After filling up his tray with food, Logan tries to sit with Elias and Hesh. Only to end up sitting at the table beside theirs because of Merrick, Keegan, Sergeant Major Chris 'Torch' Greene (MIA/KIA in the original) and Sergeant Major Riddian 'Grim' Poe (MIA/KIA in the orginal) hogging the cafeteria table and giving him a hard time.

Logan: Hey guys. Scoot.

TF Stalker Operator 1: You're talking to a superior, Kid. Stand at attention before you can sit. Sergeant Major Chris Greene, callsign: Torch.

TF Stalker Operator 2: Sergeant Major Riddian Poe, callsign: Grim.

Logan: Okaaay... Sergeant First Class Logan Walker. But you can call me Nightfall.

Merrick, Keegan, Torch and Grim laugh*

Torch: Nah, we'll just call you Logan or Kid, Hesh Walker Lite.

Logan: (quietly) Fuck me. (normally) With respect, our line of work does require a certain amount of anonymity. That's what callsings are for.

Grim: Well, you're still a kid, Kid. You wanna get a badass callsign here, earn it.

Logan: I understand that. But what about David? He's as green as I am. Shouldn't he also have to earn the right to be called "Hesh"?

Torch: Did we give you permission to speak freely, Kid?

Logan: Uh, no but, I mean—

Torch: Your brother has earned his nickname since his youth, remember? I say he's already earned the right to be called that in here. Just because a few Rangers and some clueless child call you that, doesn't mean we will too.

Logan: Clueless? That's just unca—

Grim: Clueless because he doesn't know what a failure you are.

Logan: Oh. If it's about Ajax, I'm sorry. My condolences. But the fact is he was already in irreversible shock when I got there. All I could do was ease the pain for the poor guy.

Torch: Still, you fucked up. You're a combat medic. So am I. But I wouldn't have failed. First time in the Ghosts and you already washed out. And this is the winning grown-ups' table. Go find a losing kids' table for yourself now, Logan. That'll be all.

Logan: Dad—

Grim: That. Will. Be. All. Kid.

Elias: Just sit at that table, son. You should be able to hear me from there.

Logan: Okay.

After saying his grace before eating, he is joined by a much friendlier Ghost named Sergeant Major Ken Derrick 'Kick' Manning.

TF Stalker Operator 3: First times are always tough. Don't worry about them, Nightfall. They're just going through emotions. And it wasn't your fault, believe me, I've seen the AAR. Sergeant Major Ken Derrick Manning, callsign: Kick.

Logan and Kick shake hands*

Logan: Sergeant First Class Logan Walker.

Kick: Nightfall, right?

Logan: Honestly, I don't even know anymore.

Kick: Ah, chin up brother. You're actually right about the whole callsigns and anonymity thing. Also, you can blame all their shit on me. Even while not living with feelings of pain and loss, Torch and Grim enjoy picking on the new guys like it's high school all over again. And there's a difference between tough love and dickhead-edness.

Logan: *chuckles* Thanks, Kick.

Kick: I got you, Nightfall.

Merrick: Quiet down and stop entertaining him, Kick. Scarecrow is about to give Hesh and Kid the full story about Rorke.

Logan: *sighs* Alright, let's hear it.

With everyone at both tables simmering down, Elias starts talking about his former mentor and CO, Lieutenant Colonel Gabriel Rorke.

Elias: It was twelve years ago, when the Federation's military threatened all of South America and Central America. Their leader at the time, General Diego Almagro, demanded all U.S. born citizens be imprisoned or executed. It was Rorke who convinced Washington to let the Ghosts solve the problem. We sent an invasion force to destroy the Federation. Rorke led us to eliminate Almagro. But Rorke became obsessed with him. He talked of the man as if he were a bounty. And it was clear he would stop at nothing to claim that prize.

