Here there were no nurses and no steril tools, but there was plenty of blood. There is always plenty of that to go around. You know what's weird, I've only been here for two or three days, and the other doctors there already consider me one of their own. And their OR isn't as bad as the one back home. It's quiet, and there aren't as many patients to work on. I was at the tail end of another POW, when one of the more experienced doctors started yelling in Arabic. The Colonel said something back, and I piped up.

"What's wrong?"

"He needs more A Positive, and we're out."

"I'm full of that type. Here, let me sew him up real quick and I'll be over in a second." The Colonel responded to the other doctor, and I finished as quick as I could. After they had taken the boy I was working on back to their POW building, I had rolled up my sleeve and went to the table right next to mine. I hooked myself up to the other patient, and let my blood go into the little girl who was from the village about two miles from here. As I was starting to get a little dizzy, the doctor finished up and took out the needle in my arm. Thankfully that round was the last of the patients, so I cleaned my hands in a bucket of water outside the OR, and was escorted back to my room.

The Colonel helped me sit down against the wall, and he put the blanket over my shoulders. "That was a very nice thing you did." His English was definitely getting better.

"Doctors don't discriminate. It's in the oath. We all had to swear by it." He went outside quickly and grabbed the bowl of rice and a bottle of water for me. He placed them in front of me. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He started to leave when I spoke up again.

"Um, could you tell me how that POW I worked on today is doing tomorrow?"

He nodded. "Sure." Then he left me.

~.~.~.~.~.~

"Attention, attention! All personnel! Emergency meeting in the mess tent. Attendance is mandatory. I repeat, attendance is mandatory." Petey had never spoken over the PA with difficulty before. He just couldn't believe it. Boss was gone. He took a deep breath and stood up with shakes. How could Boss be captured? She's...Boss. I just don't get it, he thought as he ambled to the mess tent. When he got there, only a few people were there, and he took his place next to Margaret at the front of the tent.

She saw his depressed face, and asked, "You okay, Petey?"

He nodded, which was a bold face lie. And she knew it. "Are you okay?" he asked.

She took a deep breath before answering. "I'm getting there."

A minute later, Greg ambled in and smiled when he spotted Jolly Rancher. "Hey, Jolly Rancher! What's up?"

"Hi Greg."

He sat down next to him. "Weren't you and Cal supposed to go out today?" Jolly Rancher didn't say anything. Greg took a quick look around. "Where's Cal?" Mitch's eyes went wide. "Where is Cal?" He asked again. It wasn't that hard to figure out when Jolly Rancher failed to answer for a second time. "Oh, God."

After everyone was there, Margaret stood up. "At about noon today, Cal and Jolly Rancher went out to skydive like they always do when I'm not here." A few people chuckled. "Well, after Cal jumped and opened her chute, she lost sight of the landing spot. When Jolly Rancher checked his GPS, he found out that they had made their way into enemy territory. Cal did not want Jolly Rancher to come after her, so she turned off her tracking device." Everyone started talking to each other and gasping. "Now before you start to worry, Peter and I are already working on it. We are calling all enemy bases and MPs in the area to see if they picked her up, and if they did, we are gunning for a prisoner exchange. We will let all of you know as soon as we do. Please just keep her in your prayers." Everyone was asking her questions, but she held her hand up. "Silencio! Now all questions will be held until further notice! End of discussion!" Margaret got stares all around. She had never yelled at the entire camp with that much seriousness before. "If you need me, I'll be in my office." She sighed and walked out of the tent.

Greg was lost. Cal, his Cal, was gone. She's probably being tortured and raped and – No! He wasn't going to think like that. He couldn't. He couldn't even stand to think about Cal like that for a millisecond. Why her? Why couldn't it be anyone else but her? He felt like screaming at the world, screaming at anyone who would look at him twice. I'm going after her, he decided. Right now. He was acting calm as he went from his tent to the motor pool so as not to alarm anybody.

"I need a Jeep, and I need it now." He told Max, who was in charge of the motorized vehicles.

"No can do, Captain. Colonel said I'm not allowed to let anyone out of the camp."

"Come on, Max! It's just one little Jeep, no one will ever miss it."

"Sorry Captain. Orders is orders."

Greg grabbed Max by the collar and brought him to his face. "Now listen punk-"

"Greg put him down." Margaret said calmly. "Put him down, and come with me to my office. Now." Reluctantly, Greg put Max down, and followed Margaret to her office.

As soon as the doors closed behind them, he shouted. "Margaret, you've got to let me go after her!"

"You need to trust me, this is the safest way to deal with this particular problem." She went into her top desk drawer and pulled out a twelve year old bottle of scotch. She also pulled out two glasses and started to fill them.

"I don't care if it's the safest place! She's my best friend I need to be out there looking for her!" He continued to rant and rave whilst Margaret put a glass into his hands.

"Look! I know you care about her, but I need you to stay calm for a while. We will find her. Okay? I promise we will." Without any kind of warning, Greg hugged Margaret tightly.

"How could they take Cal? Why couldn't it be someone else?"

"Hey, as far as we know, she is wondering around out there. And besides, she can talk her way out of anything." And they emitted a sad chuckle.