"I thought I told you this was a one way trip!" captain Price yelled at Nikolai, while pulling Soap towards the helicopter.

"It looks like it still is! They will be looking for you, you know," Nikolai run to help Price with wounded Soap.

"Nikolai – we gotta get Soap outta here,"

"Da – I know a place…" they got Soap to the helicopter and Nikolai ran to the helm to take off.

"Scar!" Nikolai yelped, "help them out!"

"You bet!" a tall brunette ran pass him and sit next to Soap, who was lying on the seat and bleeding heavily, "you missed me guys?" girl with a USMC badge opened the medical bag and helped Price take care of wounded Soap.

"Scarlett…" Soap whispered and focused on her.

"So, you got him?" she looked at Price. He nodded: "He's down."

"Yeah he is…" Soap added, gathering his remaining powers to stay conscious.

"And what do we do now?"

"Now, we need to get Soap repaired," Price was able to stop the bleeding and temporary patched Soap up. Scar grabbed Soap's hand: "Don't worry mate, you'll be just fine."

Soap closed his eyes and in that moment he knew he will be.

3 weeks later

Location: Pretoria, South Africa

A group of four was sitting in the bar. Zach, Archer, Soap and Scar. There was couple of bottles on the table, some of them already empty. The group had apparently a lot of fun.

"So let me get this straight," Archer looked at Scar with laugh, "you killed a man with a frozen fish?"

"That bastard tossed me into the freezer and the first thing I grabbed was a frozen fish! So yes, I killed a man with the frozen fish," Scar was trying to keep it together, but a certain amount of alcohol and the actual thought of Pakistani going down after direct hit with a frozen fish filet, caused her bursting into tears of laughter.

"Hmm… Pakistan has its magic…" Soap added and lit his cigar. He was floating in his mind. His thoughts brought him back to that helicopter three weeks ago. Back to that suicide mission he and Price managed to survive. He could not believe they actually succeeded. After being hunted by two most dangerous and powerful men on the Earth and being considered traitors to their allied armies they are here now. With handful of friends, remaining members of the legendary Task Force 141, they cleared their names, but there was still something missing that could make them being considered heroes. They killed Shepherd. They killed Makarov. Now it was time to calm down the ripped world.

"Price!" Scar interrupted Soap's thinking. Captain Price appeared in the door of the dusty bar. He was not alone. A tall dark man walked with him to the table where the group was sitting.

"Ned!" she shouted even louder when she recognized her brother.

Price looked at her and then at Zach, the fourth member of the group. "Is she drinking…?" Price asked carefully.

"It seems so…" Zach shrugged.

"But she doesn't drink…" Price was trying to put it together. Scar never drinks. She never smokes. She never breaks the rules. She is the perfect example of military discipline. Well, at least what is considered to be a military discipline in the books. Reality was usually different.

"Nope, she doesn't. I'm really looking forward to the morning…" Zach grinned devilishly.

Price smiled, but stayed cool. He turned to the group. "Listen up! I have some good news and some bad news…"

"Bad news first," group replied almost unanimously.

"Ok. So your vacation is over. Enjoy the rest of the night, tomorrow 10 am sharp we are leaving on assignment," Price raised his hand to avoid them objecting. They were definitely going to object. "I know you got here just today, but we are needed elsewhere. Hopefully after this one, you will be provided with fulltime holiday. Trust me, I would also use a day off, but that's not how it works." Price looked at the rest of the table. Soap was sitting silently; Scar moved one chair closer to her brother.

"And the good news…?" Archer looked at Price.

"Well, since last weeks were really hard on all of us and the army didn't pay us a bloody penny we decided to fix this little problem," Price looked at Ned.

"Remember the Shepherd's blank check?" Ned entered the speech and looked at others. All of them nodded. "I managed to hook us up with a small amount of money out of it. I have created a bank account in Switzerland for each of you and transferred the money there-"

"What exactly is 'a small amount of money'," Zach interrupted him. Everybody was asking the same question.

"Hundred grand," Ned answered. "Each."

"That's what I'm talking about!" Zach nodded in approval.

"I will drink to that!" Archer raised his glass. The rest of them did the same.

"You are the best bro', bro'!" Scar clapped Ned on his back and drunk her glass of whiskey. Ned was former US navy seal. Currently he was working for USMC as military tactic expert and occasional supplier for special forces. He and Scar were raised by their father, famous General Macintosh. Raised... As typical army brats they were moving from place to place, attending military schools so it was just matter of time, when they decided to join army as well. Ned was older and decided to join the Navy. For Scar it was harder. She was a woman, so she needed to prove herself as the best military material. She eventually joined Marines, so her father became her boss. Shepherd was not a stranger to her either. Actually it was Shepherd who took the post of Lieutenant General after when Macintosh died. That is why she could not believe how badly he fooled and betrayed everyone. What he did to their country. What he did to them. What he did to her...

"Ease off that liquor, soldier!" Ned laughed at his slightly intoxicated sister.

"For the last time…" Scar punched him in shoulder, "I am a marine!"

Soap laughed and then looked at Price. "So what is it tomorrow?"

"We need to escort our troops from south-western Russia. They have some troubles with local rebels who still believe Zakhaev rules the world… Those need to be proved wrong." Price lit his cigar.

"I see…" Soap nodded and looked at Scar. She meanwhile fell asleep with her head on the table. "I guess we should go to bed now…" He added.

"That seems like a good idea," Price nodded. Soap arose and walked to sleeping Scar.

"You're staying at the hotel?" Archer asked Ned.

"No, we are about to leave now. Nikolai will pick you guys up tomorrow at ten. Be sharp." Ned answered Archer's question and then looked at Price. "Shall we go now?"

Price nodded. He also raised and went to the bar to pay for their drinks. Soap took Scar and flipped her over his shoulder. The hotel they were staying in was across the street.

"See you tomorrow, sir." Zach said goodbye and left the bar. The rest of the group dismissed into the night.

Soap put Scar into the bed. She was sleeping deeply and nothing seemed to wake her up. Soap sat on the edge of the bed and stayed with her for a while. He was thinking a lot about her in last few weeks. They met five years ago, during the joint operation of SAS and USMC. He and captain Price were supposed to co-op with her, Griggs, Zach and others… Soap had troubles understanding how a woman could be a part of the team. But soon he realized Scar was better than a lot of servicemen he ever met. Hell, she took Roach down while on a training. After she joined Task Force 141 they worked together very often. And now, after everything that happened, he knew that she was one of the very few people he could trust.

Soap stood up and left to other room. He laid down on a coach and closed his eyes.