The Former Marine

Derek had always believed in being prepared for whatever might come. Constant training, dangerous missions, and years of experience had taught him never to underestimate the enemy's next move. And in his view, few enemies offered as unpredictable and complicated a challenge as Russia.

After the Middle East operations, Derek began to study the geopolitical situation more closely. Although terrorism remained a priority, Russia had always been a powerful force on the global stage, rivaling the United States in many areas. Furthermore, behind the scenes of clandestine operations, he knew that American and Russian interests often clashed, even though publicly the two countries maintained a relatively quiet relationship.

It was during a quiet night, after returning from yet another successful operation, that Derek decided that the next step in his development would be to learn Russian. He knew that sooner or later, it would put him at an advantage in future missions.

Sitting in his barracks, Derek opened a book of basic Russian phrases he had purchased. He glanced at the cover with a faint sense of humor. A special forces operator, immersed in the intricacies of a new language. It's never too late to learn, he thought.

His first attempt to speak it out loud was clumsy. "Privet," he said, the greeting sounding strange in his mouth. He repeated it a few times, trying to get the accent right. Each mistake made him feel like a rookie again, stumbling over something that should have been simple.

Soon, his teammate Sam walked into the barracks and heard Derek struggling with his words.

"What the hell are you trying to do, Rogan?" Sam laughed, seeing his friend engrossed in his book.

"Russian," Derek replied without looking up, "I decided to learn it. You never know when you're going to have to deal with the Russians."

Sam stared at him for a moment in disbelief.

"Seriously? Of all the languages, you picked Russian?"

"It's a strategic language, Sam," Derek said, turning the page and trying to memorize a few more phrases. "They're a constant threat, and it could be a good tool for future missions. Imagine the impact of speaking their language in the field."

Sam laughed again, but nodded.

"That makes sense. But you know it'll take a while to be fluent, right?"

"I know," Derek said, finally looking up from his book. "But if I can understand simple commands, interact in some situations, and maybe hear what's being said around us, it'll be an advantage."

Sam walked over and looked at the book.

"Okay, so how do you say, 'We're surrounded by enemies, shoot them'?"

Derek laughed.

"Easy, one thing at a time. Let's start with 'hello' and then we'll move on to combat orders."

The next few months were filled with intensive training with the team and solitary study of Russian. Derek immersed himself in the language with the same determination he had in the field. He listened to recordings of native speakers, repeating words and phrases, and even began watching Russian programs with subtitles to get used to the rhythm and sound of the language.

His teammates sometimes joked about him becoming an undercover "Russian spy," but Derek ignored the taunts, focusing on the bigger picture. He knew that sooner or later, his new skill would be put to the test.

The opportunity came faster than he expected. One day, during an urgent briefing, the captain walked into the room with a serious expression on his face.

"Gentlemen, we've been called in for a joint mission," he said, looking at each of the operators in the room. "And this time, it's something big. We'll be working side by side with Delta Force."

Derek felt adrenaline rush through his body. Delta Force, known for its highly secretive and deadly missions, was one of the most respected elite units in the world. Working with them would be an honor, but also a great responsibility.

"The mission involves a terrorist cell that our intelligence suggests is receiving covert support from Russia," the captain continued. "They're in eastern Ukraine, and things could get complicated. We're going to need every resource we've got—both in terms of physical and linguistic skills."

Derek looked at the captain, sensing that his resolve to learn Russian was about to be tested.

"Rogan," the captain said, "I heard you've been studying Russian. Is that true?"

Derek nodded. "Yes, sir. I'm still far from fluent, but I understand the basics."

"Good," the captain replied, "because we might need it. There's a high probability that we'll encounter unofficial Russian forces, or at the very least, Russian-speaking civilians. We'll be counting on you to help with communications on the ground."

Derek nodded, already feeling the weight of responsibility mounting. This would be one of his biggest missions, and he was determined not to fail.

The infiltration into Ukraine was quick and silent. Along with Delta Force operators, Derek and his team moved toward a small mountain village where the terrorist cell was supposedly hiding. The tension in the air was palpable—they knew the area was teeming with Russian informants, and any false move could result in a heavy response from enemy forces.

As they approached the village, they heard voices in Russian coming from a nearby house. Derek, his nerves on edge, signaled for everyone to stop.

He gestured to the Delta Force team leader, who approached. "We have civilians or combatants inside," Derek whispered. "They're speaking Russian, discussing weapons movements."

The Delta leader nodded and trusted Derek to make the approach.

Derek took a deep breath and approached the door, knocking lightly before opening it, his gun drawn. Inside, a small group of men looked at him in surprise. For a moment, no one moved, and the air was thick with tension.

Derek, using the Russian he had learned, spoke calmly, "We're not here to hurt anyone. We need information."

The men hesitated, but one of them responded in Russian, clearly frightened. Derek realized that even with his imperfect pronunciation, he had managed to break through the initial barrier. They surrendered without resistance.

Back at base, after the successful completion of the mission, Derek felt proud of having put his new skills to use. He knew that his dedication to learning had made a difference, and now his team respected him even more for it.

"I'm not going to joke about your Russian lessons anymore," Sam said, patting Derek on the back. "You literally saved our asses back there."

Derek chuckled. "I guess it was worth the effort after all."

"Who knows what else you'll learn in the future," Jones said, smiling. "I just hope it's not Mandarin."

Derek smiled. He knew the future would bring even greater challenges, and now, more than ever, he was ready to face them.