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“Thou shalt get sidetracked by bullshit every goddamn time.” so true, babe, so fucking true.

[callsign-smalls]

Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land

Chapter Four: “I’m Just A Dead Man Walking”

*2 weeks later.

Madelyn POV

"Hey Captain, how much longer do you think we'll have to wait for this cartel boat?" I ask Price, holding on to a nearby bridge support beam. "We've already been in the water for far too long. The last thing any of us needs is to catch hypothermia."

"It won't be much longer Smoke, at least it shouldn't be anyway." Captain Price tells me, now leaning down towards his radio's microphone. "Alright Laswell, we're in position."

"Copy John, what do you got?"

Captain Price grabs his binoculars with his free hand, holding them up to his eyes. "I got AQ loading cargo into a barge."

"That's your target." I hear Chief Laswell say, her words giving me a small burst of energy. "Get on board and find out who they're working with."

"Rog." Captain Price nods, handing his binoculars over to Gaz. "We've got sentries all around the perimeter, so that's where you'll come in Flash. Do you think you can get up there and take care of them without being spotted?"

I grin. "Oh come on Captain, you should know me better than that. I'm always up for a challenge, especially when it's something that's potentially dangerous."

"Well, try not to take away all of the fun." Captain Price replies, and I just keep on grinning as Price turns his head to face Gaz. "Sergeant, I need you to go around and clean up the docks. Can you do that?"

Gaz gives Price a small thumbs up. "Yeah, we move on your mark Captain."

"Let's get this over with." Captain Price says, prompting Gaz and I to nod. "Both of you, try to stay quiet for as long as possible. Having the element of surprise here will greatly help us in this situation."

• • •

"Flash, have you been able to figure out what's been making that noise yet?" I hear Captain Price ask, his voice buzzing in my earpiece.

I nod, leaning forward and grabbing the buzzing cellphone out of the dead cartel member's vest pocket. "Yeah Cap, it's the cartel member's phone."

"Get it." Captain Price says, his voice now coming from the doorway behind me.

"I'm way ahead of you sir." I unlock the phone, scrolling through the text messages that appear on screen. "It looks like the cartel's meeting with AQ."

I turn and hand the phone to Captain Price, who just lets out an irritated sigh whenever he reads the text messages.

"Laswell, find Café Gracht. Something's about to go down." Captain Price says, his eyes still directed at the phone.

"When?"

"One hour."

You have got to be fucking with me...

"Sergeant, are you doing alright?" Captain Price asks me as the three of us are making our way back outside. "You've been way more quiet tonight than usual."

"Don't worry about me Cap, I'll be fine." I reply, rubbing my arms to try and generate some form of heat. "We've got more important things to do."

"You're shivering like a leaf in the wind, here." I hear Gaz say, watching as he takes off his over coat and hands it to me. "I'm pretty sure that your brother would have my ass served up on a silver platter if I let you get sick, and I'd much rather stay on his good side if I can help it."

I let out a quiet laugh, the hints of a smile now tugging at the corners of my lips. "You know what Gaz? I think you're probably right."

• • •

"Bravo-Six to Watcher-One, Flash and I are in position at the cafe. Two at the table to my three o'clock. One cartel, one Iranian." Captain Price says, fiddling with the zippo lighter in his hand.

"How cozy." I hear Chief Laswell say, prompting me to nod in agreement. "What are they up to?"

"Looks like they're conducting a transaction." I mumble, messing with my earpiece to make sure that it won't fall out.

"Electronically?"

Captain Price nods. "Affirm."

Gaz's voice comes through my earpiece a few moments later. "They have got to be paying the cartel for something."

I let out a small sigh, eventually nodding my head in agreement. "Well, we better find out what."

"Security?" Gaz asks, and Captain Price then nods as well.

"Yes, several."

Gaz let's out a quiet sigh. "I'll deal with 'em."

"Don't take all the fun now, eh?" I glance down at my watch, my leg bouncing in anticipation. "I mean, I did leave a few guards for you back at the docks."

"Copy, coming your way now."

Captain Price looks over at me, the two of us sharing a quick nod. "You ready for this kid?"

I nod, taking a quick sip of my drink before replying. "Yeah, I'm ready. It's kind of my job, isn't it?"

Captain Price chuckles. "Yeah, I guess it is."

I then stand up, quietly pushing in my chair before sighing. "Alright Cap, I guess I'll see you here in a little while, yeah?"

Price gives me a small nod. "Please be careful out there Flash, alright? I mean it."

I just grin. "When am I ever not careful sir?"

Captain Price rolls his eyes, but there's a smile that's slowly creeping it's way onto his face regardless. "I know you and I know how you can be on a job sometimes Flash, that's why I'm saying that."

"I agree with the Captain, please be careful out there." Chief Laswell says, and I have to resist the urge to roll my eyes.

"Do you and Price ever not worry about me while we're on a mission?" I ask Chief Laswell as I'm walking away from the cafe, double checking to make sure my various weapons are still hidden away beneath my coat. "I'm a grown woman, y'know. I can take care of myself."

"Regardless if you can take care of yourself or not, you still need to be careful Flash. You out of all people should know just how dangerous things can get in our line of work."

•        •        •

"Kyle, would you please quit hoverin' directly over me like you're a worried mother hen or something?" I ask as I'm stitching up the gunshot wound on my thigh. "I'm gonna be fine, I swear."

"You're one of my best friends Madelyn, and you got shot for Christ's sake." Kyle retorts, and I just roll my eyes. "I think I'm more than allowed to be worried about you."

"Like I said Kyle, I'm gonna be fine." I snip off the extra thread from my last stitch, looking up at Kyle and smiling. "See? I'm all better now, there's nothing for you to worry about anymore."

Kyle let's out a quiet sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah... I wouldn't be so sure about that."

I raise an eyebrow up at Kyle as I tape some gauze over my stitched up wound.

"What makes you say that?"

"Cap's real pissed off at you and I, but he said that he'd wait until you were stitched up before he laid into the two of us." Kyle tells me, leaning up against the opposite wall and crossing his arms. "He's waiting just outside in the hallway."

I roll my eyes at Kyle's words, letting out a quiet hiss of pain as I get to my feet. "Goddamn it, of course he is."

"Are you two muppets done in there?" I hear Captain Price ask. "Because I need to have a talk with you both."

The door swings open and bangs against the wall, causing me to flinch at the sudden loud noise.

It's kind of weird honestly. I'm not bothered by gunshots and explosions going off around me, but the second a person sits something down on a table with just a bit too much force or someone slams a door, it's like I'm five years old all over again with my parents arguing over in the next room.

"What the hell were you two fuckin' muppets even thinking?" Price asks, crossing his arms as he glares at Kyle and I. "Especially you Smoke, I've never known you to do completely stupid things like what you did earlier."

