Chapter 17

You are going to be all right my friend.

What kind of a name is Soap? How'd a Muppet like you ever make it past Selection?

You don't even like me.

I don't not like you. You're annoying.

Oh I won't but at least I know that I'm less annoying.

The missiles were coming in. They were going to hit but… The Hind was there firing. The tanker exploded… Griggs was pulling him out.

He could hear his heart beating. His breaths sounded shallow. His head was pounding…

The Russian government released a statement today confirming a series of nuclear missile tests in Central Russia. Although world leaders were quick to denounce the action, Russian officials maintained that the missile tests fell well within established UN protocols…

Concussion among various other injuries. Shrapnel… burns… Can't say if he'll be all right.

In other news, the search for a ship lost in the Bering Strait due to a major storm has been called off…

Oh he'll make it…

The quiet was loud as MacTavish slowly opened his eyes. The light was bright and he frowned and squinted. It was a mistake and his head hurt from the movement. He gave a low grunt and tried to open his eyes wider but couldn't. He had to make do with squinting; it just hurt too much.

"I win."

MacTavish frowned as he tried to look in the direction of the voice. His voice croaked, "What?"

Nicolette looked at the bedridden Scot from where she had camped out the last few days despite the repeated attempts of Russian nurses from hell trying to get her to leave. She refused to leave despite the reassurances that Kamarov and others gave her. There was no option to leave in her mind so she stayed. She gave a slight smile and repeated, "I win."

"Win what?" MacTavish groaned as he blinked to clear his vision.

Nicolette watched him and replied, "I made a bet with that sadist doctor that you would wake up in a few days compared to his saying you'd be out the week. Actually I said it and he wasn't amused. I think he called me the equivalent of a cheeky bastard in Russian."

"You would know. You speak it," MacTavish grumbled as he started to move to try and sit up. It didn't do wonders for his head.

"You don't want to be doing that," Nicolette said as she shifted to get up from her chair. She said nothing as he stubbornly disregarded her warning and continued in his goal of sitting up. She was up the minute she saw trouble and had the bowl ready when he puked. "I warned you," she said as she gently rubbed circles on his back. "You did suffer a major concussion."

MacTavish groaned, not liking that he threw up in front of her but willing to accept her help. The queasiness subsided and he leaned back. He glowered when she held a glass of water out to him. "Are you trying to be a nurse now?"

"Nope. I'm an analyst, remember?"

MacTavish snorted as he accepted the glass of water from her. He put a bit in to rinse out his mouth and spat in the bowl before taking a drink to quench his parched throat. He looked at her and said, "Thanks."

"You're welcome," she replied as she moved the bowl out of the way. She turned to look at him and folded her hands in front of her. "Do you require anything else?"

"Don't be polite you bloody Yank," MacTavish groused.

"Just trying to be helpful."

"Well, be helpful by being yourself." He frowned a little and grimaced. If they had him pumped up with pain killers, he was still feeling the pain. "You don't need to sound like a school girl even though you look like one."

"You are on a roll with the compliments," Nicolette teased, willing to acquiesce to his request. "So I guess that means I annoy you lesser than before?" Her eyes scanned him for any signs that would require a doctor's care. It was part of the compromise she had made.

"A little," MacTavish replied as he grimaced. He had put some weight on his right shoulder and he felt the sharp pain shoot through it. He remembered that Griggs had grabbed that shoulder. He looked at it and noticed the thick padding of the bandage. "What the bloody hell?"

"Shrapnel," Nicolette replied as she sat back down. She looked at her hands and gently rubbed her right wrist. She looked at MacTavish and continued, "From the tanker. In addition to shrapnel on most of your torso and upper body, you had some minor burns and surprisingly one GSW in your side. Your vest kept pressure on it."

MacTavish listened to her rundown on his injuries while watching her. She had sat back down and had crossed her legs and rested her hands on her knee. He noticed she was rubbing her wrist awhile her gaze went towards the window of his room. He was going to say something when a nurse who looked like she overdid the body building came in with a tray and started barking at Nicolette.

