The room was dark. The only light was from the center of the room. It encircled a table and chair and that chair had one occupant sitting with their head resting on their arms, face down. David Said looked at the occupant through the glass mirror with a bland expression. From the looks of things, the occupant of the chair had been through this before; there was no instance of panic or questioning about where they were. Then again operatives were trained for interrogation.

"So are we gonna do this or not?"

Said looked at his partner, Pope, and tried to dispel the fact that he thought his ass wipe was too gung ho to be involved in the interrogation of a Shadow Protocol operative. He had heard rumors himself but his superiors thought him to be the best. He replied, "I'm going to do this. You're going to observe. Come on."

Said opened the door and walked into the interrogation room. His entrance as well as Pope's barely caused a stir from the… was prisoner the right word? The only thing the occupant said was, "Another round for the senior management."

Said took in the occupant who hadn't bothered to lift their head. In fact it looked like he was going to be ignored for his pains as he took the seat opposite of the prisoner. He put the file on the table, ready to use it when necessary. He replied, "Why don't we just have a conversation first?"

"Because that is not what you are after," the prisoner said, still not lifting their head. "Tell me something: are you here for the truth or are you going to waste my time?"

"And what is it that you think is the truth? Because we have what is here from 2011 with Zakhaev all the way through with Makarov and the incident at the Moscow airport that led to invasion and war. We have that we were betrayed." Said studied the prisoner and watched as their fingers tapped on the table.

"Betrayed? That is a convenient word to throw around when it suits someone expendable." The prisoner lifted their head to reveal a set of hazel green eyes and auburn hair drawn back. It was easy to see that it was shoulder length and fairly thick. Her skin was creamy but tanned and no doubt from her work in the field.

Said took in her appearance. He had only known her by a protocol number and didn't even know the gender until he heard her voice. The voice was now put with a face and he was surprised by it. He didn't let it show as he looked at her. He asked, "So you think you were betrayed?"

"One could look at it that way. Depends on what you are looking for."

"Murdered general, rogue operatives… How could that not be betrayal?"

"You have your reports. You don't need me to tell you what you already know."

Said was interested and countered, "So why not tell me what I don't know?"

The prisoner looked at him with a look that was unusual. She replied, "I know plenty and then some. Like I said, it depends on what you are interested in. Do you have an open mind?"

"Pretty hard to have one when information is coming from an operative in league with wanted terrorists," Said replied, hoping to get a rise out of the prisoner.

"What terrorists?" The prisoner looked at Said. "Like I said, convenient to throw around when one is expendable."

Pope was getting impatient and interrupted by slamming his palm on the table and demanded, "Enough. Tell us where your partners are!"

The prisoner looked at Pope with a bemused expression, "Oh the bad cop. Try that on someone else. I spent time in a gulag." She looked back at Said and asked him, "Is this what you're relegated to Said? Teaching ass wipes how to 'break' someone like me?"

Pope was getting angry and would have said something had Said not stopped him. He motioned for Pope to leave followed with a warning to go. He waited until Pope left the room before resuming, "Senior management wants to know what happened."

"I know that Said. They wouldn't have sent you if they didn't." The prisoner folded her arms and leaned back to look up at the ceiling. "You know, I came in willingly but a dead general with an impeccable record is easier to believe than someone who is trained to deal in lies and information. So I don't feel like talking right now."

"You've been here for two days. We can keep you indefinitely."

"I know that. Like I said, depends on the open mind… if there is one."

Said looked away and thought. The file said it all but he had questions. He had been an interrogator and was considered the best but he was also an investigator. He had read the reports but he wasn't satisfied with it. In truth, he wanted to know more and he got the feeling that was why this operative was asking the questions the way she was and her refusal to talk. He said, "Look, I don't think you're anything like what I found."

"I don't even exist."

"Fine. What I meant was that the people you were with… I don't think they are what they are made out to be. I want to know more."

The prisoner sat forward to inspect Said. He was well aware that they were both scrutinizing each other to look for the lies and the truth. "And what is it that you think that I could give you Said?"

"The truth," Said replied. "You have nothing to lose since you walked through the front door. Last reports were that they are dead. I want to know your side."

The prisoner took in Said's expression. No doubt she knew him well as an interrogator. She had mentioned him by name. Said hoped that she would see the earnest desire to know the truth in his eyes. She asked, "Why?"