"You could say thank you, since I did kind of save your life and all." I retort, my words causing Captain Price to raise his eyebrow. "Be honest with yourself Cap, I mean, seriously. If it weren't for me steppin' into that guy's line of fire, you'd be dead."

Captain Price rolls his eyes. "You stepping in front of taking that bullet for me was an unnecessary risk Flash. I thought you out of all people would be able to recognize that fact, seeing as you have a genius level I.Q. Sergeant Garrick, you definitely should have known better as well."

"I ran the probability of you survivin' a gunshot to the spine, and it wasn't good." I tell Price, pushing my glasses higher up on my nose. "If you want to punish me for taking what you deem was an unnecessary risk, then I encourage you to go ahead and do so Captain. But do not punish Kyle for something that was completely my own idea."

Captain Price stands up straighter, glaring down at me. "You need to calm down Madelyn."

I roll my eyes. "This is calm Captain, and it's Sergeant Graves-Landry to you."

Price crosses his arms. "Sergeant Garrick, go wait outside. It seems that I need to have a talk with Madelyn here."

Kyle gives me one last apologetic look before he leaves, softly shutting the door behind him.

"When are you going to stop taking unnecessary risks Madelyn?" Price asks, and I just raise an eyebrow. "First you went off to a boxing match and got the shit beat out of you, despite knowing that your uncle and I both didn't want you to do so. Then today, you jumped in front of a bullet that wasn't meant for you. I'm worried about you kid."

I shake my head. "You don't need to worry about me Price, it's not like I'm nineteen anymore. I can take care of myself."

Price sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance. "You keep telling everyone that, but your actions prove otherwise. You're going to get yourself killed one of these days Madelyn."

I raise an eyebrow. "Oh, really? I had no idea Captain, it's not like I'm in the military or anything. I thought everything was going to be all sunshine and rainbows all of the time."

Price gives me a sharp glare. "Madelyn, this is serious. It seems like you're slipping back into some old habits, and it makes me worry. I've watched you brush hands with death once, and I have no intentions of doing it again, at least not if I can help it."

My jaw clenched so tightly that it begins to ache, and I just cross my arms. "There's clearly something you want to ask me but haven't yet, so let's just get it over with Captain. Lay it on me."

Price let's out a small sigh, running his hand over his beard. "Have you been having suicidal thoughts again Madelyn? I know that this time of year tends to get extremely rough for you."

"You have got to be fuckin' kidding me." I groan, letting out a dry laugh and shaking my head. "I am not suicidal Captain."

"Really? Because the things you've chosen to do lately say otherwise." Price replies, crossing his arms. "It's clear that lately, you haven't been doing the best mentally."

I glare at Price, having to force back the tears of anger making my eyes burn. "I haven't been doing good mentally for a while Captain, not since I watched my mother die. That kind of thing tends to stay with you, but it has not affected my ability to get my job done."

"I do know that, and you should know that you don't have to do that anymore." Price tells me, hair eyes slowly beginning to soften. "Your normal, day to day life isn't about survival anymore Madelyn. You can take a deep breath and relax now."

"Don't you dare tell me to relax, not when you're attacking the very things that shaped me to be who I am!" I yell, feeling a single tear roll down my cheek.

"I am not trying to attack you Madelyn!" Price yells back, running a hand through his hair. "All I'm saying is that you don't have to protect yourself so much anymore! You're a part of a team now, and that's what teammates do, they protect each other!"

"I never wanted to join the soldier's life, to be a part of a team!" I shout, my fists beginning to shake as I point a finger at Price. "That was all you and Laswell's! You drug me out of a place I was comfortable in, and I haven't been able to get back to that state since!"

"All I've ever done is try to help you Madelyn, you have to realize that." Price says, and I just roll my eyes. "I'm sure things are the same way with your uncle."

"I never asked for your help Captain, not when I was younger and most certainly not now."

[callsign-smalls]

Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land

Chapter Three: “Times Like These, I Wanna Fade Away”

*2 months later.

Madelyn POV

"Ghost, Flash, you guys will be wheels-up in five." General Shepherd tells Ghost and I.

Ghost nods. "Roger."

"The Marines should be loading in now. Ghost, you and the other Sergeant will be leading the way on this. Flash, you're there purely as backup just in case something were to go wrong."

"Other sergeant?" I ask General Shepherd, my eyebrow now slightly raised. "Who are you talking about?"

"Soap Mactavish." General Shepherd replies, and I just grin as I watch Soap climb out of the back of a nearby truck.

"Hell fuckin' yeah, this mission just got a hell of a lot better." I say, slowly starting to grin.

"Hold on a second, since when are you and MacTavish best friends?" Ghost asks, and I give him a small nod. "You and I are gonna talk about that later once we're done here Flash, I hope you know that."

I wave Ghost off, now rolling my eyes as Soap approaches the two of us. "Yeah yeah, whatever."

"Hold on a second, I could recognize that drawl from anywhere." Soap says, giving me a wide grin. "How are you doing Flash? I'd say long time no see, but it hasn't really been that long."

Ghost looks at me, crossing his arms. "Flash, what exactly is he talking about?"

"It doesn't matter LT, and besides, ain't nothin' bad happened."

"Anyways..." Soap trails off, now looking over at Ghost as he claps his hands together. "Let's get ourselves a win, yeah LT?"

Soap hits Ghost's arm like I had done to him earlier, a light grin on his face. "I'll save you two a seat, sir."

Once Soap has walked far enough away, Ghost lets out a long sigh.

"Fuckin' hell..." Ghost says, lightly shaking his head.

"Ghost, you copy?" General Shepherd asks, his voice shaking Ghost from his thoughts.

"Yes sir."

It doesn't take long for General Shepherd to reply. "Any issues?"

Ghost shakes his head. "Negative sir, out here."

• • •

"Look- Hassan's uniform." Soap points out, gesturing to the uniform jacket draped across the rolling desk chair. "So he was here."

"Must've lost him when we secured the crash site earlier." I mumble, my hand pressed to the front of my hipbone in a poor attempt to hide a gunshot wound that I got earlier.

"Well Flash, I'd say that's pretty obvious." Soap retorts, and I have to resist the urge to roll my eyes. "Are you saying that we shouldn't have helped?"

Ghost shrugs, briefly glancing over at me before he replies. "Choices have consequences."

"All Bravo, we got movement out here."

Ghost nods, now chiming in with an order of his own. "All Bravo, circle up outside."

I trail after Ghost and Soap, my footsteps now much slower than their's due to my bullet wound.

"Steamin' Jesus, what the hell's taking you so long Flash?" Soap asks as I'm limping down the staircase. "Woah... Um, Flash, did you know you're bleeding?"

