John stopped directly in front of Alexandra, towering over her slight frame like a mountain of solid muscle and Kevlar. Casually bracing one powerful arm against the metal support of the canopy, effectively cutting off any route of retreat, he unleashed his entire arsenal.
"Mother of God, if someone had told me German medicine looked like an angel sent straight down from heaven, I'd have asked them to shoot me again before I even made it through the gates of this bloody base," MacTavish began, his deep, rumbling Scottish baritone filling the space beneath the tent. He leaned in slightly, carrying with him the scent of damp fabric and sharp cologne. "Sergeant John MacTavish, lass. But for you, just Soap. You know, they say paramedics have the gentlest hands... Think you could do a wounded soldier a favor? I'm afraid my heart just skipped a beat from one look at you."
He fired off one worn-out pickup line after another without the slightest embarrassment. Everything about his posture radiated the primal confidence of a predator accustomed to getting what he wanted.Alexandra fell silent the moment she heard his voice. She didn't step back, blush, or avert her gaze. Her striking green eyes moved over the Scotsman with careful, almost scientific curiosityβover his rough, scarred face, his mohawk, and the shameless curve of his lips.The internal radar she had developed through years of living in uncertainty delivered its verdict instantly: this loud, enormous man posed no threat. He was simply showing off.When Soap finally paused to admire the effect of his performance, Alexandra tilted her head slightly to one side. A genuine, gentle, yet utterly disarming smile appeared on her lips. She let a brief silence linger before speaking in a calm, melodic voice.
"Excuse me... Do you speak English?"
From the dark interior of the armored vehicle came a quiet sound, like gravel grinding together.Simon Riley, hidden behind his skull-patterned mask, had allowed himself a short, muffled laugh.
The sergeant's monstrous Scottish accent, mixed with heavy slang, had sounded to the girl like little more than an incomprehensible stream of noises. The blow to MacTavish's pride had been delivered with surgical precision and the face of an angel.Ghost slowly leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees, already anticipating exactly how Soap was going to dig himself out of this one.