The next day, French airspace, 1800 hours

Soap glanced at Melissa again in the chopper. He was still pinching himself, not believing that she was actually there with him. Much to other people's amazement (and chagrin), she had blazed through MacMillan's tests, and, true to the commanders word, was put on the team for the mission, given the codename "Siren" (for her pretty face, MacMillan had said). It looked like all the training she had endured finally paid off. Her identity was kept secret from the other task members, mainly to protect her. Only Soap, Price and the people who questioned her knew who she really was. To the others, she was once a prisoner of Makarov's that had gathered reliable intel and was needed for this mission. She was wearing the same winter gear as they were, her hair once again tied up and there was black camouflage paint on her face, much like Soap's. The helicopter landed and the crew of ten bailed out into the forest, with the castle being five clicks to the north. Soap stuck close to Melissa, as did Price. General Morton ordered them to keep her safe, threatening to "cut their balls off" if she was hurt again. They were halfway to the castle when there was a yelp and the sound of the ground giving way. Price rushed over to the hole in the ground and peered in.

"Brick? Where are you?" he demanded in a harsh whisper.

"I think I found that secret tunnel." The black man groaned, his voice echoing out of the ground. There was a sudden burst of light when Brick lit a flare. "It looks like the coast is clear sir! The walls are lined with foundation!"

"Okay chaps, and chapette, let's go. If Siren's story was correct, this tunnel should lead to the wine cellar." Price said, sliding down the hole. Soap coughed as he stood up after sliding down. The tunnel was lined with bricks, creating an arch shape. The smell was musty and there was dust everywhere. That's what you get for not using it for 400 years. After walking for a few clicks, the team stopped. A brick wall was blocking their way. "Soap, plant the charges." Price ordered. Soap came up and placed the breach bomb on the door, pulling the detonator out of his vest. "Ready?" Price asked. There were nods all around, but Soap could tell the question was aimed at Melissa. She nodded too. "Do it." Price said, and Soap pressed the button. The bricks crumbled, and Price quickly shot the two drunken guards on the other side. The bodies were hidden behind the wine barrels and Price started. "Okay lads, our mission is to take Ursa Makarov and Lenin Kosolov alive, if they are here. However, the use of deadly force is authorised. We also need to get to the control room; we need more evidence against the Ultranationalists. Split up into groups of two, and if anyone comes at you with a gun, shoot them. Clear?"

"Yes sir." There was an echo in the cellar.

"Siren, you're with me and Soap." Melissa nodded. "We need you to take us to Ursa's room."

"Done." She replied.

"Move out!" Price commanded.

Soap swore as the bullets whizzed around him. The guards had caught onto the intruders quickly and began hunting them down. One man was already dead. He saw Price hiding behind the opposite wall, and he lost sight of Melissa. He quickly stood and fired in random directions, hoping to catch a hostile. He saw one enemy running towards him, and was about to shoot him down, when a bullet caught the man's shoulder, sending him to the ground. Soap looked up to see Melissa on the walkway above. She was acting as a sniper, taking down enemies that were dangerously close to them. Soap felt a bolt of heat run through his body.

"Not now you idiot!" he thought, focusing back to the fight.

Price used a small mirror to peer around the corner. Two guards were outside a wooden door, standing attentive. They must have heard the gunshots coming from the courtyard. Price turned back to Soap and held two fingers up. Melissa was sandwiched between them. Price signalled and he and Soap rounded the corner, shooting the guards. Melissa came out and ran behind them to the door, which Price kicked open. When they entered, Ursa wasn't there. But a skinny man with wire glasses and thinning hair was. The moment Price forced the door open he was hiding next to the large, double poster bed.

"Don't shoot!" Melissa cried, causing them to hold fire. The men looked at her questioningly "That's Klein Urbawitz, Ursa's personal doctor."

"Personal doctor?" Soap echoed as the man slowly stood.

"Miss Morton, I did not believe you were still alive!" Klein said in a heavy Polish accent, making his way over, until Soap and Price aimed their guns at him. Klein immediately held his hands up, visibly quaking.

"He's no threat guys. Klein couldn't hurt a fly." Melissa protested.

"Check him." Price said. Soap lowered his weapon and walked over to the skinny man, patting him down.

"He's clean." Soap said. "Where's Ursa Makarov and Lenin Kosolov?" he demanded.