"Shh!" I hiss, using my clean hand to cover Soap's mouth. "You need to learn when to shut the hell up, alright? The last thing I need right now is Ghost l raisin' all sorts of hell just because I got shot. This ain't the first time it's happened, and I'm sure it won't be the last."

Soap's eyes widen. "Hold on, what? You got shot-"

I punch Soap in the arm as hard as I can, glaring up at the Scotsman. "Soap, here's a valuable lesson that you need to learn, because you apparently haven't yet. When someone tells you to shut the fuck up, YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

"What in the bloody hell is taking the two of you so long?!" Ghost practically growls as he walks into the building, grabbing me by the back of my vest and tugging me backwards. "Flash, just what in the hell has gotten into you?"

I roll my eyes, trying to hide the pain from my injury as best as I can. "I don't want to talk about it, alright? Soap's just bein' a bastard from hell, it ain't nothin' I can't handle LT."

"Could you maybe speak some proper English for me Lucy?" Ghost asks, prompting me to raise an eyebrow. "When you're this upset, your accent gets so thick it's like fucking molasses in wintertime. It's so hard to understand you whenever you get this pissed off."

"Awe LT, it seems like you may be a bit sweet on her." Soap teases, earning himself a glare from Ghost and I both. "Alright, that message has been fully received. Just please forget that I ever said anything to suggest that the two of you were ever more than friends."

"Trust me, we've been there and done that, way, way back when." I grumble once Ghost walks away, prompting Soap to raise an eyebrow. "Let's just say that it didn't end too well."

"What was it like?" Soap whispers, and I shrug.

"It definitely wasn't the worst relationship I've been in, but it wasn't the best either." I explain, letting out a small hiss of pain. "That entire thing was short lived anyhow, somethin' that happened way back when him and I were younger, and dumber. Besides, I've got my eyes on someone different now. It's been that way for a while."

Soap gives me a small nod, and in a moment, I can almost feel his whole demeanor change.

• • •

"What the fuck is this?" Soap asks as he opens the doors to the shipping container.

"It's all in English." Ghost pipes up, with me following close behind.

A rumbling noise begins to be heard from the top of the container, prompting the three of us to rejoin the others out in the warehouse.

"I believe that those are ballistic missiles, if I'm not mistaken." I pipe up, prompting a few others to nod in agreement.

"It's a mobile launcher."

"These'll go 1,000 miles."

Ghost nods. "Yeah, at least."

Soap starts to walk around to the side of the shipping container, his pace picking up with every step. "How the hell did Iran get their hands on this?!"

I go to follow after him, but a sharp pain shooting through my hip quickly stops me.

"Seven-Six, get us through to Laswell." Ghost says, prompting the soldier to nod.

"Flash, are you sure that you'll be alright until we make it back to base later? Or do you need a medic?" Ghost asks, looking over at me with his eyebrow slightly raised.

"Roger, stand by." The other soldier says, reaching down for his radio. "Bravo Seven-Six to Watcher-One, how copy?"

"I don't need a medic." I tell Ghost, shaking my head. "I'll be fine, I've packed the wound with enough gauze. It'll be alright until we make it back to base. Besides, as of right now, I'm the only medic we got."

"This is Watcher-One, send traffic."

"Laswell, this is Ghost. We got something." I hear Ghost say, walking around until I see him standing next to Soap, who's now on top of a stack of crates.

"Tell me you found Hassan." I hear Chief Laswell say, and Ghost just sighs.

"Ghost, Flash, you guys might wanna take a look at this." Soap tells us as he steps aside, revealing a painted American flag on the side of the missile.

Fuck... If we weren't in deep shit before, then we're certainly in deep shit now.

"Ghost, do you have Hassan?"

Ghost shakes his head, his eyes still locked onto the missile. "Negative. We found a weapons cache, and a big one at that. Hassan's got missiles... and they're American."

Out of seemingly nowhere, General Shepherd's voice comes through our earpieces. "Zero-Seven, this is Gold Eagle Actual. Repeat your last-"

Ghost rolls his eyes. "I say again: Hassan has American missiles."

[callsign-smalls]

Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land

Chapter Two: “Burn With Me, Heaven’s On Fire”

*4 days later.

Madelyn POV

"So Dean, when is this 'oh so special' guest of yours going to show up? You know, the one you refuse to tell me hardly anything about?" I ask my older brother as I walk into the living room, glancing up at the clock on the wall. "Because if they're riding with us to the venue, they need to show up in the next fifteen minutes or else we're leaving without them."

Dean lets out a small chuckle, just shaking his head. "Take a deep breath and relax Maddie, it's gonna be fine. He got here while you were in the shower earlier?"

"He?" I retort, raising an eyebrow. "You know I don't judge Deano, but um, I didn't know that you were in to guys."

"Well, until I met him, I didn't exactly know either." Dean explains, rubbing the back of his neck. "He's honestly a really great guy Maddie, you should know."

"Hold on a second, do I already know this mystery man?"

Dean just grins, nodding his head to someone or something behind me. "Well, you can just turn around and see for yourself."

I look behind me, my eyes quickly widening whenever I see who just walked into the room.

"Gaz?" I ask, my eyebrow raised. "Hold on a second, since when do you know my brother?"

Gaz lets out a small and quiet chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. "Do you remember when your brother went to London about two years ago?"

I give Kyle a small nod. "Yeah, it was to visit an old BAU teammate of his that had transferred to take over the Interpol office over there."

"Well, the two of us met on the bus while he was over there, and I managed to sweet talk your brother enough to get his number." Gaz explains, looking over at Dean before giving him a quick wink. "I'm sorry we've kept it from you for this long, we just wanted to enjoy the peace in secret for a while."

I raise my hands up, giving Gaz a light shake of my head. "Hey, it's you all's relationship, not mine. I'm just glad that the two of you are happy, that's all."

Gaz just smiles, pulling me in for a tight but quick hug. "Thank you Madelyn, that means a lot."

After a few moments of the three of us chatting while shrugging our coats on, I see a familiar blonde head of hair making its way into the room.

"Hey kiddo, you ready to go?" I ask Austin, who gives me a small nod. "Alright, that's good. You should double check to make sure you have your camera and everything else, because we have to get going here pretty soon."

•        •        •

"Oh come on Maddie, would you please just take a deep breath and relax?" My cousin Daisy asks me, both of her hands currently resting on my shoulders. "You've done this practically a million times before, everything's gonna be fine."

"I know, it's just that it's been a long time since we've been able to do a show, and I've never played guitar in front of this many people before." I reply, rubbing the back of my neck. "I know I'm not lead guitar, but still. It's a little nerve wracking."