Nicolette was barking back and glaring at the nurse. She had crossed her arms over her chest and looked ready to commit bloody murder. She barked something at the nurse and set herself ready to defend herself until the nurse said something. Nicolette rolled her eyes and surrendered while muttering, "Head Russian nurse from hell."

MacTavish watched as the nurse took Nicolette's right arm after she rolled up her shirt sleeve to reveal a bandage with a faint stain of blood on it. It revealed a nasty gash that was scabbing and looked red and angry. The nurse was not too gentle on cleaning it and redressing it. When her back was turned MacTavish saw Nicolette flip her off with her broken finger and couldn't help but chuckle even though it hurt.

Nicolette was scowling at the path the nurse took and muttered, "Shut up Soap. I'll be laughing when she comes back for you."

MacTavish stopped mostly because it was getting to be too much for him. He sobered though when he noticed her wrist. He could make out the distinctive handprint on it and knew what caused it. He didn't want to talk about that at the moment though it was all connected. He studied her and asked, "Why?"

Nicolette knew what he meant by that. She could easily evade and piss him off but she didn't want to do that. She replied, "I'm a spy Soap. I was doing what I had to do for the Company." It sounded hollow to her and she knew it did to MacTavish. Sighing she added, "I had to retrieve some important information that had been left behind. They didn't want it falling into Russian hands, mainly Zakhaev's hands. I was to get it and get out and to use you guys to get in and leave it at that."

"Why did you come back?"

Nicolette looked at MacTavish and he was staring at her like he couldn't understand. She figured it was to hide other things too but she was tired and not willing to explore that. She frowned though and replied, "I always take care of my own. Thought you would have gotten that by now. I guess I was wrong." She crossed her arms and looked away as she sat.

MacTavish thought she was looking like a petulant child but he could get where that was coming from. "I understand, I just…" He shrugged with his bad shoulder and winced and hissed.

Nicolette turned to look sharply when she heard the hiss. The look softened but the concern was still lined on her face. She said, "I don't leave a partner behind… I look after my own. I heard on the radio what was going on and I wanted to help. It just… sucked that I arrived when I did."

"But you came and I'm guessing you bossed Kamarov's men around. Not bad for an analyst," MacTavish replied with a slight smile.

"A better one would have been able to…" Nicolette sighed and put a hand to her head and rubbed it as if in thought. "I guess this is one time someone other than me can walk away," she muttered to herself, not caring that MacTavish was overhearing her.

"Someone? What about Price?"

Nicolette looked up and shook her head negatively, "I tried to find out but they wouldn't tell me anything. The only reason I know about you is because you had my wrist in a death grip from exfil to the hospital and even then you refused to let go until I squeezed the tendons in your wrist to get you to release me. I had to do some quick talking to get them to tell me anything short of being my obnoxious self." She looked at MacTavish and noted the expression that overcame his face. "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too, lass," MacTavish replied, letting the 'lass' slip out. "I'm sorry about Griggs. He did like you." It was something to say and it was based on what he observed.

Nicolette looked at MacTavish like he was crazy and replied, "Griggs? He's my brother's friend. They went through boot together. He was just being nice to me because I'm Kyle's little sister and my brother likes to tell stories about his little big sister. There was nothing more to it." She frowned in a puzzled way, a little amused that the Scot was being a nosy parker. She sighed and played with her ring thinking about whether or not she was going to tell Kyle about it or let him find out through Marine channels.

"Little big sister?"

"Consider that off limits like how you got the name Soap," Nicolette replied looking at the Scott with a grin, "And that won't change until you give."

"Then you're in for a long wait."

"I've got time."

"Thought you'd be getting back to your side of the pond."

Nicolette peered at MacTavish with a peculiar look. It had him feel a little uncomfortable like he may have said the wrong thing. She asked, "Is that what you want?"

MacTavish blinked as he returned her look. "I don't need a pity party if that's what you're asking."

"You'd never get that from me," she replied with a firm assurance. "I'm an annoying bloody Yank."

"Are you staying?"

