
"Excuse me? Do I know you? " Cross decided to ask.
"It's Jensen Callahan, sir."
"Jensen? Jensen 'Stone Eye' Callahan?" An expression of pleased surprise slowly emerged on Cross' face and pushed all his fatigue away.
"Yes, sir."
"My, my, there you are, kid. It's been a while!" Cross shook his hand with excitement, then gave him a forceful hug. Although Jensen was much sturdier than Cross, he still almost lost his breath during the hug.
After that, Jensen snapped for attention again, and saluted, "Sergeant Jensen Callahan, served 388th 'Spectral' Company, Able Platoon, reporting for duty, sir!"
"At ease, soldier" Cross nodded, "but seriously, Jenny, what brought you here?"
"Well, got a vacation, wasn't that hard to find you. And same rules, command authority shifts every 5 years you know, now it's my turn."
"A pawn becomes a general, huh? Congratulations, kid — just wait a sec" Cross picked up his raging phone, "Neville?"
"It's all set dad, where are you? We are going to the slaughterhouse."
"You get the gators to the slaughterhouse, Tommy will tow the boat back home. I'll catch up later." He hanged up the phone and pointed the Corvette with his jaw, "Y'all coming? We got fresh gators for meal tonight, with lots of Cognac and Coronas. "
"Sure, why not? I'll drive, sir."
"No, no no no no no." Cross rushed forward and stopped Jensen from getting into the driver's seat and smiled, "This time, I'll drive."
Jensen was a little embarrassed and momentarily speechless. His ex-superior did not act like a tough brave soldier anymore, but rather a rejuvenated Peter Pan.
"This is an order, Jenny. The key — Please? "
"Yes, sir. All yours, sir." Jensen laughed with relief.
Minutes later, the 6.2 litre V8 engine started to grumble thunderously. It drove all the way down, then cruised behind Neville's convoy.
“This is not a Willey Jeep or Humvee, sir. Just don't drive it off-road.”
"So, you are still in the game, huh?" Cross tilted his head to Jensen, "How is the team going since it has been designed officially as an independent JSOC unit? "
Jensen said, "Actually, three."
"What? It got expanded?" Cross was a little bit surprised.
"Yeah. 1991, the year you retired, 388th Combined Operation Group was reorganized into 819th Special Airborne Group, joining the Gulf War. Then in 2003, it was expanded into SFOD-Echelon, Foxtrot and Golf, subordinated to JSOC. All company-sized, gathered around as Task Force 000. No more ASOC shit, I have had enough with those big fat unrepented intellectual equipment. So yeah, I will take charge in July. "
"Wow, that's nearly a battalion! What's your rank now, son? "Cross asked.
"OF-8, Lieutenant General, 18A. A grade Higher than the Head of D-boys. "
"A grade higher than me before, too."
"Just don't tell that to your son or anybody, ok? Damn I just broke the confidential laws."
"And I will just throw you into solitary, hahahaha. "Cross laughed wildly.
"Sir, with respect, fuck you." Jensen burst into laughing too.
"What about the old guys then? " Cross stopped laughing and tried to change the subject, "How many of them are still in? "
"Not many left" Jensen shook his head with a heavy complexion, "KIA, MIA, retired, most of them drifted apart from each other. It's just me leading a bunch of new blood now."
"What about the bacteria guy? With thousands of diseases inside and outside his body? I always wanted to ask about him. What's his name? ummmmm…" Cross was caught into a sudden memory loss.
"You said you cared about him, and you can't even remember his name, sir?" Jensen teased, "it's Wesley, Sterilize Wesley — and yeah, he's still in the camp. But Jesus, things are looking blue, he's not getting out his quarantine chamber for a while."
"Why?"
"I head to Fort Derick every year to check him out. Guy surrounded by tons of researchers now. They still can't find the cure, and they told me that the bacteria and fungus diseases he's carrying are just getting more and more deadly, year after years, thousands of them! "
"Listen, Jenny" Cross patted on Jensen's shoulder and sighed deeply, "bring my words to him, I always got his back, just don't give up."
"Of course, that's why I'm here! "Jensen said, "He still remembers you, sir, said he wants to see you again all the time, the best commander of the 388th ever! "
"I didn't know I got that loads of charisma." Cross smiled.
"You did, sir. The Cambodia score, 1970, remember? "
"I did. I witnessed his power that time. Charlie platoon got compromised, and he was captured. When they tortured him, beat him, and chop his fingers off, they spread those disease unconsciously. 48 hours later, 2000 Vietcoms in that area just melted into jellos. When we found him, he was covered in bump and scars, drinking water beside a river. Then? The water carried the diseases all the way down, killling another 400 VCs' and civies. In the end, we had to send the 'King Star' signal, letting the B52s to stop the spread. "
"That's not the point." said Jensen gravely, "You hugged him! When you found him, you stripped off the NBC gear, and hugged him! With respect, sir, what was in your mind that day? You could have died! "
Cross scratched his head and laughed, "Don't ask me that, son. Right here, and right now, I'm still intact! "
"3, miles, to destination. 200, yards ahead, turn, right." The cold electronic female voice suddenly brought out something in Cross' mind.
"Hey, what about the Linnaeus and Vasil? Linnaeus first."
"Linnaeus? You mean Dawn 'Treegirl' Linnaeus? Well, she went back to England in 1996 and is now owning a florist, selling flowers. Peaceful and quiet. Not much to say." Jensen laid his head on his hand.
"Good, and Petrit Vasil? That Albanian lunatic. "
"He is…a little complicated. He left in 1996 too and joined an Albanian gang in NYC. Human trafficking, drug dealing shit, and all sorts of grubby affairs all the time."
"Well, where did they bury him? " Cross asked.
"Don't know yet, but if you find a scorched car wreck containing scorched muscles somewhere in mid-western desert — or, mutilated thick limbs in a dustbin somewhere, that's probably him. "
Cross shrugged, "Not gonna be surprised. I mean, Linnaeus was the only female in the team for a long time, and Vasil harassed her most. "
Then Jensen suddenly burst into laugher, "You know what? Every time you were not on scene to stop them, they brawled with each other. And Linnaeus always won. "
"Oh really? That was Vasil! A man that can swing a M40 recoiless rifle with a tripod on it like a baseball bat! How did she do that? "
"She just turned her arms into rough tree trunk some sort and smash them into Vasil's head. Poor guy didn't even have a chance. "
"Nah, hahahaha."Cross joined the laugh too.
"Thing is, you know what did Linnaeus say about him? Every time she was beating him? "
"Uncivilized Twat? I heard some of these. "Cross asked tentatively.
"And useless wanker. "
"Oh, no, hahahaha…"
Laugher stopped and the two became silent.
"What a crazy time, wasn't it? "
The convoy cruised down the road, and the reminiscence began.
It was their memories, their stories.