"Hey guys, it's about time for us to go on." Dean says as he walks over, our brother Beau right behind him.

"It's gonna be fine, alright?" Daisy says, giving my shoulder a quick squeeze. "You'll be fine Madelyn, and you're gonna do great like you always do. Besides, you'll only be playing guitar until intermission, so it's not even that bad."

The four of us then make our way onstage, each of us giving Austin a fist bump as we walk past him.

Once everyone has gotten settled into their various spots on the stage, I walk up to the microphone with a wide grin on my face.

"Hello everybody! How are y'all doin' out there tonight?" I ask, grinning even wider than before when the crowd cheers in response. "That's good, real good. Now, I think it's about time for us to play a few songs for you guys, huh? What do y'all say?"

I look back at the others, all of us sharing a quick nod before Dean and I begin to play the beginning notes of our first song.

*beginning instrumental*

You are a prisoner of what they wanted you to be, now you're a minister of a brand new reality. Don't you want to get away? Shut down all the voices, all the white noises. Drowning in deeper waves, I gotta get away.

They think they own you, but they don't know you've broken free, better on your own. You're on top of the world, at the top of your lungs. Come on, and shout your freedom!

Victory is what has come alive inside when they've been gone. Shout it out to the world at the top of your lungs. Come on, and shout your freedom!

*short instrumental*

I take a quick glance around at the crowd, grinning from ear to ear when I spot the rest of my family in the crowd.

And now you're flying high, you won't be held down by regrets. You're not just getting by, you're a warrior and proud of it. You don't have to be afraid. Hear how loud your voice is, shut out all the noises. You don't have to be ashamed, so never run away.

They think they own you, but they don't know you've broken free, better on your own. You're on top of the world, at the top of your lungs. Come on, and shout your freedom!

Victory is what has come alive inside when they've been gone. Shout it out to the world at the top of your lungs. Come on, and shout your freedom!

*instrumental*

Dean and I let it all out for the guitar solo, the two of us sporting matching grins as we fly through the various notes.

Victory is born. You'll never go back, you're never going back. Look what you've become. You're flying higher, 'cause you're a fighter.

They think they own you, but they don't know you've broken free, better on your own. You're on top of the world, at the top of your lungs. Come on, and shout your freedom!

Victory is what has come alive inside when they've been gone. Shout it out to the world at the top of your lungs. Come on, and shout your freedom!

•        •        •

Once Beau announces intermission, I make my way off the stage and over to where my family's sitting the bar.

"Holy shit Mads, I honestly forget about the set of pipes you had on you." Phillip says, giving me a small pat on the back. "All of you guys have been doing amazing up there so far."

"You really think so?" I ask my brother, who just gives me a small nod in response. "Well, thank you. I appreciate it."

"And as a small token of respect for doing so well, I'm buyin' you a drink." Phillip tells me, then turns ing around to flag down the bartender.

Once my brother hands me the drink, I take a long swig right as I hear someone walking up behind me.

"I hope that you didn't forget about me lass, because if you did, I'd be truly hurt."

I turn around and nearly yelp in surprise when I see my best friend Johnny standing there.

"Holy- oh my god! Johnny, what are you doin' here?" I ask, pulling the Scotsman in for a tight hug. "I thought you were on an assignment with Price."

Johnny just shrugs. "I was, but when our assignment ended just a few days ago and Gaz told me about your little hidden talent, I figured that I should probably come see what the fuss was all about. Cap's here too, somewhere. I think he's talking with your brother and Gaz about something, I don't really know."

"I'm so glad you're here, you have no idea." I tell Johnny, pulling him in for another hug. "I mean it, thank you for comin'."

Johnny gives me a small nod before taking a sip of his drink. "Yeah, of course. You don't need to thank me though, bonnie. I mean, how could I not take the chance to come see my best girl?"

"Your best girl?" I retort, slowly raising an eyebrow. "And what exactly do you mean by that MacTavish?"

I see unfamiliar movement out of the corner of my eye, looking over to see Daisy making her way towards Johnny and I.

"Hey there Mads, Beau and Dean wanted me to come get you because you he intermission's almost over." Daisy explains, raising her eyebrow slightly as she looks between Johnny and I.

"Will you hold this for me until I get back?" I ask Johnny, smiling whenever he gives me a small nod. "Thanks darlin', you're the best."

I give Johnny a quick kiss on the cheek before following Daisy into the crowd, us girls making our way back over to the side of the stage.

"So, you're gonna tell me all about him later, right?" Daisy asks me, grinning whenever I give her a short nod. "That's my girl."

Once we're all back on the stage, I turn towards the crowd with a new and better sense of energy than before.

"Alright everybody!" I call out, grabbing most of the crowd's attention. "This next song of ours is a cover of a classic song. Y'all feel free to sing along if you know the words."

*beginning instrumental*

Woo-oo-oo!

*short instrumental*

I look at you and my blood boils hot, I feel my temperature rise. I want it all, give me what you got. It's hunger in your eyes.

I'm getting closer, baby hear me breathe. You know the way to give me what I need. Just let me love you and you'll never leave.

Feel my heat, takin' you higher. Burn with me, heaven's on fire. Paint the sky with desire, angel fly, heaven's on fire (woo).

I look around the crowd, grinning widely and giving Johnny a quick wink whenever I spot him in the crowd.

I got a fever ragin' in my heart, you make me shiver and shake. Baby don't stop, take it to the top. Eat it like a piece of cake.

You're comin' closer, I can hear you breathe. You drive me crazy when you start to tease. You could bring the devil to his knees.

Feel my heat, takin' you higher. Burn with me, heaven's on fire. Paint the sky with desire, angel fly, heaven's on fire.

Oh oh, heaven's on fire. Oh oh, heaven's on fire. Oh, oh.

*instrumental*

I'm getting closer, baby hear me breathe. You know the way to give me what I need. Just let me love you and you'll never leave.

Feel my heat, takin' you higher. Burn with me, heaven's on fire. Paint the sky with desire, angel fly, heaven's on fire. Feel my heat, takin' you higher. Burn with me, heaven's on fire.

Paint the sky with desire, angel fly, heaven's on fire. Feel my heat, takin' you higher. Burn with me, heaven's on fire.

[callsign-smalls]

Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land

Chapter One: “Standing In The Storm Like Never Before”

Madelyn POV

"LT, have I ever told you how much I hate this kind of weather?" I grumble, pulling off my helmet for a brief moment to wipe away the sweat that's dripping down my face. "Because it's hotter than fuckin' doughnut grease out here."

Ghost sighs. "Yes Flash, you have. You've told me many times, in fact."

"Sir, I have to ask. Are you always this much of a salty prick to everyone you meet?" I retort, grinning slightly when Ghost lets out a chuckle.