"Because you are the missing piece."

"No."

"Don't you want your story told?"

"Level with me Said. Your responses are laced with truth but they do hold the company line in there."

Said sighed as he looked at her and thought that she should be the interrogator, not him. He had to admire her persistence and to a degree understood where she was coming from. He replied, "I think… I think that there is more to what is in the reports. I don't believe that your friends would ever betray what they stood for."

"Many think we did and I don't even exist. What do you hope to gain?"

"What do you hope gain? You were the one that came in of your own free will," Said pointed out.

The prisoner smiled and nodded, "Touché, Said. However I think we both know that what I have to say will be disregarded."

"Not if I have anything to say about it."

The prisoner nodded in agreement and replied, "You are well respected Said. The interrogators of the gulags envy you. But there is still a chance."

"Possibility but this is your chance. Tell me everything you know," Said replied. He leaned forward to look the prisoner in the eye.

"Aren't you worried that I would make it up as I go? I am a liar by trade."

Said shrugged his shoulders and countered with, "Why would you lie? You claim to have the truth. I want to hear it."

The prisoner smiled as she put her elbows on the table. She propped her chin on her hands and looked at Said. "Then you will need to hear the whole story."

Said nodded and pulled out a tape recorder. He wanted a complete record of everything. "Then tell me your story."

"It is not just mine but that of who served…"

My name is Nicolette Walker and I am operative S64 under the Shadow Protocol. As an operative my job was to employ back channels and stave off disaster. It was the same thing that the members of Task Force 141, now disavowed, did. I didn't find them… they found me and together we fought to rid the world of those that would see our way of life destroyed.

It is said that 141 turned traitor; that Captains Price and MacTavish were killers and terrorists and they betrayed everything they stood for. In truth… we were the ones that were betrayed and called loose ends. They say that history is written by the victor. We were overshadowed by the victor but we still lived, still fought. The world was after us but in the end, we did what had always been our objective: to secure the world against the terrorists; the dark side of any nation. This is what the 141 did and this is our story…

Call of Duty: Scars of Duty

Chapter 1

The city was rapidly deteriorating as Nicolette predicted. Khaled Al-Asad had taken over the country in a coup de etat in an effort to restore the nation to the glory it once had under its old monarchy. They had said that it wouldn't happen but she had insisted and that was based on the Intel she had collected and exchanged with contacts in the region. She had seen the signs and that was from her analysis of the region as well as global analysis.

It wasn't a coincidence that the civil war in Russia was going on the same time the coup in the Middle East. She saw it as a strategically organized movement for something big. What it was, she wasn't sure but at the moment she was certain that an alliance had been made. The Ultranationalist party of Russia's party line was similar to that of Al-Asad; the west was an evil influence that must be eliminated. If anything they were the two prime candidates for an alliance united by the same ideals and it would be a win-win.

In Russia it was a fight over a fairly strong nuclear program and if the Ultranationalists had someone like Al-Asad, they had powerful financial backing. Al-Asad would have one of the greatest weapons in the world to hurl at his greatest enemy. Definitely they would unite. The problem is that there was no face and name to the Ultranationalist party as far as she could find and she went through the source most wouldn't think. She followed the money.

When she joined the Company she was brought in as an analyst. Basically she was someone to stay behind a desk and analyze whatever she was given. Unfortunately when she spent her time at the farm, she impressed someone and she was made a field operative. Having read Tom Clancy novels growing up, she had a laugh at her situation but took to it surprisingly well. The orders were simple and that was to gain Intel, analyze it and send it in; in short report from the frontlines.

It worked out well and then she was given the task of watching Al-Asad. That was her doing since she was the one that pointed out that he was rapidly gaining support and power with the military and the ultraconservative part of the population. She was scoffed at since the higher up analysts disagreed stating that Al-Asad didn't have the support he needed to take over the nation. It put her at a standoff until she received the call from SP001. She had already been working but the order was given as a means of stating that she was to do what she had to do. Unfortunately she was on her own and that was not a good thing.

Sitting in the chair she was tied to she looked at the television of the events going on. Al-Asad was going on about the evils of the west and that the president had catered to that. In effect he was destroying their culture and way of life. The west was full of evils and… blah… blah.

