In the next day, it's all training and preparing for Operation Kingfish. Everyone's doing well in every aspect of the mission and their respective roles.

But behind the scenes, Soap wasn't done with Ramirez. He felt a strong sense of humiliation towards himself and the S.A.S. when the Army Ranger had beaten him and his teammates in the CQB test yesterday. So he decided to teach him a lesson in the upcoming hand-to-hand combat training session. As a way to remind him of who's the best in Task Force 141.

When the task force gathered in the training mat, Price wanted to find out what Ramirez is capable. So he picked him as his first opponent for the first match, and Ramirez went in.

Price knows Judo, Jujitsu and Boxing, all from his earlier S.A.S. years. While Ramirez knows Taekwondo from his high school years, and Judo, Jujitsu and Krav Maga from his Army Ranger years.

With Price's more extensive experience in combat, he gave Ramirez a hard time and had the upper hand for the majority of the fight. But the bout would ultimately end in Ramirez winning because he was younger and faster, as well as his intense offensive fighting style, which Price rarely encounters.

When the contest ended, the two shared a handshake. Price left the mat satisfied for getting a challenge after so many easy fights in the past, and knowing the fact that Ramirez was more capable than he lets on.

Soap was next in the mat. He was supposed to clash with Frost, but he wasn't interested with the Delta Operator. With authority on his side since the highest ranking members, aside from Shepherd, come from the S.A.S., he ordered Ramirez to fight him, even if he had just finished fighting Price.

Ramirez was intrigued, but saw no reason to refuse. Upon entering the mat, he obviously showed signs of exhaustion, but that wasn't stopping him.

Once the matchup began, Ramirez expected Soap to be faster and a little bit stronger than Price, and he was right. With that, Ramirez decided to go on the defensive to tire the lieutenant out.

It wasn't quick or easy, but it was manageable. Soap got Ramirez in six takedowns and three body locks, but Ramirez escaped those locks and kept getting up from the takedowns. He even managed to counter Soap's sixth takedown with another takedown while flat on his back.

Soap's efforts were great, but he still couldn't break the American he despised the most. Finally, the lieutenant got so tired that he couldn't stop gasping for air or stand properly.

Seeing that his plan worked, Ramirez went on the offensive and attacked Soap hard and fast with a flurry of punches and kicks until he was a push away from collapsing. When the time came, Ramirez finished Soap with a charged up roundhouse kick.

The referee stopped the fight gave Ramirez the win. Hunter Team 2 and Metal Team cheered in victory. Being a generally humble guy, Ramirez merely smiled and clapped.

Before he could attend to Soap, who was still laying on the mat, Ghost and the referee were already helping him to the bench. And 20 minutes later into the training session, he saw the lieutenant doing fine.

But when it was time to run the mock-up compound with all teams in their assigned positions, Soap and Ghost charged at Ramirez and started attacking him. Before he could counter them, Metal Team, Price and Roach pulled Soap and Ghost away from him, while Foley, Dunn and Allen helped him up and stood alongside in defense.

Because of the incident, the drill was halted until further notice. 30 minutes later, Shepherd approached Hunter Team 2 and told them the news.

Shepherd: Gentlemen, I deeply regret to inform you that all of you have been kicked out of Operation Kingfish.

Ramirez: Lieutenant's request, sir?

Shepherd: That's right. It ain't your fault son, but the S.A.S. is vital to not only the mission, but Task Force 141 as well. If I don't do this, they'll walk.

Ramirez: All of them?

Shepherd: All of them. They said that they'll be fine without anyone forming a cordon around the AO.

Foley: We understand, sir.

And the rest is history.

Before Metal and Bravo Team got back from Operation Kingfish, Ramirez was hanging around with an Australian S.A.S.R. operator named Staff Sergeant Leonard 'Rook' Hansen. Rook looked like Frost, but with clear googles, a white balaclava and helmet, and a dark blue jacket underneath his plate carrier. Ramirez makes friends with basically any masked operator he comes across, while being one himself.

When the V-22 Osprey carrying Metal and Bravo Team arrived, Ramirez and Rook saw Ghost and Roach carrying an injured Soap to the infirmary, and didn't see Price anywhere. So they asked Metal Team what happened.

Ramirez: What happened out there?

Frost: We got ambushed, barely made it out, but Price stayed behind to cover our escape.

Rook: What?!

Sandman: Kingfish expected us. Tried to blow us up. And had a small army gunning for us as we tried to escape. They even shot down Spectre 6-4 with SAMs (Surface to Air Missile).

Rook: What a disaster.

Ramirez: Guess Kingfish was craftier and more elusive than any of us thought. Any confirmation on Price's whereabouts?

Frost: I wish I could say yes, but command pulled the plug as soon as we were in the air. And Price wasn't responding.

Rook: Shit. What do you think about this mess, Ramirez?

Ramirez: I think Kingfish is just getting started.

Five days later, Soap recovered from his injuries and was given a promotion to captain by UKSF's (United Kingdom Special Forces) commanding officer in Task Force 141: Lieutenant Colonel Victor 'Cypher' Lyall. Ghost was promoted to lieutenant, and he and Soap now act as the team leaders of Task Force 141 in the field.

With the pursuit of Kingfish, now indentified as former Russian GRU Captain Vladimir Makarov, becoming more dangerous than expected, Task Force 141 receives more funding and members from other spec ops units around the world.

The new operators are from the 75th Ranger Regiment, Delta Force, Green Berets, DEVGRU and various SEAL Teams, JTF-2, Australian S.A.S.R., British S.A.S. and S.B.S.

Soap's first act as team leader is to kick Hunter Team 2 out of Task Force 141. Shepherd strongly suggested to not do such a thing, but Soap wasn't moved.

Shepherd then informed him that the other commanding officers of U.S. Spec Ops would want one or some of Hunter Team 2's members back. So Soap went along with it as long as Ramirez won't be coming back, ever.

When Shepherd brought the news, Hunter Team 2 wasn't fazed, because they expected Soap to do that, given his new position. And UKSF was still vital to Task Force 141.

So they packed up and left for Ft. Benning. Never to return, until Shepherd brings Allen back.