"Hate to break it to you Flash, but you do bring out the worst in me." Ghost replies, and I just flip him off.

A few moments later, I hear Chief's Laswell's voice come through my earpiece.

"We need positive ID on Ghorbrani before we kick this off, you guys."

"Boo..." I mumble, hearing my older brother Phillip barely stifle a laugh on his end of the radio, the sound causing me to roll my eyes.

General Shepherd's the next person in the group to speak up. "Ghost, are you or Flash able to identify the General?"

I hand the binoculars that were in my pack over to Ghost, seeing as I forgot my glasses back at the base anyway.

Ghost looks through the binoculars for a few moments before replying. "Armed escorts surround one VIP. Russians seem very happy to see him."

"It'll be the last time they do."

After a few more moments of silence pass by, Ghost clears his throat. "I have a visual on General Ghorbrani."

Laswell is the one to reply. "Copy. All stations, target confirmed."

Ghost looks over to me, the two of us sharing a quick nod. "Shadow-One, you are cleared hot for launch."

"Roger that, Actual. Ghost, Flash, you guys are danger close to the zone. This arrow's gonna pack one hell of a punch."

Ghost nods. "Copy, approved. Send it."

"All stations, Shadow-One. Missile is ready for immediate delivery, stand by for launch."

A moment or two of silence on the radio system goes by before I hear my brother's voice again.

"Coordinates in, target designated. Two, one, shot out! Missile is loose!"

"Jesus..." I mumble, taking off my helmet once again to wipe my forehead. "This is, this is just insane."

Ghost just shrugs. "This is the military Flash, you should know that this kind of shit happens around us all of the time."

"Yeah, I know that it does, but I'm usually never this close when it happens." I reply, earning a small nod from Ghost. "I'm usually just sent in after the firefight to take care of the wounded soldiers, or on the rare occasion, I'm perched on a rooftop somewhere with my sniper rifle in hand."

"Link is good, target acquired. This will take some manual guidance to hold her." Phillip says, which causes me to raise an eyebrow. "Missile is bearing northeast at 0-6-5 degrees, going at Mach-3. Altitude is 500 meters."

"You're right in the pocket." I hear General Shepherd say. "Stay with it."

"Check, comin' in hot." Phillip replies, and I hear him let out a sigh. "Brace for impact. Time to target, five seconds. Termination in three, two, one."

Ghost and I watch as the missile hits the camp in the valley below us, the shockwave quickly rising and going over the two of us.

"Bloody fucking hell." Ghost mumbles, sighing and shaking his head. "Direct hit, the target has been destroyed."

• • •

As I'm running through the base's various hallways to get outside, I found a corner and run straight into Ghost.

"Bloody hell Flash, where are you headed in such a rush?" Ghost asks, handing me the duffle bag that I dropped once I've gotten back up to my feet.

"I have a flight to catch, and I'm runnin' more behind than I'd like to. Laswell managed to convince my superior officers back home to let me have some time off after this mission, and I'm just excited to get goin'." I explain, throwing the strap of my bag around my neck. "So if you'll excuse me LT, I have to go now."

"Come on then Flash, I'll walk with you. It's about time for me to leave anyway." Ghost tells me, and for some reason, I'm just now noticing the black bag similar to my own that's slung over his shoulder.

Ghost and I walk in silence for a few moments, neither one of us really saying a whole lot.

"Are you going home to visit your family?" Simon asks, and I just softly shake my head.

"Well, yes and no. I won't be going back to Louisiana, but I'll be heading to Virginia where my siblings are." I explain, seeing Ghost raise an eyebrow.

"Siblings?" Ghost asks, and I just shrug. "I know that Commander Graves is your older brother, but I didn't know you had anymore siblings."

I just give Ghost a wide grin, lightly hitting the man on the arm. "Yeah, I've got 3 other siblings, with one of those being a twin sister."

Ghost's eyes widen slightly. "Since when do you have a twin sister?"

"Since birth, and besides, it makes sense that you wouldn't know about her. My sister and I don't exactly get along a whole lot." I explain, fiddling with the dog tags hanging from my neck. "It's just some hard to talk about family stuff, I'm sure you understand."

"Yeah, I can understand that more than most people would." Ghost replies, and I just give him a small nod. "I guess that would explain why you get a bit more agitated than usual around your birthday every year."

I let out a quiet gasp, giving Ghost the most sarcastic eye roll that I can. "That is a bold-faced lie, I do not get agitated!"

Ghost just shakes his head, letting out a barely audible chuckle. "I hate to break it to you Flash, but you usually do in fact get agitated around that time of year, especially if we're in a hotter climate like this. You tend to be a little more bitchy about it more often than not."

"You are such an asshole!" I tell Ghost, punching him in the arm as hard as I can as we walk out of the building. "Oh look, that's gotta be my cab right there."

"Have fun visiting your siblings, take care of yourself Flash." Ghost says, giving me a small nod. "I guess that I'll see you again whenever I see you."

I give Ghost a small glare in response, sticking my middle finger up at him. "I'm sure that I'll see you here in a few weeks Ghost, especially given our jobs. Don't get lost, okay? You need to care of yourself as well. You best believe that I'll kick your ass the next time I see you if I hear otherwise."

Ghost lets out a small and quiet chuckle, one so quiet that I'm just barely able to hear it as he opens the taxi's door for me. "I'll try my best, but I'm not going to make any promises."

I nod, softly giving Ghost a small smile as I get in the taxi. "Yeah, that's probably best."

Ghost just sighs, softly shaking his head. "Have fun in Virginia. It's like you just said, I'm sure that we'll see each other again soon. Goodbye Flash."

"Goodbye Ghost." I reply, giving Ghost a small wave as the taxi drives off.

I know Ghost doesn't like functions with a lot of people and that he more often than not keeps to himself, but something seems a bit different about him lately and it makes me worried.

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Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land Masterlist

<><><>

Main & Supporting Cast: click here!!

Part 1

Chapter One: Standing In The Storm Like Never Before

Chapter Two: Burn With Me, Heaven’s On Fire

Chapter Three: Times Like These, I Wanna Fade Away

Chapter Four: I’m Just A Dead Man Walking

Chapter Five: coming soon!!

Chapter Six: coming soon!!

Chapter Seven: coming soon!!

Chapter Eight: coming soon!!

Chapter Nine: coming soon!!

Chapter Ten: coming soon!!

Part 2

Chapter Eleven: coming soon!!

Chapter Twelve: coming soon!!

Chapter Thirteen: coming soon!!

Chapter Fourteen: coming soon!!

Chapter Fifteen: coming soon!!

Chapter Sixteen: coming soon!!

Chapter Seventeen: coming soon!!