Nicolette blinked as she watched, listening. She could speak and understand Arabic having taken the intensive language courses to supplement her knowledge of several other languages. She needed it when she did what she did on this assignment. She watched until the unit was turned off and she looked up at the one who was looking at her as he turned it off. She blinked at him and took in his smug face but didn't say a word.

"So… what do you have to say?"

Nicolette looked at the television that had been turned off and then at her interrogator. The only other person in the room was the guard and he had some firepower on him. She was tied to the chair by her wrists and upper arms. They didn't tie her legs but then again they probably didn't expect much out of her and in their minds, they had the gun and it was trained on her.

She had been captured trying to send important info to her contact in Russia. He was to get it to his friends and hopefully stave off disaster before the worst came to pass. They were Russian; that much was obvious and given the nature of things, they were with the Ultranationalists. It was only further proof that her predictions were correct and she was right smack in the middle of it.

It seemed that her captor was expecting an answer. He had asked her in English in a thick accent. She replied in Russian, "Seems that things are going well." It had been uttered in sarcasm since this was what she had wanted to avoid.

The backhand was expected for that and her captor said, "Of course they are well. We persevered in spite of your efforts."

"I really don't know what you are talking about."

"Don't lie, bitch. You were caught sending information to the enemy. In our eyes you are a traitor." He paced a little bit as he glanced at her. "You sent information about an important shipment that is needed for the cause."

"Again that is something I don't know," Nicolette replied in Russian. She looked up at her captor. She was sporting a split lip and the beginnings of a few nasty bruises on her face. She had been a virtual pain in the ass but she wasn't going to give up secrets like that. "I was sending crucial financial information per request from…"

"That is a lie. You accessed restricted files."

Nicolette looked at her captor and then his guard. She couldn't see the face but the stature was clear. She knew what she did but that didn't mean that she had to admit it. As she had been told when she first had been selected, if the enemy ever found out what she actually did, then they had failed.

You are the best we have.

But I'm just an analyst, sir

And more than that.

"Who is your contact? Who did you give the files to?"

Nicolette blinked as she looked at her captor. Her lip twitched while trying to moisten her mouth and she could feel the cut on her lip. She didn't have to glance at her wrists to know that they were red and would probably be rubbed raw. It was only going to get worse from there on out.

Remember your prime directive S64. No one must know. If the enemy ever knows what your mission is… then we have failed. We cannot fail the world…

Nicolette narrowed her eyes as she looked up at her captor. Taking a slow breath, she replied, "Nen."

A hard punch came across her face and then her head was pulled back roughly by her hair. She blinked at the light in her face and then her captor's face got into hers. He looked pissed but it was going to take a lot more than that to break her. He said, "Tell me who your contact is!"

"Nen," she repeated. It was one of the first words she had learned in Russian. She figured that most kids learned that as their first word. It was just a natural thing. She gave a slight grin and repeated, "Nen."

The slap stung and she had her eyes closed to absorb the pain of it. "Tell me now!"

Nicolette opened her eyes but her head was down. She felt her head yanked back since she wasn't fast enough to look up. Her captor looked at her. His lips were curled in a sneer and his expression looked like one of bloody murder. "Tell us and maybe we'll let you live."

Nicolette said nothing to that. If she told, she would die. If she didn't, she would die anyway. She knew too much about what went on. They had some proof that she was dealing in information but no anything concrete. Still it didn't take much for her to be in the position she was in now. She could only hope that her contact on the other side wasn't compromised. He needed to get what she had to his friends. It was accurate.

"Hmm… perhaps the incentive isn't enough for you."

Nicolette blinked as she kept her mouth shut. She heard her captor say something in Russian to the guard. She turned to watch as the guard opened the door and made a motion. It was hard not to blink or react when she saw who the dragged into the room.

"Now that we have company," her captive said. He pulled out his gun and it looked like a .45 and pointed it at a downward angle pressed to the other prisoner's collar bone. "Tell me who did you send the information to and your friend lives."

Nicolette blinked as she saw the look on the prisoner's face and she felt a pang of regret. He had been brought in since she needed a firm contact in the city. He was fluent in Arabic enough to pass for a local and was well aware of local customs. He was an operative like she was and in the beginning they tried to use each other until they both realized they were working on the same goal. He became a friend besides an asset and she felt sorry that he had been dragged into this.

