"Who are you?" Jess asked in a shrill whisper, her wide hazel eyes staring at a young boy, perhaps no older than ten, who was huddled by the end of the swampy ditch.

The boy kept his own voice low when he spoke, though he didn't whisper like she did. "I'm Abdul," he said. "Who are you?"

She glanced between him and the ditch. "I'm Jessica," she replied. 

Abdul smiled. "I've never before seen a British soldier in person. I knew who you were because Umi told me that you wear a striped flag on your arm... Just like that one." He pointed at the Union Jack on her sleeve. "She told me that you are here to help us."

Jessica furrowed her brows. "I've never seen a civilian here... Is your family still here inside the village?"

Abdul took a step back towards another ditch behind him. "No, my family left with the other refugees to flee the next village. I came back to find Baba... my father; we got separated, and Umi needs him." His dark brown eyes cast to his feet.

She felt a pang of pity. "If your father is here, he wouldn't want you here with him. It's too dangerous out here for you."

He sighed and nodded. Then he looked at her. "Are you here alone? Isn't it dangerous for you, too?"

"I'm here with my team, but I got separated from them, too," she said.

Abdul straightened. "I could help you find them! Maybe if I help you find your team, you can help me find Baba."

She turned her face away a little. "I don't know; I don't want you getting in the middle of all this, kid..."

"Tell me where you lost your team; I'll show you the way!"

Jess grimaced. "Alright, but you have to be very careful. My team is waiting for me by the white water tower."

"There's an easy way to get there," he said. "Follow me." Abdul grabbed her hand and led her through the tunnel into the next ditch, which was much drier. "It's a little tricky, but we can get out on the other side and stay away from the bad guys." He guided her through intricate alleyways, only stopping a couple of times when Jessica heard footsteps and pulled him out of sight of passing enemy patrols. They made it out of the system of houses and into the open of the middle of the village. The sound of gunfire had died down some, but there was still tension in the air; the Russians could be laying in wait. 

Taking cautious glances around, Jess tapped into the com again. "Price," she said. "I'm at the water tower. It's suspiciously quiet; where are you, over?"

She grabbed Abdul and tucked him under her arm when she caught the acrid smell of blood and bowels on the wind. The last thing she wanted him to see was a pile of dead bodies, especially if they were her team. Hell, even she didn't want to see that.

Abdul stood rigid. "What?" he whispered. "Do you see something?"

"No..." she said. "I just smell something."

He closed his eyes. "I smell it, too... They brought the smell," he said

Jessica sighed, a little splinter of sadness in her chest. Little boys shouldn't know what death smells like.

"Jess?" came a call over the com, interrupting her thoughts. Finally! 

"Price, I'm looking at the water tower, about fifty meters away in an alley; where are you, over?" she said again.

"Still here; you're clear to proceed to the water tower; we'll cover you, over."

Jessica nodded and motioned Abdul with her. "Copy, sir, I'll be right there. Out."

Price was standing up in the middle of the team, all crouched around him to keep watch. "There you are!" he said. He halted when he saw the boy. "Who's this?"

Jessica looked at him, and then back at the child. "This is Abdul; he found me when I was hiding in a ditch, and helped me get here."

Soap folded his arm and looked Abdul up and down. "What's he doin' out here alone?"

"I'm looking for my father," Abdul said, shoulders back and head up high to look at the Lieutenant.

Ghost sniffed, his body squared to Jess, but his eyes on the kid. "You're sure he's not just getting comfortable so he can lead us into an ambush somewhere?" he growled, cold brown eyes rolling over Abdul.

"Why would I do that, mister?" asked Abdul, turning back to look at the man in the mask.

Jessica glared at him. "Yeah, Ghost, why would he do that?"

"Iraqis aren't known for leaving their children out of the fight. What if he's strapped or somethin'?"

Price grasped his shoulder and pulled his close to speak into his ear. "Enough, Ghost. Does he really look strapped to you?"

Ghost sighed, his eyes unwavering on the boy. "... No, sir."

"Good. Now, shut up."

Abdul was starting to look really worried now, and his large, pleading brown eyes landed on Jess for help. "Please, I need to find Baba; Umi needs him, and I can't find him by myself." 

