Slowly Roach followed his teammates out of the pave low. He knew he had to focus on the mission but his mind was somewhere else. All the hours he was sitting in that small flying metal box, sandwiched between the others, all he could think about was his girlfriend and her mother. He didn´t know how Gisela was doing, Anna hadn´t called him and Gary was sure that her mum would have more than luck to survive. Desperate Gary squeezed his eyes shot for a moment; his girlfriend had a hard time right now. Her mother lay in hospital in a critical state, her dad was kidnapped and her mother´s boyfriend was marked as a traitor. If this wouldn´t be enough the only person that could comfort her now had to follow his Captain´s orders and leave her to protect the world.
Roach let out a sigh; he didn´t want to be here but MacTavish had used his authority to make the Sergeant come with him. First Gary tried everything to refuse this order but as Soap told him Gary could get kicked out of the team Gary gave in. It would be his worst nightmare if he had to leave the 141, he was sure he never would find a team he would fit in this perfect like he did in the Task Force. It was no option for him to leave the military either, he didn´t know where he should go. Sure Anna would ask him to stay with her and maybe he would find a job in the UK, but that wasn´t the life he wanted to live. His life was the military and he wouldn´t feel complete if he had to leave it.
Lost in his thoughts Gary didn´t pay much attention to the things around him. He didn´t recognize that the Captain told them what they were going to do now; he barely recognized that the team from Russia was here as well; he didn´t recognize the two unfamiliar soldiers that introduced themselves to the team and he didn´t recognize that Ghost, Angela and the General weren´t here yet. He just kept following the Captain into the building, head down and hands in his pockets. Distracted Gary didn´t recognize that the Captain had stopped walking and before Gary could do anything against it he bumped into his superior. Surprised by the sudden contact with another body Gary snapped out of his trance and looked into Soap´s anxious face. The Captain was about to ask his Sergeant if everything was okay but decided to keep his mouth shot as he looked into Gary´s absented eyes.
Soap watched his friend a while till he decided that it would be the best for the Sergeant to get some rest and have some time on his own. After he cleared his throat he asked one of the unknown soldiers to show his team their rooms and with a nod both men told the team to follow them. Soap watched as Gary let out a deep sigh and waited till the others had passed him, before he started to follow them in some distance. Soap lowered his shoulders and shook his head, maybe it wasn´t a good idea to bring Gary here. Maybe it would have been better for him if he had stayed back in the UK and comfort his girlfriend. Soap was sure it wasn´t only the fact that Anna had a hard time, which made it difficult for Roach to be here; he also knew that his friend wasn´t happy that they were in his home country now. Soap had heard about Gary´s issues to get used to the burn marks on his face and he also knew that Gary feared to meet his family here. Sure everyone could say that the states of America were too big and it had to be a contretemps to meet one of your family members in a military base but Soap also knew that Gary´s cousin was an Army Ranger and that he was stationed here.
Seeing his friend disappear in the distance Soap turned around and strode down the way he had come, he needed to talk with Captain Winters about their next step. The younger male had stayed outside of the base and told Soap he was waiting for him. Soap wondered why he didn´t stepped into the base but maybe the Captain was taking a look around. Soap stepped outside, took a look around and saw the other Captain standing near the Pave Low, smoking a cigar. A little smile on his face Soap approached him and both men nodded to each other as their eyes met. For a while both stayed silent next to each other and watched some Humvees leave the base and some soldiers doing their drill. Unsure what Michael wanted from him Soap reached into one of his vests pockets, pulled out a cigar and a lighter and lit the small object. Soap took one drag, enjoying the warmth fill his lungs, the familiar smell in his nose he couldn´t help but think about Price. The old man had gotten himself in some dangerous trouble and Soap knew he had to save him, he owed him. But it was more than that, sure Price saved Soap not long ago but that wasn´t the only reason he needed to get his superior out of there.
Price was like a father to him; the father he never had. Soap´s biological father died as he was five years old, leaving his mum, him and his three siblings behind. His youngest sister didn´t even get to know her father, his mother was pregnant as his father died, killed from a tumor in his head, only 30 years old. Soap remembered that as a child he feared to die at the age of 30 too and to be fair to fate, he almost did. He never would admit it but he was more than happy that he was going to be 31 in two days. Two days that could be full of danger, two days in which he could easily get killed from Vitaly Makarov, two more days till his father's dead at this age would be bearable for him, two more days to finally realize that he wouldn´t share his father´s doom.
