*I am soooo soooo unbelievably sorry to you guys for the long delay, my computer crapped out and it took forever to get it fixed because of the holiday, anyhow again, I am so sorry and would be okay if you were preparing pitch forks and torches right about now… this ones a little shorter than normal, but its leading up to a long and hard to right chapter next with multiple new characters, anyway.. Sorry again.. Enjoy*

You take a mortal man
And put him in control
Watch him become a God
Watch peoples heads
A'roll
A'roll
A'roll

Just like Pied Piper
Led rats through the streets
We dance like marionettes
Swaying to the Symphony
Of Destruction
Nightwish

20

The calm never lasts, no matter how much you want it to, or how much you pray. There will always be someone out there who destroys it, takes what little peace you can get and blows it apart, and now, after only a few short days of absolute bliss everything was in utter ruin. Yuri of coarse, at the heart of the matter, taking his knew role very seriously, had released a land to air missile strike on Paris. Why Paris? Emilia couldn't fathom, but then when did madmen need reason.

No, they thrived on chaos and terror, and Paris was in a state of terror. The rest of the world still raw and broken from the wars its been fighting is scrambling what little force the allies have left, a meagre force against the enemy… whoever's left goes to those bloody city streets.

In a sense it was perfect timing, if Yuri is attempting on decimating what resistance is left than he's off to a good start, and its this particular train of thought that really has the Scott and his mentor in a panic of their own. Apparently Yuri has been underestimated with terrible consequences, pulling together a strong army of ultra nationalists and other terrorist factions alike, using the deep hatred that many people have for Americans and continuing in Makarov's footsteps, preparing many more strikes around the world in quick succession, at least this is what Soap fears… something that would surely bring humanity to its knee's.

Emilia watches and listens as the two remaining Task Force soldiers poor over maps and stolen Intel, trying desperately to find the Russian. Now more than ever it seems, their disavowed status is really a hindrance, cutting them off from really being able to take care of this problem, but if you had to choose any two men in the world to take on such a feat.. It would be them. Emilia sighs softly, pulling her knees up to her chest, worry creasing the soft pale skin of her forehead. There will be no end to this' she thinks sadly, there will be no peace… can be no peace, and maybe that's the saddest thing of all, that peace is an impossible concept for man kind, a species as much doomed by our intelligence and consciousness as we are blessed by it, if not more so.

The girl watches the Scott draw red circles on a map of Iraq and Africa, a cold dread pooling in her stomach that forces her back to reality, they've found something.

"We'll start here, in this province, if what Nicoli's man says is true than its are best bet, cut the bastard off at the balls" Soap says stiffly to Captain Price. Sherri watching through narrowed eyes as well as she leans on the counter behind the two men nursing a cooling cup of coffee in her hands, occasionally glancing over at Emilia and the worried look in the blonds eyes only increases.

Price grumbles to himself for a moment as he studies what his friend has pointed out, hating their circumstances as much as everyone else, but you role with the hands your dealt.

"Most likely place, it's a hot spot for rebel armies there and the Taliban here in this province" Price takes a deep breath and points to the map again," we'll leave the day after tomorrow, track this bastard down"

Emilia's eyes snap up to the old weathered face and she sits up straighter "just the two of you! That's suicide, you cant possibly think you can walk into Taliban territory and even make it close to whatever target your after!"

Soap cringed slightly at the pain and anger in her voice, but his blue eyes remained soft as he walked over to her placing one large warm hand on her shoulder.

"What other choice do we have?" he says rhetorically, but the look the girl is throwing back at him makes him take a step back.

"What choice do you have! Find others who will fight with you! I cant believe you two haven't thought of this yet, there has to be people out there, its you guys for fucks sake!"

Soaps eyes shot up in surprise, feeling incredibly stupid for not thinking this in the first place… he's been so focused on finding Yuri and keeping Emilia safe that it didn't even cross his mind, and one look at the old man says he's thinking something similar.

"Call Nicoli, see if he can round anyone up, ex-special forces.. Anyone not hostile to us.. Cant afford to be picky Aye mate" Soap says to Price, who just nods grimly and steps off into the next room, faintly Emilia can here the static of his radio squawk as he contacts their Russian friend.

"I think I may know someone… a friend of my husbands, been out of the force for a little while, but if there's anyone on your side it'd be him" Sherri says with sudden excitement, her phone already in her hands as she steps forward.