History and Histories

The History
The Stories

The Task Force Easy X-ray(1930-1949)

During the 1930s, the US ARMY started to undergo motorized reform and reorganization to response to future threats. During this era, the then CGS. General Lester j. McNair and ICI. Maj. Gen. Edward Croft firstly introduced the concept of " Unconventional Warfare". By enlisting, hunting, and pillaging paranormal individuals and entities all around the world, McNair attempted to establish an experimental infantry group that could significantly enhance the divisional combat capabilities. After the Louisiana Maneuver, said paranormal infantry battlegroup proved the value of the concept, and was pre-nominated as "The A Group". However, due to the instability in manpower, The A Group did not participate the World War II with its full strength until June. 6, 1944, entering Normandy; it was then officially named "Task Force Easy X-ray", which stands for Task Force Experimental.
During Operation Overlord, The TF-EX directly commanded by JCS, was specialized in a number of roles including covert reconnaissance, POW rescue, assassination and sabotage,.
After the War, the TF-EX remained its formation and original staffing. Despite the great disarmament put into effect, the team still posessed the most advanced equipment and took heaviest training.

388th Special Operations Company "Spectral" (1950-1960)

Communism and Anti-Colonialism were both the main ideological themes in the 1950s. In order to respond to the uprising threat of USSR and the SCP Foundation, the TF-EX enlarged its establishment once again, eventually resulting in a reinforced company-sized Special Operations Force - the 388th SOC "Spectral". By playing a significant role in Korean War, First Indochina War and Algerian War (as a mil-inspection force), the SOC had gradually taken shape and stabilized its concept of Warfare.
Earlier in 1948, the team already encountered a new enemy. Although they had the brand-new Electronic Warfare Technology to rely on, the future remained uncertain.

388th Special Air Cavalry Troop "Sky Spectral" (1961-1981)

In 1954, the "Sky Cavalry" concept was firstly introduced by Maj. Gen. James M. Gavin, DRDWD. It was immediately used as an example by the then SOC Commander, Maj. Gen. Ken Billund. By reinforcing the 340th Helicopter squardron and 432nd Tactical Fighter and Transport Squadron to the team, the 388th SOC had officially been designated as the 388th SACT, now one of the most powerful SOF in US military. "Swift, Sharp and Sufficient" were the core values of the Sky Spectrals during the Vietnam War and the late 1970s.
Meanwhile, the new enemy finally emerged to the surface - GRU Motorized Infantry Division, NATO codename "Edelweiss". Number designation: Unknown, troop structure: unknown, conflict frequency : increasing. The 388th SACT, and even the whole NATO military system, were facing an entirely new level of challenge.

388th Combined Operations Group "Modular Spectral" (1982-1990) — (High-Tech Motorized Division program experimental unit)

In 1981, The Red Army launched The West-81 Maneuver and demonstrated the "incomparable" conventional assaulting abilities to the NATO. Outwardly strong yet inwardly weak, the Soviet Union was having turbulent political scene splashing through the Kremlin. Power shifts, endless proxy wars, and disastrous economic reforms - all of these were pushing USSR to be less stable. The tension was raised to its second peak during the Cold War.
In order to counterstrike at any moment, US ARMY accelerated to establish the Division 86, HTTB and HTMD program, and the 388th SACT was undoubtedly one of the first troops to reorganize. By switching various types of most advanced equipment and fire support resources, the 388th COG is capable of launching direct air-sea-land and Anti-Terrorism operations under all circumstances.

819th Special Airborne Group "Orbital Spectral" (1991-2002)

In 1989, due to the termination of the HTMD experimental program, it was decided that the long-tested 388th COG would be transformed into an airborne special force unit. In the end, it determined that the Spectral Force would be reorganized (for the 4th time) as the 819th Special Airborne Group (SAG) after internal personnel changes; it participated in several overseas interventions, including the Gulf War and the Kosovo War.
At the same time, due to the disappearance of the inherent enemy, the Soviet Union, the orientation of the unit's next generation mission went into another period of confusion, which lasted more than 10 years.

Task Force 000 (2003-present)

[Classified]

After 9/11, the U.S. Army invaded Afghanistan and Iraq, beginning a 20-year-long War on Terrorism. Albeit being an unprecedentedly weak enemy, an unprecedented number of potential threats put the U.S. Army's multi-front capabilities to the test. As a result, the 819th SAG (which was already part of USSOCOM) was formally separated from the Army in 2002, becoming one of the JSOC's independent battalion units; it contained three integrated operations groups: SFOD-Echelon, Foxtrot and Golf. This formation remains in place today.

Coming soon……