July 3rd, 2032 - 11:19:34, Caracas, Venezuela, on the first day of Operation Return To Sender, the official name of the hunt for General Diego Almagro, the U.S. Military opened up with a massive 'shock and awe' 100 hour air campaign with round-the-clock attacks on Latin American Federation/Venezuelan radar, air defenses, communication nodes, government buildings and other militarily important targets. July 8th, 2032 - 11:22:59, after the entire city had been softened up, the U.S. Army's 1st Armored Division formed a cordon around it to keep anyone from leaving on the ground.

An hour later, Task Force Stalker, along with its 2nd Bn., 75th Ranger Regiment, 1st Armored Division and 160th SOAR support, landed in Caracas with one objective: Kill General Diego Almagro. With the assassination unit being Silence Team led by Lieutenant Colonel Gabriel Rorke (Captain Gabriel Rorke in the original), accompanied by Lieutenant Colonel Elias 'Scarecrow' Walker (First Lieutenant Elias Walker in the original), Master Chief Petty Officer Thomas Merrick (Sergeant Thomas Merrick in the original) and Sergeant Major Alex 'Ajax' Johnson (Sergeant Alex 'Ajax' Johnson in the original).

12 Years Earlier

--

Legends Never Die

July 8th, 2032 - 12:46:13

LTC. Elias 'Scarecrow' Walker

Task Force Stalker, 2nd Bn., 75th Ranger Regiment, 1st Armored Division, 160th SOAR

Caracas, Venezuela

--

Elias: To us, Rorke was a legend. The man could walk through Hell and not get burned. Ghosts are the best of the best, but Rorke was the reason we were feared.

Rorke: (flashback) We are here for one man: Almagro! And we are NOT leaving his shithole city without him in a body bag! Follow my lead! Merrick, Ajax, left flank! Scarecrow, you're with me!

Scarecrow: (flashback) On you, Rorke!

On the ground, Silence Team, along with 1st Armored Division Iron Horse Team 2, got to work. But instead of marching straight to Hotel Eurobuilding, Almagro's last known location, the Ghosts had to take an alternate route because Iron Horse Team 2 got overwhelmed and killed by the Federation's T-90M tanks.

But in their second attempt to advance, they had 160th SOAR MH-60L DAP Helix Squadron 4 to back them up this time. So they take their detour and clear a Latin American Federation checkpoint with ease, destroying an M880 Armored Missile Launcher (fictional) internally along the way.

Scarecrow: (flashback) Goodnight, boys!

boom*

Rorke: (flashback) Good work! It's down!

Ajax: (flashback) There's still one more!

Merrick: (flashback) Then let's blow that one too.

But while Scarecrow was moving towards the second M880, he got knocked back by the missile launchers' backblast. The weapon fired at the Latin American Federation dam overlooking Caracas in order to repel the attack by flooding the city and drowning the American invasion force.

Luckily, Silence Team managed to find high ground in a warehouse's staircase leading to the roof. Before going up to see what is going on, Merrick suggested to cancel the mission.

Rorke: (flashback) Catch your breath.

Scarecrow and Ajax panting*

Merrick: (flashback) Permission to speak freely?

Rorke: (flashback) What is it?

Merrick: (flashback) I think we should call this one in. I mean, that asshole just flooded the damn city and took out half his own guys.

Rorke: (flashback) And half of ours too. We're Ghosts, Merrick. We finish the mission.

Merrick: (flashback) Yeah, but this is different.

Rorke: (flashback) Anything else you wanna say, Master Chief?

Merrick: (flashback) No, sir.

tremor*

Ajax: (flashback) This place isn't gonna hold.

Scarecrow: (flashback) Stay calm. We'll find a way out.

When they reached the rooftop, they ambushed some Federation survivors trying to recover from the flooding. The gunfight was then cut short by the entire warehouse collapsing and everyone falling into the water.

After getting carried away by the rapids for a bit, Scarecrow and Rorke recovered together and found themselves in an office building. Thanks to their weapon straps and holsters, the officers still had their Remington R5s and P226s.

While navigating through the rooms and hallways, Scarecrow and Rorke quietly killed a Latin American Federation search party. In spite of the situation, Rorke still remained focused on Almagro.

Rorke: (flashback) Survival is mission-critical. But priority one is still Almagro. Let's get to higher ground.