The Scott just nods his consent at her before turning back to the small and clearly upset girl before him.

"Let me help this time" Emilia nearly pleads, arms crossed over her chest, this surprises him for a second, but of coarse she'd want in. But its not an option…Soap is already shaking his head, there's no way she's ready to face that again…. And there's no way he's risking her life for this.. Or anything.

"No" he says flatly, clearly telling her that the issue is dropped.

"Excuse me! You cant keep me here!" Emilia snaps back and stands in front of him, anger flashing in her large doe eyes, "your not my father Captain Mactavish, and last I checked I can still fire a gun and you need as many hands as you can get"

He didn't want to do this, not here, not now. True she's been, more cheerful but the pain in her eyes was raw, evidence of the deep rooted scars she carries. No matter how strong and defiant Emilia can be, everyone breaks sooner or later and he was not going to risk loosing her completely, shivering at the thought of life without her Soap ground his teeth together and shook his head

"I cant let you, its to dangerous, and your not ready for the battle field.. I-I" he struggled, but honestly was always the best policy, gripping her shoulders gently he caught her burning eyes in his, "I cant loose you to, I know its hard, but I need you to stay safe.. The Russian rebels have founded another base in Iraq which we'll be operating from so you can stay there.. But you must promise me that you'll stay there, I wont compramise on this"

Emilia's heart clenched painfully as she listened to him speak, the love in his voice weakening the fight in her.. Aw fuck it... She thinks, her lungs deflaiting as she puffed out a breath, at least he was giving her that much.

"Ok.." she whispers back, a soft smile and tearful eyes adorn her face as she watches the large man before her visibly sigh with relief.

"You'll be safe there, and maybe I can get you working on intelligence there or something so you'll have… something to do" Soap smiles back, pulling her in to his chest and wrapping his arms around her small body. In this small moment he memorized the feel of her melded against him, the subtle vanilla sent of her hair… he frowns and swallows back the tightness constricting his throat. She feels so fragile in his arms, so easily broken… he needs to protect her but doesn't know how. Not in this world, in this world safety was a thing of the past ;as man kind spiralled deeper and deeper into hell how was he going to keep her shielded from it.

"I love you John.. I-I'm sorry" Emilia says, her words a little muffled as she pushes he face into the warmth of his T-shirt, those last two words, holding so much more regret and sorrow than he could know… so much guilt, never ending guilt that was more like drowning when the world slowed down.. Maybe staying out of the meat grinder is for the best.

"Look at me Emilia" he says gently, pulling her back a little to look at her, "I love you, nothing in the past matters anymore, you understand that, don't you.." he frowns and glances away for a moment, "It wont be easy, but I swear I will keep you safe, I'm going to kill him… I'm going to kill them all and end this"

Emilia watched as his eyes grew dark, the muscles in his arms tensing suddenly with anger, her love for him swelling at his words, she knows that he wont stop and as terrifying as that is, she wouldn't want him any other way.

"He's in!" Sherri shouts cheerfully as she walks back into the kitchen, Soaps head snapping around to her with a scowl, one the older woman just brushes off, "my husbands friend, Charlie Manning, I think Price knows him, anyway, he'll be here in the morning!"

Emilia smiles up at the Scott, who is relieved at the news, maybe they can pull together a little army of their own after all.

"Good news lad" Price says moments later, his gravely voice echoing around the kitchen, "Nicoli's gathered a handful of our old task force buddies.. Said if they believed the lies about us they should be shot and gutted like fascist pigs, got quit a few of them who are going to meet us at the base in Iraq"

Soap mulls this over in his head, hoping to god its not to good to be true… it would be to easy to hope, to easy to believe in that hope, and that is dangerous, hope is a deceiving thing, leading blinded men to the slaughter, no Soap needs to be watchful and suspicious at all times no matter what company you keep.

"I know what your thinking lad," Price says before the Scott can voice his fears, "but they wont be setting us up, Nicoli swears on it and I trust him"

Soap nods at this, not like they had much choice in the matter anyway, take what you can get and all that… So in the spirit of that thought, the Scott swallowed the nervous churn in his gut and wrapped his arm around Emilia's shoulders walking the two of them out of the kitchen and up stairs, if their little time of peace was going to end he by dawn was going to spend the last of it with her…

*Ahhhh again soo so sorryJ I will be updating again soon, I swear to god!*