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Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land Things!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Main Characters (Part 1)

1. Sergeant Madelyn “Flash” Graves-Landry

played by: Dove Cameron

2. Sergeant Johnny “Soap” MacTavish

played by: Neil Ellice

3. Sergeant Mackenzie “Banshee” Graves-Landry

played by: Florence Pugh

4. Colonel Alejandro Vargas

played by: Alain Mesa

5. Sergeant Major Rodolfo “Rudy” Parra

played by: Bayardo De Murguia

6. Lieutenant Simon “Ghost” Riley

played by: Samuel Roukin

7. Shadow Company Commander Phillip Graves

played by: Warren Kole

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Supporting Characters (Part 1)

1. C.I.A Station Chief Kate Laswell

played by: Rya Kihlstedt

2. Captain John Price

played by: Barry Sloane

3. Sergeant Kyle “Gaz” Garrick

played by: Elliot Knight

4. General Shepherd

played by: Glenn Morshower

5. Valeria Garza / El Sin Nombre

played by: María Elisa Camargo

6. Major Hassan Zyani

played by: Ibrahim Renno

7. Supervisory Special Agent Dean Graves-Landry

played by: Jensen Ackles

8. Austin Keller

played by: Rudy Pankow

9. Daisy Fontenot

played by: Kat Graham

10. Jameson Fontenot

played by: Jessie Williams

11. Joshua Fontenot

played by: Michael B. Jordan

12. Gabriel Fontenot

played by: Irdris Elba

13. Phoebe Fontenot

played by: Robin Wright

14. Daniel Graves

played by: Jeffery Dean Morgan

15. Beau Graves

played by: Scott Eastwood

16. Christian Graves

played by: Harrison Ford

17. Adelaide Graves

played by: Olivia Newton-John

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Well, until Wattpad stops giving me so much trouble with the formatting on my stories, this is going to become my main writing app. Prepare to be sick of me. 🫡

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he’s so gorgeous 🥺

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After you answer, please share so I can get wider results!!

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♡ I hope 2024 brings every fanfic writer lots of juicy, spicy, angsty, whumpy, crazy, delicious ideas and motivation. may words flow smoothly through your mind and may you find pure joy and satisfaction in your writing. you will do great. I am rooting for you.

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merry christmas to all those who celebrate it, and just a general happy holidays to everyone!

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this person has many solid points, all of them

The TikTok-fication of Tumblr and why it needs to stop before your fave writers are gone for good:

1. “Part 2??”

Unlike TikTok, writing 5,000 words for a fic does not happen in 6 seconds or more. Weekly updates are from a writer who spoils you and is passionate about their story. Don’t kill the passion by demanding for more and not appreciate what’s already given.

2. The DC Conundrum

Many writers on this platform hail back from the ff.net days where dark content is a norm, not like TikTok where even death has to be censored or you could get flagged.

Despite that, writers are doing you a service by sharing fic warnings despite how it may take away from a plot twist or a big reveal. However, there’s a fine line between sharing warnings and downright spoiling our own work. Heed the warnings, don’t be a dick. If you don’t like it, don’t read it. Learn how to filter your own content, too, while you're at it.

3. The Wild Algorithm

Unlike TikTok, Tumblr’s FYP is not in your face and you have a choice to not view it. Content often gets buried a few days after it’s posted without reblogs or comments to keep it alive.

4. Passive Content Consumption

Ties back with point #1. If you’re only sitting back and reading works without supporting the writers, they can’t spend 6 seconds to conjure up a fic. Writing takes time, editing, proofreading. Tumblr is a book club, not a delivery service.

5. De(constructive) Criticism

If an opinion isn’t asked for, don’t give it. Many writers choose this craft for their own enjoyment and to share a thought or story about a beloved character to those who love them, too. If an opinion is asked? Be kind when you share it across to them. No one likes their hard work to be shat on by someone who doesn’t understand the time and effort it took to create this piece.

6. Are You My Content Machine?

Again, back to point #1. Writers have busy lives. There are days when we want to scream into the void about our favourite characters. We want to share our thoughts about them or sometimes, we just want to talk about what happened during lunch break. Demanding and expecting that a writer post content without giving a shit about the soul behind the screen? Dehumanizing.

Don’t ruin the experience for those of us who are still here. Do your part to make fandom better for everyone.

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This is the only canon I shall recognize for MW3

Folks asked for a rewrite of the campaign, because frankly? Screw canon. I needed to do this for my own sanity.

In light of the absolute fuckery that was this campaign, I’ve worked on a re-write for several days in an attempt to create an improved campaign. This is my personal interpretation, which others are free to disagree with and write their own, but is hopefully a more comprehensive and enjoyable plot that what Activision gave us.

General notes: 

Urzikstan is completely removed from the campaign. That no longer becomes a factor. Farah and her forces have allowed peace to come back to Urzikstan, and we’ll leave it there. (I adore Farah, but the competing amount of characters needs to be simplified, and she had an entire game so far)

The main plotline is narrowed down to Makarov and Shadow/Shepherd, with a sidenote of the team dynamics deepening as their resolve to stop Makarov strengthens

The missions are changed up so we see more of an interaction from the Soap/Ghost and Price/Gaz mission pairings

Many of the missions remain the same, but are edited to a better context to fit the plotline and cohesiveness of the game. Additional missions for this re-write are noted with a (*)

We did chemical weapons in MWI, and then long range ballistic missiles in MWII. The natural ante to these two themes therefore becomes a nuclear attack (Which we see at the climax of the game)

Makarov becomes less of a terrorist going around provoking mass panic, and more a mastermind as he was in the originals that is deliberately trying to set the stage for a war against the United States/The West. His part of the game is full of false flag operations, which heightens tensions between the UK/USA and Russia, which threaten to boil over

The game is limited to the POVs of Soap, Gaz, and Yuri. Too many competing POVs makes for a complicated and hard to track story. This simplifies it considerably.

Additional changes: Improved graphics, music score to match the story, additional missions to lengthen the campaign to match the previous games, and new skins for characters

Campaign:

The game starts the same, with and unknown team making their way through a Russian prison in search of a specific prisoner.

Mission: Operation 627 The prisoner is Makarov, and is rescued from prison by an unknown POV, which is then revealed to be Yuri. Makarov, Yuri, and the remainder of the team launch a prison riot to cover their escape via boat.

Cutscene: We cut to the introduction of the team on the plane. Laswell informs them Makarov has escaped before they could get to him. Price reacts angrily, and conveys the news to the team.

Briefing: Laswell does have information that Konni group is regrouping north of Urzikstan, and that Makarov may be gathering his men there. The group agrees to infiltrate the complex in a capture or kill mission.