"Don't tell him anything," he said in Arabic. "Don't tell him."

Nicolette couldn't help but jump when he got hit on the back of the head with the butt of the gun. She chewed on her bottom lip to keep from crying out. She looked at their captive when he stopped and he said, "Tell me."

Nicolette looked at her friend and replied in Arabic, "Malik. You alright?"

Malik looked at her while grimacing from the pain. He was retrained like she was and couldn't help her like he did to get her in with the right people. They helped each other out and it was a pretty good partnership. He knew she had her secrets like he had his. That was their world. It took much for them to trust each other and it was always who was willing to give a little for the other. He replied in Arabic, "Never better little bird."

"Alright. Enough. Now talk."

Nicolette looked at their captor and then at Malik. She muttered in Arabic, "Seems the mouse is caught."

Malik nodded, "Yes but the mouse is clever."

Nicolette nodded at that. She looked at their captor and said, "Nen."

The blow to the back of Malik's head followed by a slap to her face and she was shouted at, "Tell me who your contact is or he dies."

Malik knew the end was coming either way. Besides he knew deep down that he wasn't going to survive this. His little bird though was a different story even though he thought her to be a bit… He watched as Nicolette got hit across the face multiple times. He shouted, "Stop!"

Their captor did stop and turned to look at him and asked, "Are you going to tell me who it is?"

Malik looked defiantly at their captor and replied, "Na'am."

The result was a backhand and his head was grabbed but his hair and the muzzle of the gun thrust underneath the chin. Malik didn't listen to what was being said since he didn't understand or speak Russian. Instead he was looking at Nicolette who was looking at him with a pensive expression. He muttered in Arabic, "There is nothing to be gain for one who hasn't earned it."

Their captive looked at Malik and then moved so that he faced Nicolette while still holding onto Malik. He said, "Last chance. Tell me about your contact or your friend dies."

Nicolette stared at their captor. Her expression was blank but inside she was going through a myriad of scenarios and thoughts about what to do. It was chaotic as she mentally played out her moves in the precision she saw tactical formations but nothing was coming together. It was broken when Malik said in Arabic, "Little Bird… If they know, then we have failed."

Nicolette blinked as she heard the words clearly from Malik and glanced at him. He gave a slight nod to indicate that it would be all right. She could do this. Taking a breath, she firmly looked up at their captor. She saw the reassuring look on Malik's face and that he was resigned to his fate. She then said in Russian, "Ian Moone… I Am No One."

The bang that followed along with the slumping of a body falling over, told her everything. She looked to see Malik dead on the ground. Her heart was pounding and she could feel it thud almost out of control in her chest. Her breathing was controlled as she looked up at their captor. It would do no good to get indignant over the whole thing. What was done was done.

"You sacrifice your friend's life to protect your secret?"

Nicolette said nothing. She knew what she had done and she didn't have to like it. It was her job but it was one of the things that sucked about it. What had her attention now was the way her captor was looking at her. Her instincts warned her that something had changed and she knew she wasn't going to like it given the way he touched her face and his fingers gently stroked the side of her neck…

~0~0~

"So you were captured when this began?"

Nicolette looked at Said as she played with her fingers. "It is for this story. You already know that it started with the tensions in the Middle East."

Said took in her expression and her playing with her fingers. "So you predicted that Al-Asad and Zakhaev would unite? That's…"

"Hard to believe I know but it is the story. I was caught because I uncovered crucial evidence about a cargo ship that had been lost in the Bering Strait." Nicolette looked at Said with a firm look to indicate she wasn't kidding. "I think it was sheer luck that it was successfully retrieved even though the package wasn't. Things then happened."

Said looked at Nicolette back with a firm look. He couldn't say that he didn't believe her but it didn't mean that he did. Yet there were things that she seemed to know that could only come from firsthand knowledge though he still wasn't sure about the Shadow Protocol. It didn't exist in any Company programs but… Something about the way she said the things she said… He looked at her and said, "Alright. Continue."

A/N: Welcome folks. This is my first Call of Duty fic but I am no stranger to fanfiction. I hope you folks enjoy this new format I am trying out and any comments are welcome so let me introduce Scars of Duty...