Nicolette paused to think about what she was going to say. She reflected on what she had received since she had made a certain number of calls and managed to bully information out of what she was certain was an ex-KGB infested hospital. She looked at her hands and then at MacTavish and said, "I had word that we're being shipped back to Birmingham in a couple of days." She shrugged her shoulders.

MacTavish took a moment to process what she had just said. She didn't give a direct answer but it was in what she just said. He looked at her and asked, "We?"

"Did you really think I'd want to stay here?" Nicolette gave a horrified look and added, "Not a chance considering the ex-KGB nurses and doctors with little to no sense of humor." She added a shudder for emphasis before saying, "Seriously Soap, you need to work on keeping up though it might be just the drugs they got you on."

"I can keep up," MacTavish groused, "Saved your arse didn't I?"

"Maybe," she teased, "Can't overinflate that Scottish ego of yours." She grinned at him, "So are you willing to tolerate me a few more days?"

"Do I have to?"

Nicolette laughed at the pout that formed on his face. "Don't worry. I'm in coach. You're first class." She sobered though and adjusted her position in the chair. She was tired and could see MacTavish was getting sleepy too. She would only go to sleep if he did.

"Doesn't seem right," MacTavish said as he was adjusting his position. He was starting to feel drowsy again and knew he was going to sleep and fought against it.

Nicolette sensed that his comment had more to do with the fact that he was the only survivor from the bridge than her comment about them being separated. She replied softly in understanding, "It never is but you're not the only one left."

MacTavish looked at her and replied a little heated, "They're all dead Nico. I saw Gaz and the others get shot and Price…" He almost sat up but the pain in his chest had him collapse and he started to feel a little queasy again from the sudden movement.

Nicolette pushed her chair forward and leaned forward to look at MacTavish and replied, "You've got me… a friend."

MacTavish had calmed down enough and took in her expression. She was being serious and he had been an idiot for excluding her. He nodded at her slowly and said, "A friend."

~0~0~

Said sat back in his seat and looked at Nicolette as she finished her story about Zakhaev. She was looking at her hands as her fingers gently tapped the table. She was deep in thought over something and content just to sit there. He prodded, "Anything else?"

"No."

"I thought you were going to tell the whole story," Said pointed out. He hoped that by trying to catch her in some sort of fib they could get her discredited or something.

"I am and I will. That was the end of how I met up with Bravo Team and what we did there," Nicolette replied as she looked up at Said. She looked at the glass of water that had been placed there with a pitcher. She was tempted to reach for it but she was unsure about the contents. She had been through interrogations and was a prisoner before; she was familiar with a few tricks.

Said considered her words and noted her looking at the glass of water. He noticed that she wasn't reaching out to take it. He reached out and took the glass and took a long pull of the liquid. Perhaps that would gain more of her trust. "What about afterwards?"

"Do you really want to hear about Birmingham and the endless training that we went through?"

"So you did stay with then Sgt. MacTavish…"

"I didn't stay with him. I was there to train. Big difference Said."

Said realized that she could keep this up all day. She could argue semantics, play on words… anything that she wanted to and still not give him much of anything. He calmed down and replied, "Fine. So you and the captain were at Birmingham. What about the module?"

"Delivered as ordered," Nicolette replied.

"And the thumb drive you found. Did you find out what was on it?"

Nicolette looked at Said and with a straight face she replied, "It was nothing more than some saved Russian porn. The operative stationed there was very bored and out of his mind." She looked at Said with an expression that almost dared him to question her.

Said looked at her and debated on whether or not she was telling the truth. She just stared back at him with a bland expression and he had a thought if that was a look Captains Price and MacTavish encountered enough time when they went on missions with her. He had her dossier now. The Company managed to get him that much out to this place and he would have time to look at it later.

Nicolette was willing to engage in the stare off until Said got bored or his ass wipe busted in there demanding that she tell them everything and to quit shitting them. The brat was all bark and no bite. Said was another story and she had heard of his reputation from a variety of sources. She folded her hands politely and waited for Said to say the first word. She would give him that since he was the one that wanted to know.

Finally Said spoke, "That was what was on the thumb drive?"

"Yes. As to the module… I didn't bother with. I turned it over and that was that."

