Task Force 87, a Special Operations Force from the United States Special Operations Command had trained for this day, but nothing could have prepared them for this mission. They had infiltrated an underground bunker and were looking for a high value target.

"God damn, I'm so cold," said Jesse.

"Just keep pieing those corners, bro," said Adam.

"We've been at this for hours, I can't keep going at this tempo," said Jesse.

"Fine. Let me get on the radio," said Adam.

Jesse leaned against a wall to take a breath, but kept his rifle and eyes peeled down the hallway. Adam pulled the mic of his radio to his frigid lips.

"Spartan 6, this is Spartan 3, come in over," said Adam over the radio.

"Spartan 3, this is Spartan 6, send your message, over," replied the company commander to Task Force 87, Major Frank Nevins.

"We got to change the tempo, we're dying over here, this place is much bigger than Intel estimated. It's dead, we've seen nothing for hours, " said Adam.

"Agreed. It's like an entire city down here, over," said Frank.

"Thanks, Spartan 6, out," said Adam. He turned to Jesse and handed him a thermos. "I think it's still warm."

Jesse took a sip of coffee from the thermos. "It's still warm, I can't believe it."

"Jesse, who names the task forces?" asked Adam.

"I guess it depends if the plan was prepared far in advance or last second. If it's a future operation plan it's probably the J35 shop and if it's a current operation plan it's the J33 shop," said Jesse.

"Oh. I've got to talk to them about renaming Task Force 87 to Task Force 69," said Adam.

"Right! That sounds like a great idea. You want something hotter? More sexy!" exclaimed Jesse.

"No. It's because we're always getting fucked," said Adam.

"They could name us the boner squad," said Jesse.

The two snickered.

Adam and Jesse have been best friends since they were children. They did everything together. Joined the Army and went to basic together. After graduation they applied for special forces selection. Lucky they were both permitted to attend selection and went through the whole pipeline together.

"You know doesn't 69 imply some kind of mutual gratification?" asked Jesse.

"Yeah. What's your point?" Adam took back his thermos and took a sip of still warm coffee.

"Well wouldn't a more accurate task force number be 71?" asked Jesse.

"I guess it does feel like we are getting raw dogged over a desk doggy style," said Adam as he took the last sip of coffee.

Stolen story; please report.

"Yeah," replied Jesse. His shoulders fell in acceptance.

"Yeah," replied Adam. His shoulders fell in acceptance, too.

They both for a second time looked at each other and said, "Yeah."

"Accept the suck and move on," said Frank over the radio. "You left the radio keyed. By the way, the command promised a little task force 99 afterwards. Out."

"99? What's a 99?" asked Jesse.

"Cuddling, bro," says Adam.

"Mandatory fun? Fuck! I hate mandatory fun, " said Jesse as he kicked a rock on the ground.

"Who knows, bro. Maybe the mandatory fun will be a task force 69," said Adam.

"I'm so lost now. Would we be giving each other 69?" asked Jesse.

"Bro. They always promise a 69 but it always ends up being a 71," said Adam.

"Why do we keep reenlisting?" asked Jesse.

"Maybe we don't understand our marketable skills?" rhetorically questioned Adam.

Jesse and Adam looked at each other for a moment and went back to the low ready.

The two special forces soldiers continued to walk and search from room to room. They glanced at their positioning system to track the other teams. A special positioning system using a multi spectrum analyzer was devised by the Skunk Works team for this mission. Global positioning satellites and telephone radio waves don't work this far underground. As they moved the new system built a map of the labyrinth and gave each member's location in real time.

For two more hours they searched. Jesse touched the next door. He froze and put up his hand to signal Adam to hold.

"Bro, this door is warm," said Jesse.

"Spartan 6, we've found a door that's warm. We think we've got something," said Adam over the radio

"Roger, Spartan 3. Spartan 1 and 2 back up Spartan 3. I'm also heading in that direction. All other elements continue, but be prepared to head to our location, over," said Frank.

All Spartan elements replied over the comms.

Within minutes Spartan teams 1 and 2 were coming around the corner. They were all performing a tactical walk, which is a light jog, but in a way that minimizes noise. The teams stacked up around the door. Frank's team came around the corner and signaled to move.

The element moved into the room fast, each member covering a sector. The walls of the room were covered in television screens. Each one had a different part of the world on surveillance. Some of them looked like low flying drone footage, others showed entire cities and some were observing people in their homes and offices.

At the end of the room was a large stone desk with a leather bound swivel chair. The chair was facing away from the desk to the rear wall.

Each member of the Spartan team turned on their rifle mounted lights and aimed it at the chair. They all walked around to the other side.

In the chair was a tiny bearded man in fancy elegant robes. He didn't seem to care that he was surrounded by armed men who currently were all aiming their weapons at his face and chest.

"Don't move," said a member of Spartan 1.

The tiny man blinked, "Well this is very rude. If you could get your bright lights out of my face. I'll consider taking an appointment, just let me clear my schedule."

The man waved in the air and a projected screen appeared in front of his face, as if it was coming out of nowhere.

"Move around my schedule and free up about 2 hours from now," said the tiny man.

"Look friend you're not going anywhere anytime soon," said Frank.

"Well that won't do. I have a very busy schedule," said the tiny man.

"We have no problem killing you if you try to leave," said Frank.

"I believe under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 as government employees you're bound by law to protect my life. There are punitive actions the government can take against you for violation. Such as imprisonment and large fines."

"The Endangered Species Act," Jesse said perplexed.

"Do you not know who you are after in this situation? It's no small task to reach me. Do you not know I am the last of my kind," said the tiny man.