*Mission: Kill Switch (Soap POV) The team lays siege to a fortress in the Caucasus mountains, one that is heavily defended. Team banter, with a reminder from Price to stay focused. The group finds that the fortress itself is a diversion, one that is rigged. Soap is barely able to disarm the bomb in time - saving the team. The team laments that Makarov is already two steps ahead of them, but finds information inside the fortress that gives them a lead- and a chance to turn the tables.

Cutscene: We see Makarov reunite with his forces, introducing Milena. He then goes on to proclaim that his intent is to start a global war which will lead Russia to glory. Yuri is disturbed by this, and even more so when Makarov makes a comment regarding innocents in Verdansk being the beginning of this path of blood. The idea of involving innocent Russian citizens in this- a mass slaughter, does not sit well with him.

*Mission: Traitorous Intent (Yuri POV) The scene begins with Yuri sneaking around the Konni compound, looking for details regarding an upcoming attack. He reveals a photo of the Verdansk stadium. Makarov finds him snooping, and Yuri questions Makarov, trying to encourage him not to pursue this plan. There are several dialogue options where Yuri can directly challenge Makarov, or play stupid. Either way, Makarov shoots him, and gestures to his soldiers to dump Yuri’s body somewhere. Unbeknownst to Makarov, Yuri survives, and we see him struggling to safety, only to be captured by Russian loyalists. 

Briefing: Meanwhile, the team goes after a lead revealed from the fortress on the Konni group, who are sniffing around an abandoned nuclear reactor formerly belonging to General Barkov. Laswell sends the team in. 

Mission: Reactor (Gaz POV + Price) Soap and Ghost secure the perimeter, while Price and Gaz infiltrate. Gaz makes a comment about General Barkov leaving a hell of a mess. They find Konni group extracting canisters from the reactor, which begin to leak as they’re extracted. Gaz manages to get a tracker on the chemicals. The reactor room seals, trapping Gaz and Price inside. The team manages to extract them via a rope and ascender. Price forces Gaz to go up first, but in return is briefly consumed by toxic fumes. Price tries to stay with the team, but passes out as Ghost calls for med-evac

Cutscene: We find the team on board exfil, with the same banter as shown in game. Price is angry that Makarov is still ahead of them, and that they’re just chasing his tail.

Briefing: Laswell is able to get a hit on the location of the chemicals, a compound near the Black Sea. Strangely, there also appears to be missiles involved. The mystery of how Konni group got those missiles remains unknown, for now. Laswell sends in the team, and announces she herself will be rendezvousing with Nikolai to get in touch with a valuable contact. Price, who witnessed Laswell getting captured before, refuses to let her go alone, and sends Gaz with her.

Mission: Payload (Soap POV + Team) The team attempts to stop the missile launch, firing upon Konni forces. They discover that the missiles are topped with Barkov’s gas. Soap manages to rig one of the missiles to explode inside the silo, and has a timed mission to escape from the silo/blast radius. Upon succeeding, he RVs with Price and Ghost. Unfortunately, they are unable to stop the other missile from launching, and find it is headed towards Laswell and Gaz. Price tries to warn them- but there’s no response.

Cutscene, several hours earlier: We see Laswell and Gaz meet up with Nikolai. Gaz is excited to see an old friend. Nikolai gives them a warm welcome, and shares that one of Makarov’s men has defected, and has valuable information regarding Makarov’s whereabouts and his plans. They will need to infiltrate a Russian loyalist base to find him. Laswell and Gaz go to find the man of the hour: Yuri

Mission: Deep Cover (Gaz POV + Laswell) Laswell and Gaz stealth mission, where they are able to infiltrate the base and the prison complex to go find Yuri. Laswell uses overwatch to direct Gaz to steal a keycard and RVs with him outside the prison area. Yuri says he’ll only talk if he’s freed. Gaz protests, saying this could be a plant by Makarov, but Laswell agrees. As they free Yuri, Gaz and Laswell get a dispatch from Price- warning them too late of the impending attack. Gas fills the compound, and Yuri, Gaz, and Laswell must escape to higher ground. Laswell becomes unconscious during the escape, and Gaz carries her to safety. Nikolai manages to extract all of them via a rooftop.

Briefing: Gaz reports their status to the team, and conveys Laswell was injured. Laswell comes online, declares she’s fine, makes a comment about the gas being nasty stuff. “Tell me about it.” says Price. Laswell then goes on to share information given to her by Yuri: That Makarov is planning a slaughter in Verdansk. The team has only hours before the bloodbath begins.

Mission: Flashpoint (Soap POV + Team) Soap and the team try to intervene in the coming massacre at the Verdansk Stadium. This level begins with Soap trying to blend in. We get the easter egg of Riley the dog. Soap notices a suspicious amount of Russians disguised as Americans speaking English. It’s clear that this is a false flag operation intended to frame the United States. As Soap realizes this, the attack commences. In the chaos that follows, the disguised soldiers open fire on civilians. Soap RVs with the group and gears up. The team tries their best to sweep the area in search of Makarov- at last finding him disguised as a paramedic. He gets a passing shot at Ghost, who is injured. Soap encourages Price and Gaz to pursue, declaring he’ll stay behind with Ghost and defend him from the stragglers. Price and Gaz go in pursuit of the ambulance Makarov is in, we are left on a cliffhanger of what happens to Ghost

*Mission: Bait and Switch (Gaz POV + Price) Car chase scene where Gaz and Price go in pursuit of Makarov and his men. They must navigate the chaotic Verdansk streets and avoid civilians getting caught in the crossfire as Makarov and his men open fire. Yet the chase is just a distraction. As they cross a freeway in view of the airport, the airport explodes. Gaz and Price are stunned, but continue to chase Makarov. Makarov gets across a bridge, and then blows it up behind him. Gaz and Price screech to a halt, and escape the car before it crashes into the river below. Price rages at their failure, but is more concerned that Kyle has been injured. The team checks in with Soap and Ghost. Ghost is also injured, but alive.

Cutscene: The team reconvenes, injured but otherwise whole. Unfortunately with Makarov’s escape, the narrative is currently that the Verdansk massacre was indeed an attack by US forces, now pushing Russia and the US to the brink of war. Soap is visibly agitated by the carnage that happened, rankled more so by the injuries of his teammates. In the background we see Gaz tending to Ghost’s injury, sporting a bandage of his own. Price pats Ghost on the shoulder as he approaches Soap. Soap paces with frustration and tells Price that they should have killed Makarov when they had the chance. We then get a view of the past…

*Mission: Left Behind (Soap POV + Price) We see the team several years in the past, trying to avert another Makarov led disaster- an attack on the British embassy in Moscow. Makarov and his men intend to take the embassy hostage for ransom. We are introduced to a character in the past, who at first appears to be no one, but then Soap claps him on the shoulder and introduces him as Gary ‘Roach’ Sanderson. The mission begins as a sniper mission, but quickly devolves as the attack commences. As things escalate, the team is forced to decide between capturing Makarov and rescuing Roach. They have to leave Roach behind, and Gary is presumed KIA.