"And the code you found?"

"Couldn't break it. Not even when I contacted my handler for info." Nicolette shrugged her shoulders. Sighing she said, "Any other questions Said?"

"I find it hard to believe that you went back for Bravo Team. You were given clear instructions to deliver the module."

"I did."

"Then why did you go back?"

"I always take care of my own, Said," Nicolette replied as she looked at the interrogator. She sat back in her seat and relaxed a bit as she repeated, "I always take care of my own."

"And what does that mean?"

"Ask a soldier in the field," she replied, "Ask someone who had been in a position where they had to put their life in another person's hands as you put yours. Ask someone who has been alone and needed someone to look after them. Ask someone who knows how to look after and help those who may not be able to." She looked up at Said with a long and hard look. "Once you figure that part out, the rest follows."

Said took in her expression. That was most animated she had ever been during the course of this interrogation. He mentally made a note of it since it could become useful but it would only work if they had some leverage against her. If she knew where the renegades, supported by Russia, were, she was the key to finding them but he wanted the full story. He had been asked to make his recommendations based upon what he learned. He found that he had more questions than answers.

"It is the basis for everything that follows… at least on my end and to a certain extent what Price and MacTavish knew as soldiers," she added.

"I will take that into account." Said leaned forward and looked at her and asked, "So what about Makarov? How did you get involved with that?"

"It's all connected Said. Like I said before, you would have to hear the whole story."

Said sat back and looked at her. She had said that and he realized that he was going to need more than what had just been told. It was getting late though. A glance at his watch told him that it was getting late and while he could continue on into the night, he needed time to digest and go over what he had just received.

Nicolette picked up on it and commented, "You might want to take a break Said. After all I just gave you the rundown on what happened since the day Al-Asad took over from our end. You have what you have on the American side of things."

Said looked at her with a raised brow. She had been in there for the entire day and there were no clocks in there. Yet she seemed to have a good grasp on time and they really hadn't stopped. She had to be starving and he wasn't that cruel. Pope might be but he wasn't.

"I know you can go on all night but I know you aren't cruel Said," Nicolette added with a slight shake to affirm her assertion of the man. "You know I have been in here all day with nothing but water that now I know isn't drugged guinea pig."

Said looked at her some more and had to agree, "You're right in that you have been in here with nothing but water. You must also know that we can keep you in this room indefinitely with nothing but water and occasionally food."

"But you aren't that cruel," Nicolette replied with a knowing look. "If you want someone to break, you try to relate to them. You've had quite a number of successes with that technique."

"You seem to know a lot about me."

"People talk and we did meet once at an embassy dinner. You probably don't remember that."

"You seem pretty sure of yourself."

"So I have been told. I've also been called a Muppet and a cheeky bloody Yank and it hasn't made much of a difference." Nicolette sat back in her seat in a slouch. She looked at Said with a pointed look. "So what's it gonna be?"

Said didn't say anything and slowly stood up from his seat. He picked up the recorder and tucked it into his pocket and picked up the folder. "I hope you enjoy your stay with us." He headed towards the door.

"I look forward to it. Anything to set the record straight."

Said exited the room and stood as the door closed behind him. He looked at Pope who was spitting mad. He could tell he wanted to get in there and start being a hard ass. It looked like it wasn't going to work that way.

Turning to the guard he said, "Put her in her cell and see that she has a meal." He started walking away.

"Boss, is that it? Aren't you going to…" Pope had chased after him and was livid about not being able to try his hand.

"No, Pope. The conventional means won't work."

"We'll make her talk. We have our ways," Pope insisted.

"No we won't," Said replied and he looked at his trainee. "She won't talk unless she wants to and she will hold out indefinitely until someone listens. She knows that and is willing to do it. Why? It's all in the story." He turned and started walking away.

I always take care of my own.

Said walked away and thought about what had occurred in there. His hand fingered the tape recorder in his pocket and he repeated, "It's all in the story."

A/N: And there you have it folks but it looks like this story is just beginning. Stay tuned for the sequel Scars of Duty: Outbreak...