Short for a Stormtrooper

Price sighed. It was two o'clock. Time for his daily interrogation. Oddly, his interrogator was five minutes late, Russian interrogators take great pride in their work. Hell, this one had been trying to get him to talk for five years straight. Finally, a full ten minutes late his interrogator arrived. And it wasn't the usual one. Instead of the normal tall, burly Russian with a slight stubble and a face of scars was a man who looked like someone you'd just gotten out of college.

"Name's Roach. I'll be your interrogator for the night." said the scrawny man, a wide smile on his face.

"Who the hell let a Muppet like you pass selection?" asked Price, noticing the man seemed to be unsure of what to do to the prisoner while the real guards were watching.

"For a matter of fact, Captain MacTavish." said Roach, in a low voice trying to make it look like he was giving the prisoner his final chance to talk before the beatings began.

"Soap?" said the old man, shocked to hear his old friend's name.

"I guess you could call him that." said Roach, before smacking Price in the face with his fist.

"What the hell was that for?" shouted Price, touching his busted lip.

"Have to make it convincing.." said Roach, drawing back his fist.

"Then hit me like a man!" growled Price, "They not teach you boy's how to fight were you come from?"

"Oh, that's it." muttered Roach, "I was gonna pull my punches but now I'm not so sure.."

Shepherd scanned his card on the small panel on the wall. He groaned, more electronics. He could barely work his cell phone let alone highly sophisticated electronic door openers. The panel blinked red. Shepherd gritted his teeth and ran the card through again. The panel once again, blinked red. Shepherd ran the card through the scanner three more times, and every time the panel blinked red.

"What the hell is wrong with this damn thing?" growled Shepherd.

"Did you make sure the bar code was on the side you were scanning?" asked the soldier who guarded the door to the lower levels of the shelter. "Here, let me see."

The guard took the small card from Shepherd's hand and ran it through the scanner. Which blinked green. As if magic the door slide open.

"Their you go." said the soldier, returning the card to Shepherd.

Shepherd grumbled and headed through the door.

Roach didn't remember MacTavish explaining the part of the plan were he was going to be held hostage by the man they were sent to rescue. Then again, MacTavish may have said it, Roach wasn't known for paying attention. Thus, MacTavish often had to reiterate orders in the field. But that didn't matter at present time, what mattered was Price had a gun and was using him as a human shield. Four extra Russians appeared behind those already engaged in the hostage situation. But Roach could tell based on the movements of the third Russian that he was in fact, MacTavish. Within moments the four had gunned down the original set of Russians.

"Drop it!" shouted MacTavish, his M1911.45 drawn.

"Soap?" asked Price, slightly lowering his own weapon.

MacTavish removed the mask which concealed his face, and then flipped the M1911.45 so the butt was facing Price. "This belongs to you, sir." he said.

"Who's Soap?" asked Worm, still confused as hell.

"I'll explain later, right now we have a Pavelow to catch." said MacTavish, "Nikolai, were are you?"

The radio cackled and Nikolai's voice said, "I am above the Prison now. Polnoe der'mo! Soap! You did not tell me they had SAM's!"*

"I didn't have any real intel on the place," muttered MacTavish, "Besides, I never said their wouldn't be."

"If I wreck my helicopter I expect to be fully reimbursed for the damages! I am thirty meters from your position! Check the tunnel to the North!" said the Russian.

"Roger that, we'll be there." said MacTavish, heading for the tunnel.

"Hurry up! You dawdle and I leave you behind!" shouted Nikolai.

"There it is!" yelled Roach, sprinting towards the chopper.

MacTavish helped Price into the helicopter and said "Alright, Nikolai. We're all aboard."

"General Shepherd, you're late." said Cullen, tapping his foot on the concrete floor. "I assume you are here for your blank check?"

"That I am." said Shepherd.

"Well, as much as it pains me to say it. You were right, we should have listened." said Cullen, "You've got a blank check."

"One man is responsible. Makarov must be brought to light." said Shepherd.

"Are you sure it's his fault?" asked Cullen, "It seems to me that your international band of Boy Scouts, the 141. Are the entire reason for this war."

"Cullen, I-" started Shepherd.

"General, I am a very busy man. Please just take your check and leave my bunker." said Cullen, picking at the dirt under his fingernails.

Shepherd turned on his heel and marched out of the room. Happy to be away from some liberal who couldn't tell the difference between a threat to national security and his next secretary to have an affair with. But what made him the happiest was his blank check, making him the most powerful man on the entire planet. The world's most powerful army being his newest toy for furthering his goal.

*Nikolai essentially said "Holy Shit!"

Also theHalf-Life Reference was referring to Shepherd, in Half-Life: Opposing Force you play as Adrian Shepherd. And since there is no proof of Shepherd's first name in game I just picked one.

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