Soap took another drag and his thoughts drifted back to Price. What was he doing right now? Would Makarov torture him? Were the information they got from the General true? Was Makarov planning to attack the USA? Or was this all just another trap? Soap didn´t know, the only thing for sure was that they had to do something to save Price and the girl. Thinking about the nurse which was with Price Soap glanced at Michael, who looked up to the sky and mumbled something. Soap watched him for a second, before Michael turned his gaze down to look at Soap, a serious expression on his face.
"So our plan is to wait till the General arrives and then what? Should we follow his orders anymore?" Michael asked and waited anxious for an answer.
Soap shrugged his shoulder lightly and returned the look.
"Don´t know but what else can we do? He seems to have more information about Makarov and he´s the only one who can tell us why Makarov wanted Price so badly." Soap answered and closed his eyes, he wasn´t satisfied with that but right now the General was the only one who knew about Makarov´s plan.
"I never thought this would ever happen." Michael stated gloomy and put his cigar down. The Captain shoved his hands into his pockets and lowered his head.
"I mean we´re soldiers, we are sure that we could die any second but she was just a nurse, she shouldn´t have to fear for her life, I always kept telling her that and now she´s gone. She got killed and I couldn´t do anything against it, I was there next to her, I should have known that this was a trap. I, as a Captain, should have made sure that the place is save." Soap watched the younger man but didn´t response, he knew how he felt and he knew, no matter what he would tell him, he wouldn´t listen to him and so he just kept quiet and waited for him to continue.
"All that happened was my entire fault. I was the one who let the girls go to that restaurant, I was the one who gave in as Price said he wanted to do an exchange, I am the one who is responsible for her dead." Michael said in a low voice, shook his head and closed his eyes.
"I should have been the one, who got killed." He added angry and Soap saw how his hands clenched into fists in his pockets.
But Soap kept quiet, he knew that the Captain needed to let his anger out, otherwise he would blame himself forever for the loss of one of his teammates. He only showed an afflicted face and nodded to everything Michael told him. His strategy seemed to work, because slowly Michael seemed to relax again and after a while the younger Captain let out a deep breath and changed the conversation again.
"Do you know when the General will arrive?" Michael asked and Soap nodded after he took a look at his watch.
"They should be here within an hour." He replied and turned his gaze back to the building, they were staying in.
"Good." Michael replied shortly and started to move towards the building. Soap followed him inside and both walked down the hallway, till Michael stopped out of the sudden.
With knitted eye-brows Soap watched the Captain scratch his head and with a smirk Michael turned around to face Soap.
"Do you know where our rooms are?" Michael asked somehow embarrassed and Soap couldn´t do anything else than to stare at him. He himself had a clue where their rooms were, he didn´t ask the soldiers where the bedrooms were. With the same smirk that Michael had on his face he slowly shook his head, they needed to find the rooms by their own.
Still angry about the General Ghost stormed out of the heli which brought him, Angela and the General to the Fort. He knew that the others were here already and he couldn´t wait to meet with his team again. He wondered what the team would say about the General´s betrayal, till now only the two Captains knew about it. Ghost was sure that the 141 wouldn´t go easy on the General, his teammates already got betrayed from their former General, it was like they were cursed with General´s which only thought about saving their own arses and don´t give a shit about others. Of course Mac tried to explain his doing to Ghost but the Lieutenant didn´t believe him, he didn´t believe that Mac only betrayed them to protect his family and if he did Ghost was sure there would have been another way. The General could have talked to his team and together they would have figured out what to do. Maybe Gisela wouldn´t be in hospital right now, Price wouldn´t get captured and the nurse would still live. But it didn´t matter what could have been, they couldn´t turn back time, they couldn´t undo this horrible happenings.
Without turning around Ghost entered the building and almost ran down the hallway, he didn´t know where the conference room was or where his teammates were but the most important thing for him right now was to get away from the General. Since he knew the General betrayed them he did everything he could to avoid the older man and to be with him in the Heli for the past couple of hours only let his anger against this man rise. Ghost was sure if Angela wouldn´t have been in the Heli with him he would have strangled the General, he would have used all his skills to get every little detail out of the General. But Ghost didn´t want Angela to see his dark side again, it was hard enough for her to trust him, after Ghost accidently punched her in her face. Of course Ghost apologized like a hundred times and Angela told him that she was alright but he knew she was shocked about him. He knew he needed to be careful around her, to not make her hate him.
A little too fast Ghost rounded the corner and before he could react he bumped into someone and send the person to the floor in front of him. Apologetic Ghost looked down to the person in front of him and couldn´t help but smile underneath his mask. Somehow amused him bended down and offered a hand to the one on the floor. Showing a killing glance the person took the hand and with a powerful jerk Ghost lifted his teammate up. Both men glanced at each other for a moment before his counterpart pulled Ghost into a strong hug. Surprised by this sudden outburst of emotion Ghost widened his eyes and just stood there without moving. He felt very awkward right now, he was glad to meet his teammate too but he didn´t expect to get a hug. Ghost cleared his throat to show his teammate how embarrassed he felt about the hug and immediately the other man realized him from his embrace and smiled at Ghost like a little child.