Wolfcroft was playing a finger over the trigger on his rifle. "So, your mum sent you over here?"

"No! I came on my own... She doesn't know I left..." 

Jessica looked at Abdul with a stern expression. "You ran away?"

"I had to; she's getting sick, and won't eat. If Baba comes back, maybe he can help her."

Price's brows set and he released a slow, heavy sigh. "You shouldn't be here, lad;  we need to get you home; I'm sure your mother's worried sick about you." 

Abdul bowed his head. "Yes, sir..."

Jess looked to the Captain. "What about the mission? We still need to stabilize the village."

"We can't stabilize anything until he's safe," he said. "We just need to get him outside the village; once he's gone, we can take care of the Russians."

Before anyone else could speak, cries in Russian echoed over the sand, and Wolcroft aimed downwind. "Bloody bastards..." he growled. 

Bullets suddenly came flying from everywhere. Jessica shifted in shock and pulled Abdul to the ground. "Where are they?!" she barked over the chaos.

Roach took a step back as he shot. "Straight across from us." He looked over his shoulder at her. "Get that boy out of here!"

She nodded and slipped her head under Abdul, picking him up off the sandy floor and sliding him onto her back. "Hold onto me! We're getting out of here!" she said. Galaxy's azure eyes turned up to him as she ran for cover behind the fence. "Which direction is the other village from here?"

"Go to the left, down that alley!" he said. His fingers entwined in her fur and his feet secured themselves on top of her pack and rifle, albeit awkwardly, clutching to her for dear life as she sped around the corner. "... How did you do that?!"

Gal rolled her eyes back and forth to find any escape routes in case she needed one. "Honestly, I don't know," she said. "I just... Do it."

Abdul nodded. "I didn't know anyone could do that. Do you think I can do it?" 

She grinned. "I don't know. I've never met anyone else here who can." She suddenly sprung over a mass of ruined, grey tires in the path and landed solidly before continuing her pace. The boy on her back nearly felt off and she halted to let him regain his grip. "You alright?" she asked.

He giggled. "Yeah! I'm fine! Keep going!" 

The evening was burning scarlet and gradually fading to blue. They had been unable to get out of the village; the highway between the two villages was being patrolled by trucks with mounted guns. After too many close calls, hunkering down seemed like the best course of action. Galaxy carried Abdul up the ladder to the balcony of an abandoned house on the outskirts of the village where the team was waiting for them. Roach and Griffon were acting as look-outs while the rest took a moment to rest. 

Price started at her appearance, but relaxed when he recognized her. "About time you got here. You get to the highway?"

"Yeah," she said. "It was hell, but we didn't get shot. Looks like we'll need to find another way out of here."

"Crap," grunted Soap, who was sitting in a corner with his head bowed in an attempt to sleep. 

She nodded. "Yeah."

Abdul yawned. "I think I know another way out of here; I just have to remember how I came back into the village," he said.

Jessica rested against the wall. "Yeah..."

"Are you staying awake over there?" asked Wolcroft.

"... Yeah..." she replied again, her eyes closed now.

Abdul looked at the team, and then rest his head on Galaxy's side. "I'll try to find it in the morning, I promise, sirs." he said.

Price smiled gently at the boy. "Of course. You get your sleep in the meantime. We'll watch out for you, and you can help us get you home in the morning. Alright?"

He grinned back and then rubbed his eyes. "Yes, sir."

Galaxy briefly opened her eyes to look at Abdul, now sleeping on her side, and then looked at Price, who seemed fixated on the two of them. She shifted as she sat up and laid the boy down on her pack, covering him with her coat. It wasn't much, but it would keep him warm as he slept at least.

As she settled back, Price put his own coat over her shoulders. Jessica looked at him with wide eyes. "What-?"

"You need to stay warm, too," he said.

Jess grinned at him. "Thank you, Captain. Are you going to be okay without it?" 

He sat across from her. "Yeah. Besides, I've got Stud Muffin over here in case I get cold."

Soap rolled to his side, brows set. "The hell you do..." he growled.

She chuckled mildly. "Well, if you insist," she said, tucking it tighter around her. Her eyes briefly focused on each teammate before soon drifting closed.