My Strongest Weakness

Mission brief

"We're workin' wit' t'e Vultures?"

Soap's excited voice filled the meeting room as he burst through the door, Gaz's panting form following him. Ghost watches the two Sergeants, perched in his usual spot with his arms propped on top of the chair he was sitting in. Price - who seemed stressed and ready to drop - smothers a cigar in the ashtray he and Laswell were sharing before lighting another one immediately afterward. "Thought you were trying to cut down," Ghost hums, eying Price. He just rolls his eyes, taking a long drag before letting the smoke roll through the air in lazy curls. Laswell sat next to Price, smashing out her own cigarette before pushing over two folders over to the Sergeants. Soap snatches one as he pulls out a chair and flops down, grinning over to Alejandro and Rudy who were both sitting side by side in front of Laswell and Price. Rodolfo grins back while Alejandro waves without looking up from the stack of papers.

"They'll be joinin' us on this next op, yes." Price pauses for a moment, sharing a look with Laswell. They were both hesitant as they glanced back at the group, Ghost scooting closer to the table. He grabs the file passed to him when he entered, finally looking through the information. "We will be receiving an. . . asset after the Vultures have completed their duties here," Laswell says, a long sigh escaping her as she rubbed her temples. Ghost scans the pages, tensing as he looks at a certain part in the file. His dark gaze flicks from the folder to Price and Laswell. "No." The two look at him as he slams the folder down, rising to his feet. "We're gettin' a slave, aren't we?" Price just takes a drag off of his cigarette while Laswell faced him. "This isn't up to us. These are orders from the higher ups." Ghost feels his gut twist in disgust, the hair on his arms standing on end as he faced the woman. "A slave?" Gaz's voice cuts through the air, and Ghost fixes his outraged glare on the Irishman. His usual dark skin had paled dramatically, fingers twitching subtly as he tugged on the collar of the turtleneck he wore. Soap's eyes grow distant, and Ghost can see the cogs in his head turning. "There's circumstances behind why we're receiving it-"

"Circumstances? Sir, wit' all due respect, what kind o' circumstances leads ta us receivin' a slave? We don't need one, an' could prove more problematic fer us." Ghost sees a flash of hurt cross Gaz's face, and he leaves the room as Soap continued to talk. "Hermano, let the Captain speak," Alejandro sighs, rubbing his temples. Price nods to the Commander, eying each operative. "Outside reports state that the Vultures are abusing the slave to the past regulations. One recent report states that a nurse found the slave just outside the tent after receiving medical aid where he was thrown into a van before the Colonel, Sergeant, and Lieutenant had allegedly beaten him to the point of unconsciousness. Few other reports state that there is alleged sexual abuse happening to the slave that could prove. . . problematic."

Ghost sees Soap's face turn a dark red, and he sits back down as Laswell shuffled through papers before producing a hard drive. "This contains a video of one of the 'sessions' the Vultures had with the slave. It's hard to watch. I couldn't get past five minutes." Rodolfo who was nudged up next to Alejandro had begun to grow clammy. "H-How did you get that?" Laswell tosses the folder on the table like it had burned her. "A private had recorded it to show others. That's why the Vultures are losing it."

"T'wasn't from reports?"

Laswell shakes her head. "They could only investigate. There wasn't any solid proof besides the slave and the Vultures said the wounds were from previous missions." Ghost sees Soap bristle. "Fookin' cock suckers, t'e lot o' t'em," he hisses, standing. "Sit down, Sergeant." The brunette deflates, sitting back down into his chair. "The Vultures will be here in one week's time. Until then, we'll prepare for the op. Alejandro, Rodolfo, you have permission to head back to Las Almas at any time. Me and Gaz will be going to Serbia in a few days, Ghost and Soap will go to Las Almas after picking up the Vultures. Me and Gaz will follow with new information and that's where we'll figure out our next move. Dismissed."

Before Ghost could bolt for the doorway, Price called for him. "One more thing, lad." his heart leaps into his throat as Price gave him the look, sighing. "Let's go take a walk."