"Nice to see you again, Sir." The short, ginger haired soldier said and kept on smiling.
"Nice to see you too Peasant. Long time no see. How have you been?" Ghost asked and tried to sound interest but right now he just wanted to meet with MacTavish and talk to him about the General.
"Never been better, Sir. I´ve heard that Price got captured from Makarov and couldn´t pretend like I didn´t care so I decided to join you here again." Peasant told him cheerfully.
Ghost almost had forgotten that the Sergeant had taken a leave before Anna got captured. He got a call from home that his girlfriend was caught in a car accident and MacTavish had ordered the man to travel back home and take a look at her. To tell the truth Ghost had already forgotten that Peasant was part of his Task Force, he hadn´t spent much time with the lad and so Ghost was more than surprised that Peasant welcomed him so sincere. Unsure what Ghost should say to him he scratched his head.
"You´ve seen MacTavish? There´s something I need to talk about with him." Ghost asked curious.
"Yes Sir. The Captain´s in the conference room." Peasant answered him.
"Mind to show me the way?" Ghost kept on asking and as an answer Peasant nodded and turned around.
Soap sat in the conference room and glanced up to the clock; Ghost must arrive every minute and he couldn´t wait to talk to him. He needed to know what his second in command thought about the General and what they should do now. He also wondered if it would be wise to tell the team what the General did. They already had their issues to trust someone. But on the other hand his team would be mad at him if he wouldn´t tell them. Frustrated he stood up from his chair and walked through the room, deeply thinking. He tried to concentrate on the mission to rescue Price but every time he thought about him he couldn´t help but think about his past.
He still thought about his family and suddenly he couldn´t help but think about having a family of his own. He was going to be 31 soon, as his mother was his age she already had four kids, his older brother had a daughter and his two younger sisters were in long lasting relationships and he was sure they would have children of their own soon. The only one who had nothing was him. He had no kids, how could he, he doesn´t even have a girlfriend. All he had was his team and his life in the military and till now he never complained about it. But somehow since a few days he wanted nothing more than to have someone who loved him. He smiled afflicted; he thought that after Natasha tortured him he wouldn´t think about women again so why did he want to have a girlfriend so badly? He really didn´t know and right now it wasn´t the time to think about that, he needed to focus.
Sighing he took a seat again and closed his eyes to get his mind free. He sat in completely silence for a few minutes till he heard footsteps outside of the room. Curious he opened his eyes and knitted his eye-brows, he thought his team would rest now. He looked towards the door and heard two familiar voices from the outside, which made him smile. He immediately recognized Ghost´s strong voice and he felt relieved that his second in command, one of his best friends was finally here. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, a smile spread across his face.
"Hey Captain! Ghost´s here." Pleasant, who opened the door informed the Captain and with a nod Soap signaled her that Ghost could come in. Pleasant nodded too and silently he left again, making the way free for Ghost to enter the room.
"It´s a nice base here." The Lieutenant stated as he entered the room and stared at his Captain with a grin on his face.
"I never thought you were one for talking about architecture." Soap replied smiling and rose up from his chair, stepping up to Ghost.
"I´m just trying to do some small talk." Ghost answered him and both men greeted each other with a hand shake.
"Small talk? You? What happened to the man who always said that small talk is only for sexual frustrated women with dozens of cats?" Soap asked smiling and both men sat down.
"Don´t know. I think I´m around women too much lately." Ghost answered and removed his mask as well as his sun glasses.
"I think we all are." Soap replied and folded his hands.
"Why? Did you start to have your monthly problems?" Ghost teased amused.
"Funny Simon, really funny. Just forget what I said, we should talk about the General." Soap said and Ghost showed a serious face again.
"What did he tell you?" Soap asked curious and Ghost let out a deep breath.
"He said he did it to protect his family. After Natasha left he got an e-mail with a picture of Gisela and Anna and a message that they would die if the General Wouldn´t do what he wanted from him." Ghost replied angry and shook his head.
"That´s all?" Soap wanted to know and Ghost nodded.
"Yes, as I asked him why they wanted Price he only said that their plan was to capture Price and you but that he could convince them that it would be more inconspicuous if only one of you would go to Russia." Ghost continued.
"He really thinks that would play down his actions."
"So he hasn´t told you why we´re here now?"
"Nope. He said he would explain it when you and Michael are around."
"Well then. We´re here." Soap said and stood up once more. "If he wants to talk, he needs to talk now."