"Gone. They left two hours ago." Klein said, backing up to the bed and sitting on it.

"If you're Ursa's personal doctor, then you must know where she's gone." Price reasoned. Klein shook his head.

"She was in a great hurry. She only told me that a helicopter would take me to another location tomorrow morning. I was packing her medications when you burst in." as Klein was saying this, Soap was going through the toiletries bag on the bed.

"Anti-depressants, sleeping pills, Amoxicillin, all the drugs you need to treat a maniac." He reported. Klein focused on Melissa again.

"I thought you had been executed, like all the other liabilities. As well as your father."

"These guys saved me." Melissa smiled. Klein allowed himself to do the same, his lips twitching upward.

"How well do you know him?" Price asked, turning to Melissa.

"He treated me after Ursa beat the crap out of me. He was the only one that was ever nice to me." Melissa answered.

"Did Ursa know?"

"Yeah. Why else do you think he started in the first place?"

"To preserve the entertainment, that's what she told me." Klein spat. Soap raised a brow.

"Something tells me you're not the happiest employee." Klein shook his head.

"How did you end up in Makarov's service?" Price questioned.

"Several years ago, I was working at a local hospital in Austria. Ursa was one of my patients. She was suffering from glandular fever. I treated her… and that's how I got the attention of Vladimir Makarov."

"What happened?"

"I was attacked in my house, a few days after Ursa was discharged from the hospital. I don't know how long I was unconscious, but when I woke, Vladimir Makarov was standing before me. He said I worked for him now, and that his health and that of his mother was my only concern. I heard rumours about him, so I refused to help. When I said that, he brought a little girl, no more than six years old, into my room. He shot her right before my eyes." He took off his glasses to wipe the tears away. "I had no choice. He told me that every day when I didn't co-operate, the same thing would happen again. So, I accepted."

"How noble." Price didn't sound very convinced.

"Wait." Melissa held up her hand. Everybody was silent. The sound of boots coming down the hallway was clear.

"Time to go." Price said, grabbing Klein by the collar and pulling him along. Soap shot the security that was coming and they ran out, Price yelling at Nikolai over the com for evacuation.

The next day, Guest Quarters, 0900 hours

Soap knocked on the door, and entered when he heard a "come in". Melissa looked surprised to see him, getting off her bed and putting down her book. She had reverted back to a normal girl. Her hair was loose, and she was wearing figure hugging black jeans with a grey top, the long sleeves rolled up to her mid-forearms.

"Soap? What are you doing here?"

"To see how you were doing." He replied, regretting his decision to come as each second passed. "You did well on the mission."

"Thanks." She smiled unconvincingly. "I'm fine, but -"

"You were hoping Ursa would be there." Soap finished. Melissa shrugged.

"Would that be so wrong?"

"No, it wouldn't. I noticed that your aim was off." Melissa looked confused "You didn't kill anyone."

"So what if I didn't? Am I less of a person for it? I didn't want to kill anybody." Soap looked Melissa over. She was small, compared to his physique. She was a head and a half shorter than him, and looked delicate. If he wasn't careful, he would break her. It was too tempting to think of all the things he could do to her, starting with pushing her up against the wall and kissing her. He tried to push the thoughts away. She was twenty-four to his thirty, and she was the half-sister of the most hated man in the world. Granted, she was a victim, but they wouldn't be able to make it work. Plus, from what she had just said, she was too good for him. He took lives. She could have, but chose not to. Melissa looked him in the eyes. Her hazel irises were deep.

"What are you thinking?" she asked, stepping closer. Soap inched back and she frowned "Why are you really here?" Damn, she was onto him. "Soap?"

"I'll see you later." He turned to make a quick exit when her small hand shot out to grab his wrist.

"Stop! Please!" she pleaded, her voice cracking. Soap wanted to wince. He really hoped she wasn't going to cry. One of the things he hated most was seeing a girl cry. He looked down at her to see a thousand emotions run across her face. "Why are you trying to get away from me?" she cried. Soap cursed. Of all the women he had to get attracted to, it had to be this one.

"It's complicated." Was all he said.

"That's a load of bull." She said, dropping his hand. "It's only going to be complicated if you make it." She took a deep breath. "I don't want you to go."

"Why?" he demanded.

