"Madina Lake - House Of Cards"

France - 1913

Beni couldn't believe he was doing this.

"Next!"

The sergeant called as everyone moved up in line. Looking up at the ceiling fans whirling above him. Feeling his heart begin to hurt, he breathed deeply. Walking over, he lowered his eyes feeling scared and nervous. The man behind the desk was dressed in his uniform and was in the middle of writing something down.

"Name?"

"Gabor, Beni."

"Is that short for anything?"

"No sir."

Beni said in a slightly scared voice. The sergeant glanced up before looking Beni over. Today he was finally turned nineteen. Having been on the streets for nearly a year now, he decided to do the one last thing there was to do. With his parents dead, he knew if he kept living like this…stealing and cheating, he wouldn't live to see twenty. As afraid as he was of joining the French Foreign Legion, he knew it was the only thing really left to do. Perhaps he would die knowing he at least tried to do something useful in his pathetic life.

The man then handed him a form.

"Go into the next line, the doctor will check you out."

Beni felt panic jump inside him, what if the doctor could tell he had a heart condition? Trying his hardest to avoid eye contact with the sergeant, he took the paper and moved over towards the other line where men waited.

"You don't look like you belong here."

Beni turned and saw the man standing in line in back of him. He was tall, brown hair and gray eyes. Right away Beni knew he was American. Holding out his hand he smiled.'

"Rick O'Connell…visitor from American."

Beni slowly shook his hand, right away he knew if O'Connell squeezed hard enough, he might break every single bone in his fingers.

"Beni Gabor, visitor from most of the middle East."

"Hungarian?"

Beni nodded.

"How did you know?"

"Your accent, your English is very good."

Beni tried to smile.

"Sadly my talents for knowing almost every language hasn't helped me out in my lifetime."

"So now fighting for France?"

Beni nodded.

"Well Beni, good luck to you…maybe we'll be in the same team."

"I would suppose that would be nice O'Connell."

Both men laughed before the doctor called Beni away.

A few minutes later the doctor had Beni sit behind a curtain and take his shirt off. There he listened to his heartbeat. Breathing deeply, Beni prayed the doctor wouldn't notice. A few moments later the doctor stood up and smiled.

"Nervous son?"

"Yes…very much so."

The doctor laughed before walking over to his desk and witting something down in a file.

"You'll be fine, your serving us well…here's your last form, they can fit you for a uniform and have you armed by this afternoon."

Beni sighed with relief before putting his shirt back on. The doctor handed him two papers.

"Your base number is also here, you'll most likely be stationed through the middle East."

"That's perfectly fine with me sir."

The doctor smiled before Beni walked away. Finding the line for uniform fittings outdoors, he stood in the back alley as people past them. Men were all lined up waiting before stepping into the back door. Waiting, Beni glanced at people walking by, most of them homeless.

Just then…

He saw a girl.

She couldn't be older then twelve. Dressed in a dirty white sundress, she walked down the cobblestone barefooted. Just then a pair of drunks followed her. Beni watched from a distance, waiting to see if the girl's mother might be close by. After a few moments it hit him that she must have been an orphan. There were tons of them on the streets of Paris. Most of them barley staying alive. Beni watched as the men snuck up behind her, laughing and trying to lift up her dress. The girl screamed, pushing them away before one of the men raised his hand to slap her.

"Hey!"

Beni shouted from in line, a few men who were standing with him turned. Right away the two men bothering the girl looked over. Beni's eyes then went serious before leaving the line and marching right up to them.

Both men stood there facing him before he stopped.

"Do you like bothering children?"

"Hey why don't you mind your own matters and leave us alone!"

Without any warning, Beni swung over and punched the first man right in the jaw. Flying backwards onto the street, the other man looked at Beni before running away. Beni looked down at the man, holding his bleeding mouth before he knelt down.

"Get out of here."

The man quickly stumbled to his feet and ran in the opposite direction. A few men who had been waiting in line with Beni cheered and clapped. Beni then turned towards the girl.

"You all right?"

She slowly nodded.

"Thank you…"

Beni then looked around.

"Do you live around here?"

She slowly shook her head.

"I don't have a home…"

"Then here…"

Beni took one of his gold chains off from around his neck. The five or so necklaces he had once belonged to his father. Having grown up being taught many different religions, he kept them as good luck charms. In fact these dirty old chains were really the only nice thing he had.

He handed her the small cross.

"I couldn't…"

The girl backed up a step shaking her head. Beni still held it out.

"Listen, it will buy you a nice warm meal…take it."

Slowly the girl took it from his hand before looking up at him.

"Thank you…"

"Beni, what's your name?"

"Dorothea…"

Both locked eyes and Beni could of sworn at that exact moment he fell in love. Her innocent little face, her wide brown eyes, and dirty blond hair. Looking at this child, Beni truly believed there really was still beauty in this awful world.

She's a child.

He told himself in the back of his mind. Dorothea then smiled.

"You have very beautiful eyes, like an angel."

Beni laughed, slightly embarrassed.

"Is that so?"

"Oh yes…I've never seen eyes that color before."

"Their rare where I come from."

Dorothea stared up at him amazed before a group of children ran past her. All dirty and dressed in rags. One boy with a torn newsboy hat turned towards her.

"Dorothea, their throwing bread out at the market! Let's go!"

Dorothea watched as her friend ran away before looking at Beni. Throwing her arms around his waist she tightly hugged him before standing on her tiptoes. Barley able to reach his stubby neck, she kissed him and blushes. Beni stood back stunned.

Smiling she ran off with the others and disappeared.

Beni breathed deeply before smiling and going back in line. There O'Connell now stood, somewhat amused.

"That was some show."

Beni shrugged before looking at his paper.

"Are you in squad 67?"

O'Connell laughed.

"You too?"

Both men laughed as they moved up in line.