go follow @scarlettproof instead

So, the task force had been assigned to do a routine intel mission

Well, it was routine when instead of finding the enemy informant they find a young, teenage girl shaking in the empty room

The guys had kicked in the door, Simon and Soap rushing inside with their guns raised

But they were completely caught off guard by the girl

She was dirty and shaking, clearly scared shitless with her hands pressed over her ears

Simon radioed Price and Laswell, updating them on the current situation while Soap placed his gun down on the ground and began to try to talk to the girl

Laswell advised they take the girl back with them because she might have valuable informant, even if the informant was gone

"Ghost," Soap looked up from where he was crouched by the girl, "What now?"

Ghost shifts on his feet, readjusting his gun, "The mission stays the same. We bring the girl with us."

"Lt, she's terrified," Soap defending, standing back up to face off against the other man.

"Stay focused, sergeant. The safest place is with us anyway."

Ghost still didn't move closer, still afraid of spooking her further or causing her to make a break for the door. He nodded to Soap, a clear indication for him to approach the girl and try to coax her into following them.

Soap walked over as gently as he could. The girl still curled in on herself tighter, arms bracketing her head to protect it. Soap offered a hand slowly, watching with sad eyes as the girl peeks back up at her, "We don't want to hurt you but you'll need to come with us, Lass. We'll protect ye."

The girl seemed incredibly hesitant, eyes shifting to Ghost with trepidation. Soap notices this, knows that the other man can't help how intimidating he is but it still isn't helping them in this case. "Don't be scared of the big guy, he's really a big goofball. You should hear his jokes, bloody awful."

The girls lips twitch slightly before a shaky hand finally reaches out to take Soap's. He carefully helps her to her feet as Ghost calls for exfil. He turns back to his sergeant, now addressing the girl directly for the first time. When his eyes land on her, she shrinks slightly behind Soap but her eyes stay fixed on him. "Our exfil vehicle is on the way. Stay close and stay down. Don't fall behind."

The girl nods slightly but still doesn't speak. Ghost takes it as the closest he is going to get to an answer, nodding to Soap as well as he leads them from the room.

A few hours later and back on base finds the girl seated in one of the cold interrogation room. On the other side of the glass, Ghost, Soap, Price, and Gaz stood, trying to decide their next move.

"She didn't talk the whole way back," Ghost commented, "They must have threatened her into silence."

"Or she's just scared shitless," Gaz shrugged, "It's not everyday you get a gun pointed at you by a guy in a skull mask."

"If we don't find this informant, more people get hurt and she might know where he went," Price grumbled, obviously upset with the derailing of their plans. "The mission now is to get her to talk."

"We aren't interrogating a kid," Soap turned, "She didn't do anything wrong."

"We don't know that."

Soap looked like he wanted to argue more but Laswell choose that moment to return, a bottle of water and bag of chips in her hand. "We aren't going to hurt her. We just need to try and coax information out of her. I'll go first."

Laswell sent a look at the boys that said "watch" and entered the room. The girl seemed slightly more relaxed in the presence of another woman, gratefully taking the water and chips from her as if she hadn't eaten in days. Maybe she hadn't.

Despite Laswell's coaxing, the girl still wouldn't speak and Laswell eventually left the room again.

When it was ghost and Soap's turn, they sat in silence for a moment, unsure on how to continue. Ghost abruptly cleared his throat, "Two goldfish are in a tank..."

Soap groans, throwing his head back dramatically, "Don't do this L.t."

The girls gaze shifts to the taller man, one eyebrow raised expectantly. Ghost continues, "One turns to the other and says, "you know how to drive this thing?"

After a moment the girl laughs to herself, caught off guard by the cheesy joke. Ghost was obviously very proud of this despite the way Soap picks fun at him.

Gaz enters next, laying a soft looking hoodie down in front of the girl. When she looks up at him questioningly, he smiles, "Let's go for a walk, get some fresh air. I'm sure your tired of sitting in this room."

You eagerly pull the hoodie on, following Gaz out of the room and to some underpass along the outside of the base. To your right, you could see a couple soldiers running drills in a large empty field. Gaz gives you a moment to just breathe, before he stops and turns to you.

"Listen, kid," Gaz continues, "I know your scared and we have no idea how you ended up where you did. I'm sorry it had to be you, but it does. We need you to tell us what you know to protect you. If this guy gets away, a whole lot of people get hurt."

You knew he was right. But you still couldn't bring yourself to say anything, eyes fixed downward on your scuffed sneakers.

"I know he probably threatened you," Gaz places a comforting hand on your shoulder, urging you to look up at him, "But we will protect you. We'll give you your life back. But you have to help us out."

You nodded suddenly very determined. You open your mouth to speak, voice rough and stuttering from disuse, "I'll tell you everything I know."

Gaz smiles, leading you back into the building to his Captain urging him to collect the others because you were ready to speak. You all sit down in a conference room and you begin to get nervous to continue, but Gaz nods at you and the looks from the others tell you its ok.

So, you tell them everything. From where you think the informant is heading, that you had been left behind as a distraction, and that you were supposed to try and injure the 141 members.

"Thank you," Price nods, eyes strangely gentle, "We will take care of it from here. Laswell will work on getting you a home to go back to. You won't have to worry anymore."

You shakily thank him, taking him by surprise by grabbing him into a hug. He laughs lightly, patting your back before separating and sending you off with Laswell.