"I like you, okay?" she threw her hands up. "You're everything I want but can't have! You make me feel like the safest girl in the world! I've wanted to be with you since I first got a proper look at you! That good enough for you?" she turned away from him to look out the window, expecting him to walk out the door. But Soap was rooted to the floor. Her confession stunned him. She felt for him. He wanted to kick himself. She was offering him everything he wanted, but he couldn't bring himself to be sensible and turn her down. Instead, for once, he decided to be the fool.

"If your family finds out about this they're going to kick my ass." Melissa turned to ask him what the hell he was talking about but was silenced when he pulled her small body to his muscular frame and kissed her heatedly. She reacted immediately, relishing in his attention, running her small hands around his torso. Soap felt his blood rush south and broke the kiss so that he wouldn't get carried away. "This could be a very bad idea."

"Maybe." She said before he kissed her again.

Gym, 1200 hours

Price walked in to see Soap beating the living crap out of the punching bag, wearing only his cargo pants and boots. His torso glistened with sweat, as did his face.

"Why are you punishing the punching bag so much?" he asked, puffing on his cigar. Soap stopped and steadied the bag.

"No reason." His protégé replied, untying the bandages around his hands.

"Soap, of all the things you are, a liar isn't one of them." Soap sighed. He knew Price could see right through him. "It's about the girl, isn't it?" Price smirked when he saw Soap's blue eyes flick towards him. "It's okay son, you're only human."

"You're not going to say a relationship is forbidden? That she's only going to compromise me?"

"No, I don't think there is much I can say. I've seen the way you look at her. But you do need to be careful; there is a definite chance that Melissa will come on other missions with us."

"So what do I do?"

"I can't tell you what to do Soap. If you like her, then go for it. But just be mindful of where you step. If certain people catch wind of this, they'll try to use it to their advantage. And I don't think some of our superiors will be pleased."

"Melissa's a civilian; they can't do anything to her."

"But they can certainly do things to you. Keep it under wraps, until the state of things has calmed down." Soap nodded. Price puffed his cigar some more, smoke blowing out of his mouth. "You'll be able to be more public with her someday."

"John! There you are!" Price turned to see his wife at the door "Come on, lunch is waiting!"

"Coming dear!" Soap smirked a little. Price was whipped. "I see the look you're pulling." Soap straightened his face and Price clapped his shoulder before leaving. Soap grabbed his towel from the nearby bench and walked towards the showers. While he was under the warm water, Soap thought back to what Price said. He was right. He needed to keep things with Melissa a secret for now. And he couldn't go as far as he wanted to with her just yet. She was still vulnerable after her imprisonment and was still a little distrusting of men. Plus, who knows what would happen if the wrong people found out? But he had feelings for her that he hadn't felt in a long time. He wanted to protect her, to have her all to himself, to hold her close and never let go.

Soap found her in one of the main computer labs, with the interactive screen. The screen itself looked like a large slab of glass that was hung from the ceiling. She was using the remote like a pro. From what Soap could see, the picture was a 3D blueprint of the chateau from the night before. Melissa turned around and smiled at him.

"Hey."

"Hey. What are you doing?"

"This is so awesome. Commander MacMillan granted me access to the Animatronic Systems Computer. They use this exact computer system in forensic institutes and museums!"

"And you know how to work it?" he asked, looking at the flat, transparent touch tablet remote in her hands. Melissa nodded.

"I majored in art and computer science at Oxford. I used this system to make facial reconstructions and re-create crime scenes. This computer can do anything."

"You look like a kid in a candy store." He smirked at her happy face.

"Being able to use this is like Christmas for me. I called the one I used at Oxford the Melissamatron." She laughed at Soap's raised brow. "Stupid, I know, but I loved it!" Soap shook his head in disbelief.

"What are you working on?"

"Since most of the techs are out in the field, Commander MacMillan asked me to go through the computer files from the chateau, since I have the next to most experience."

"What are you looking for?"

"Ursa and Kosolov's next possible whereabouts. Hopefully they put something in the computers we confiscated that will give it away, but MacMillan is still counting on the spies the SAS has in the Ultranationalists ranks. They've heard nothing so far."

"I'll leave you to it." Soap was about to walk away but Melissa said –

"Aren't you forgetting something?" she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. Soap smirked and bent down to kiss her.