Ghost could sense it was growing late as he lay idly in his small bed. He had managed to talk the doctors into letting him rest in his own bed rather than the one in the medical tent, but being in his own bed did little to lighten his miserable mood. Ghost had agreed, after some convincing, to allow Roach to inform Soap of his condition. As Ghost predicted, Soap ordered him to remain in bed while he discussed the nature of the intel and more than likely the next mission with Shephard. Ghost hated being out of the loop. He knew Soap would let him know what was going on but he also knew the Captain wouldn't allow him to get involved until he was well enough. Ghost irritably tapped his fingers on the side of his bed. The doctors had offered to give him a drug to put him to sleep but Ghost immediately refused, not wanting any bad dreams to visit him. So now he was stuck in his room, alone, bored, frustrated, and slightly lonely. Ghost wished the meeting between Soap and Shephard would hurry up and end, not just so he could know what was going on, but just so he could simply talk to someone. He had been alone in his room for nearly three hours now and the desire to just get out of bed and go outside to find something to do was growing stronger. But he knew if he did that it would only make his condition worsen and then there would be no hope of him being in the field again anytime soon. He had already blew it once by being up and about when he wasn't supposed to be, and it only resulted in prolonging his suffering. Ghost was damned determined not to make the same mistake twice. Ghost sharply turned his head when his eyes caught movement at the entrance to his tent. Roach walked in carrying a small paper cup.

"How you feeling?" he asked.

Ghost smiled warmly at his friend.

"Bored, irritated, slightly claustrophobic, but mainly bored." He replied.

Roach pulled a small stool next to Ghost's bed and held the cup out to him.

"Fresh lemonade. Ice cold to. Figured you would want some before it was all gone."

"Thanks Roach." Ghost said as he reached out and gingerly took the cup.

Ghost winced as he sat up and Roach fixed the pillow behind the Lieutenant so he would be more comfortable. When Ghost got situated he thirstily drank the cool liquid. Roach was right, it was ice cold, but the brain freeze was worth it. Ghost couldn't remember the last time he had drank lemonade and this was pretty decent for a parched throat. When he finished drinking, Ghost crushed the cup and tossed it into a small trash can nearby and sighed in satisfaction.

"Did the doctor's say how long you needed to stay in bed for?" Roach asked.

"They said a few days. Hopefully I can move around sooner than that." Ghost replied.

"Don't count on it, Captain McTavish wasn't happy at all when I told him what happened. You're probably going to get a lecture when he gets here about how you need to take it easy and get some rest."

Ghost rolled his eyes.

"A lecture eh? Doubt it, I'll manage to work my way out of that somehow."

"How do you plan to do that?" Roach asked curiously.

"I don't plan mate, I just do. I'm bloody magical."

Roach couldn't hold back the laugh.

"Haha! Magical?"

"I know I know, the jealousy is almost overwhelming isn't it?" Ghost replied keeping a straight face.

"You didn't look to magical when you were nearly knocked out by a ball." Roach said amusingly.

"Aye! That ball came out of bloody nowhere!" Ghost said defensively.

Roach shook his head and continued to laugh as Ghost mumbled about how Roach was being a hater, and how jealous he was of Ghost's "magicalness". Their light conversation was interrupted as Soap stepped into the tent. He noted Roach's laughter and the casual glance Ghost threw at him.

"You better not be talking about me." The Scot said in a serious tone.

"Relax mate, we were through talking about you twenty minutes ago." Ghost replied.

Soap rolled his eyes and seated himself on the end of Ghost's bed, he unraveled some papers and began looking over them.

"What's that?" Ghost asked.

"What I came to talk to you about. New mission," Soap replied as he turned his attention to Roach who began to rise, "which you need to hear about too Roach, sit back down."

Soap looked back down at his papers as he began to speak.

"It seems Makarov has become more of a problem than we anticipated. Shephard is still in Afghanistan looking to recruit a man for some undercover operation, but that's not our concern at the moment. We have been ordered to head to a remote Russian airbase in the mountains of Kazakhstan."

"That bloody place again?" Ghost said irritably.

Soap nodded, "The Intel informed us of a downed satellite module and we have to get it back before they can make use of it. Shephard has ordered the mission to begin tomorrow. We head out at dawn."

Ghost nodded in Roach's direction.

"Make sure this one doesn't get into trouble. I know it'll be difficult as hell but at least try."

Roach smiled softly to himself and shook his head. Ghost loved picking on people, and Roach was his favorite target. But Roach didn't mind the teasing Ghost through at him. The others picked on him mainly because he was the "new guy", Ghost did it just out of good humor. Roach was waiting on the day where he could come up with a good comeback to shoot at the Lieutenant. He had watched several times as Ghost and Soap picked at one another when the atmosphere was relatively safe and relaxed and Roach enjoyed this. It was a nice change from the screaming drill sergeants he had to deal with while in training before he joined the Task Force.

"So what kind of undercover operation does Shephard have in mind?" Ghost asked.

"The intel informed us of an upcoming terrorist attack on a Russian airport being led by Vladimir Makarov. Shephard wants to send someone in to get close to Makorov in hopes of taking him down. If the mission goes well there's no reason for us to get involved. So right now we just have to focus on this ACS module."

Ghost nodded and yawned as Soap looked through the stack of papers, selected one, and held it out so the three of them could see it clearly.

"This is a basic blueprint of the airbase. There's a warehouse right here," Soap said as he pointed to an area on the paper, "That's where the module is more than likely being kept."

Ghost nodded as his eyes scanned over the blueprints.

"So you're going to climb the mountain right, and stick to the outskirts of the base then work yourself in right here," Ghost said as he pointed to a section near the landing strip, "That way you just continue to follow the outside of the base unseen and enter this warehouse from the side, and then you'll also be near the landing strip just in case."

"In case of what?" Roach piped up.

"In case there's a need for plan B mate," Ghost replied, "That way if McTavish here feels a need to plant C4, there's plenty of aircraft to stick it to. Bet it'll make a nice boom when you need it."

"I found something better than aircraft Ghost, look here," Soap said as he pointed to the southwest corner of the landing strip, "There's a fueling station here, bet that'll make an even better boom."

Ghost smiled mischievously.

"Too right mate."

Soap rose from Ghost's bed and looked down at Roach.

"You have the rest of the day to get ready Roach; we head out early in the morning."

"Yes sir." Roach replied as Soap excited the tent.

Ghost yawned again then slowly slid back down into his bed and folded his arms behind his head.

"I have a feeling this time is going to be as easy as the last." Roach said.

"You'll do fine, I know that and Soap knows that, that's why he's taking you." Ghost replied.

"But this is the second mission in a row, and the other guys have more experience than me."

Ghost chuckled.

"They may have more experience in the field, but you have more skill. Have a little faith in yourself mate."

Roach nodded and began to rise.

"Thanks Ghost. I'm going to let you get some rest now, you look tired."

Ghost did feel tired, but he didn't want to sleep, and although he wanted Roach to stay, he wouldn't ask him to. The last thing he wanted to do was explain how he was scared to fall asleep alone. Ghost felt like one of Freddy Krugar's victims off Nightmare on Elm Street, only it wasn't Freddy who was screwing with him.

"Alright mate, stop by before you head out will ya?"

Roach nodded in agreement then disappeared behind the tent flaps.

"Great," Ghost sighed softly, "Bloody alone again…"