Scarecrow: (flashback) Roger.

Rorke: (flashback) Just like old times. Eh, Elias?

Scarecrow: (flashback) Heh, ain't it just, Gabriel.

After crossing a breaking skybridge, clearing one more office and securing another roof filled with insurgents, Merrick checked in with any friendlies for help and a SITREP. A transmission that the Lieutenant Colonels caught.

Merrick: (flashback) To any callsigns on this frequency, please respond! This is Silence 2!

Rorke: (flashback) Silence 1 and I got you in the clear, Merrick.

Merrick: (flashback) Ror— Silence Actual! We have eyes on Almagro but Silence 3 and I are taking heavy fire! Just west of Hotel Eurobuilding!

Rorke: (flashback) Roger, we're on our way. (off comms) Looks like we're saving Merrick's ass again.

Scarecrow: (flashback) As usual.

Rorke: (flashback) Alright. We regroup, then we take Almagro.

Scarecrow: (flashback) Still got my shit together, so let's do this.

Another search party eliminated later, Scarecrow and Rorke regrouped with Merrick and Ajax, who were still combat effective and armed with their R5 rifles. It seemed like there was no way to get across the flooded street and reach Hotel Eurobuilding.

However, in a stroke of luck, a bus passed by and got stuck sideways in between the office building Silence Team is in and a parking garage which led to the hotel. So the Ghosts quickly got across and started engaging Almagro's security team.

After clearing Hotel Eurobuilding's parking garage and balconies, a Federation NHIndustries NH90 chopper flew in and landed on the building's lower helipad. With time running thin, Scarecrow, Rorke, Merrick and Ajax took one flight of stairs, reached the LZ and boarded the helicopter just before the rear bay door closed.

While the Master Chief and Sergeant Major were securing the cabin, the Lieutenant Colonels were trying to kill Almagro. But the General was tougher and more evasive than expected, thus almost killed Scarecrow.

But Rorke distracted him long enough for his old friend to end him. Then it turns out the chopper's controls got shot up, and the bird ended up going down and crashing on the edge of Hotel Eurobuilding's lower helipad and through its fire escape.

Upon landing, it got stable for a few seconds until Almagro's helo started shifting down.

Merrick: (flashback) Everyone good?

Rorke: (flashback) We're too heavy. Scarecrow, I need you to—

NH90 shifts*

Scarecrow: *gasps*

Merrick: (flashback) Shit! Rorke!

Scarecrow: (flashback) I got him!

Scarecrow grabbed onto the wires of the copter while Rorke hung onto a ladder jammed into the aircraft's body.

Scarecrow: (flashback) Come ooon, Rorke. I'll catch you! Trust me!

Rorke grabs Scarecrow's hand*

NH90 shifts*

Merrick: (flashback) It's breaking apart! We gotta move, now!

While Scarecrow tried to find a way to get Rorke out of the gap of the ladder he is stuck in, Merrick interrupted his thinking.

Scarecrow: (flashback) Okay, you're gonna have to let go of my hand and qui—

Merrick: (flashback) What are you doing here, Scarecrow?!

Scarecrow: (flashback) What do you mean "What am I doing here?"?! Let me th—

Merrick: (flashback) We can't save him!

Scarecrow: (flashback) YES WE CAN! JUST GE—

Rorke: Elias.

Merrick: (flashback) WE'RE TOO HEAVY!

Scarecrow: NO!

Merrick: (flashback) YOU GOTTA LET HIM GO!

Scarecrow: (flashback) Shit. Shit! *exclaims* I'm SORRYYY!

Scarecrow lets go of Rorke*

Rorke: (flashback) ELIAAAS!

splash*

Scarecrow: (flashback) NOOOO! GABRIEEEL! FUCK! *snarls in frustration*

Rorke fell into the rapids and disappeared.

Hesh: So what did you do?

Elias: I made the hardest decision of my life. I let him go and saved the others.

Back in the present, Elias says he will explain what happened next tomorrow in his office. Because he will also share Task Force Stalker's next move at the same time.