Cutscene: Back to the present. The team discusses how it was the right call to not kill Makarov, but Soap protests that if they did, maybe Roach would still be here, and Gaz and Ghost wouldn’t be injured. The others step in, and cooler heads prevail. Laswell announces they have one last lead on Makarov- Milena

Mission: Oligarch (Soap POV + Ghost) Ghost and Soap go on a stealth infiltration mission to Milena’s private island fortress, silently taking down the guards as they go. There’s a fair amount of banter involved. “Just like old times, ey LT?” “Oligarchs and cartels are a little different, Johnny.” (There’s a small note of ‘I wish Roach were here to see this to the end’) Inside, Ghost and Soap manage to corner Milena

Cutscene: Ghost and Soap interrogation tactics. They manage to access Milena’s accounts, and take the laptop with them. Milena tries to plead that Makarov will kill her, but Soap and Ghost aren’t in the mood for it. “Should have thought about that before working for a terrorist.” Says Ghost. As Soap and Ghost ex-fil, Laswell says she has a hit on Makarov. However, there’s also mysterious activity to off-shore American bank accounts revealed by Milena’s accounts. She’ll pull that thread while the team is busy.

Cutscene: Makarov and his men. Makarov says they got to Milena, and orders his men to kill whoever comes to the safehouse. He makes mention of a friend named ‘Shadow’. He then escapes.

Briefing: Milena’s intel shows a safehouse in St. Petersburg where Makarov and his forces are. Laswell sends Gaz and Price to clear the area, with the addition that Nik will ex-fil them via skyhook. They have full execute authority on Makarov.

Mission: Highrise (Gaz POV + Price) With Price on overwatch, Gaz infiltrates the building through the basement. It’s clear Makarov isn’t there, but his second in command is. Gaz, with Price’s sniper support, manages to get the second in command, and they exfil successfully. However, Andrei, Makarov’s second in command, makes a comment towards the captain. “Just how many more men will you lose to kill him, Captain Price?” Price punches him to unconsciousness.

Briefing: Price interrogates Makarov’s second in command offscreen, who reveals a prisoner transfer happening in Siberia. It could very well be the hit on Makarov they’re looking for. The team goes in pursuit.

Mission: Frozen Tundra. (Optional Gaz/Soap POV + Team) The team ambushes the convoy under the ice, and manages to save the prisoner who is drowning. Yet when they surface it becomes clear that it isn’t Makarov, but Shepherd- Shepherd, who had been missing since the end of Las Almas. The team exfils, taking down Makarov’s men along the way, and takes Shepherd into custody. This level allows you the choice of being Soap or Gaz, and each option offers unique dialogue options with the rest of the team.

Briefing: Celebrations have to wait. Unfortunately, Makarov is still in the wild. Now absent of many of his forces, his resources, and his finances, he manages to play one last card- nuclear attack against the United States. The team must stop him before he launches a global war. The team splits up. Price and Soap go to stop the nuclear missile from launching, and Ghost and Gaz go to kill Makarov once and for all.

*Mission: Launch (Gaz POV + Ghost) Gaz and Ghost after Makarov, fighting their way through Konni forces. The missile signals it is ready to launch, and Soap yells over the comms that Gaz and Ghost need to make it to the control room to override the sequence. This becomes a timed mission, and as Ghost and Gaz finally arrive and stop the override, they find that Makarov is absent. They realize too late he’s headed for the missile silo.

*Mission: Cataclysm (Soap POV + Price) Soap and Price fight their way through several challenging juggernauts, and manage to stop the launch in time but receive Ghost and Soap’s warning too late. We see Makarov come and attack Price. Price manages to disarm him, and the two engage in a knife fight. Price barks at Soap to continue stopping the launch. He’s successful. However, he turns to find Price bloody and beaten, and Makarov standing over him, ready to put a bullet between his eyes. Soap launches himself at him, and manages to wrestle the gun away. “I’m not losing anyone else. Not to you.” grunts Soap, only for Makarov pull a knife and stab at him. Soap screams in pain. He goes blind in his left eye and falls as he fades in and out of consciousness. At that moment, Gaz and Ghost arrive, and Gaz manages to get a shot at Makarov, who retreats. Ghost bends over Soap in distress, yelling for him. Soap is still alive but fading fast, and we see one last blurry vision of him and the team before Soap falls unconscious. 

Cutscene: We see the team gathered around a gravestone, absent of Soap. Ghost kneels down next to the gravestone and wordlessly runs a hand over it. We then zoom out to see the name on the stone: Gary Sanderson. It’s at that moment that the perspective shifts. We see Laswell from behind, and the team looks up at her, and then the second person beside her. It’s Soap (We can tell from the mohawk) We see the relieved faces of the team, but do not yet see Soap’s face. The team makes comments about how they’re glad he’s survived and in one piece. Price echoes the sentiment that he wishes their other member could join them. The team looks once more to Gary’s grave. At that moment, Laswell clears her throat. She then says this is perhaps poor timing, but she has news. She reveals information given to her by Yuri, handing Soap a folder of several papers. The camera rotates, and we see Soap’s face for the first time: sporting the same scar as the original Captain Soap MacTavish. He looks inside the folder, which reveals the location of Gary ‘Roach’ Sanderson, previously thought KIA, now a Russian prisoner. He’s alive.

After credits scene: We see the remainder of Makarov’s men assassinate the Russian president. Makarov ascends to power, now in control of Russia. The world is set for the stage of World War 3.

Bonus scene: We see Shepherd under house arrest, waiting trial. The guards outside are quietly removed. Shepherd finds Price sitting in his office. Price confronts Shepherd, who is unrepentant. Price kills Shepherd in retribution for the injuries and wounds suffered by his men, as well as the frustration of Makarov getting away. Price declares his loyalty to his team in the face of any enemy, even if they were once an ally. We see Price enter a new stage of brutality, where he goes forward with absolutely no regrets.

This is just my interpretation. Frankly in my head this is canon. These blorbos now belong to us and not Activision and I'm going to write them a happy ending, goddammit. I hope this was of some comfort to folks shattered by the campaign. Writing this really helped me get over my feelings for this game. I hope you enjoyed.

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If u interact with my posts, just know I respond like this:

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man’s was looking fiiiiiiiine

anyway. the only thing about mwiii that I’ll recognize as canon is how pretty gaz looked.

I will not be taking questions at this time.

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i’m watching a play through of cod: mw3 rn. i swear on my life, if anyone in 141 dies, i will riot. 😭