ELLIE USHERS out a family of three, gunshots echoing throughout the street they're on as she leads the hurt family to the back of a van to take them to a hospital in the next town. There are bodies in the street and Ellie's heart tightens as the Mom tries to shield her children's eyes from what is probably their slaughtered neighbor. 

Different members of the Company help them in, other families and lots of children already loaded inside. Ellie taps the back of the van once the doors are shut and it starts heading away. She hears Phillip calling over the radio to push through to the bank. Apparently, there are more PMCs there. 

She sprints down the road, rifle in hand as she watches more Shadow members bursting through the front doors of the bank, firing round after round at the enemy. Ellie has personally eliminated 12 threats. Each takedown she thought might make the weight on her soul feel lighter. It was always just replaced with the weight of their taken lives by her hands. She's yet to feel better about anything that's happened to her.

When she makes it to the bank, she immediately pops off four rounds, bodies falling to the ground with a thud. Shots ring out as well as screams from the citizens of the town. She lays down over the bodies of a few children, blocking them from any fire coming their way.

"They're heading out the back!" Phillip shouts, Ellie looking up to see more PMCs retreating and peeling away in armored trucks. 

They didn't get all of them. It is a crappy feeling.

Ellie helps the children up, the two girls clinging to her tightly. They are asking her questions in their native language. Crying. Ellie can't understand what they're saying. Members of Shadow Company begin to sweep through the town, confirming there are no leftover Konni hostiles there so the authorities and government of Vondel can begin their humanitarian efforts. Ellie begins helping the doctors and nurses set out make-shift stretchers to lay the dying and wounded on. There's a group of alone children being put inside the library, ones who haven't been claimed by any parents.

As Ellie finishes packing a gunshot wound, Phillip comes up to her, patting her back. "You good, Ellie?" he asks, blood crusted on her forehead. She doesn't look much different than him.

"I'm not sure. I was hoping we'd get some closure here. Eradicate them. Guess I was dreaming too big."

"We got a good number, honey. We need to finish up here and move out soon. Word is they're already setting up in Al Mazrah."

"The observatory?" Ellie asks, remembering when she heard about this from Laswell.

"That's right. We are packing up as we speak."

She looks around at the disaster in the town, the horrible air of death permeating. "What about them?"

"Their people will handle it."

Ellie isn't sure. "You think so? It's gonna take forever. They might need help."

"We have helped, Ellie. We have done what we are contracted to do."

That word makes her blood boil.

"Is this really just a contract to you?" she hisses, moving away from the wounded man she was helping. 

Phillip sighs as he follows her. "You know that's not what I meant. We can't stay and play Mother Teresa with every place we go and you know that."

"They need help."

"We aren't the ones to give it, Ellie!" he shouts, making her flinch. His eyes close as he tries to slow down his breathing. "Ellie," he says calmly, "I'm sorry. I know your heart goes out to them. I do. But you know, we have never stayed in one place and helped rehabilitate them. We can't. That's too heavy for us, on top of what we already have to do. I understand there are orphaned children. It's horrific, it's bloody but it's real. This is real life. This is why I do what I do. I kill the bastards that inflict this upon innocent people."

"And what happened last year with the 141?"

His eyes darken as he answers, "Shepherd thought they were getting too close to the truth. That was it."

"And yet the truth still came out anyway," Ellie retorts, words biting. "He's a parasite, Phillip. You need to get away from him."

"I can't. You know that better than anyone else," Phillip replies. "Now, let's get cleaned up and head back to the airstrip. We need to get to Al Mazrah. Fast."

Ellie and Phillip sit in the back seat of the truck, Graves having the laptop open while he calls General Shepherd. When he answers Ellie's stomach turns. She doesn't see him in the same light anymore.

"This is Gold Eagle-1 Actual. Talk to me, Graves," Shepherd states from the call.

"Target was neutralized in the area. Some rats got away. We're tailing them to Al Mazrah, gonna meet up with the two contacts I've contacted with Laswell's help. Try to negotiate with the Commander of ULF."

"What's the ULF?" Ellie whispers to him.

"Good to see you, Ellison," Shepherd says as he notices she is there. "Can't say I'm surprised you and Graves are working together again."

"Hello, General," Ellie greets, voice flat. "Wish I could say it's good to see you. But lying is wrong."

He chuckles and Ellie wants to punch him in the face. "Still as feisty as ever. Graves, update me after you talk to Commander Karim and Lieutenant Keller. Gold Eagle, out."

Phillip shuts the laptop. He turns and looks at Ellie with a blank expression. "That wasn't very nice."

She glares at him. "You gotta be joking... How can you still respect him after what he had you do?"

"He's a five-star General of the US Army."

"He's a crooked, weaselly old man who almost cost you your life."

"Point taken, Ellie. Just try not to piss him off, will you?"

She scoffs as she faces the front of the car, replying, "No promises. And let me ask you something, Phillip... when he orders you to kill me, are you pulling the trigger?"

Ellie follows Phillip through the halls of Farah's base, atmosphere thick as they walk together. "What's the plan?" Ellie whispers to him. 

"Let me do the talking, honey," he tells her. His walk is confident.

"Don't be too cocky, please. If your goal is to combine forces, she might not like your attitude."

"My attitude is charming, Ellie. It'll be okay," he says, giving her a wink as they come to a room, an armed soldier standing at the door.

"She's close with Price. We need to be careful," Ellie says back before they walk in.

Her palms become damp with sweat as she comes in behind Phillip, standing beside him in the small room. There are guns on the back wall, and soldiers occupying the space while it looks like Farah, and who Ellie is assuming to be Alex, stand over a table with a map.

"Commander Karim," Phillip greets, smiling lightly at her. She doesn't reciprocate it.

Her large brown eyes are almost cold. Reserved. 

"My directions were clear..." she says, standing up straighter, accent thick.

"Well, there's not much I can't find."

The man who stands beside Farah straightens as well, the American flag patched on the front of his vest. That has to be Alex Keller. 

Phillip greets him and Ellie's suspicions are confirmed. "The Shadow himself..." Alex replies, voice deep and laced with a Southern accent. 

"Welcome, Graves," Farah adds. Her eyes focus on Ellie. "You must be Agent Miller."

Ellie nods, feeling uncomfortable under everyone's scrutinizing gaze. The armed men behind her shift on their feet. "Hi," she says, nodding at Farah. "I've heard a lot of good things about you. Nice to finally meet."

"Yes, Price speaks highly of you as well."

Those words make Ellie's heart hurt.

"Graves," Alex speaks up. "Heard you died in a tank in South America."

"I wasn't in that tank," Phillip replies cooly. "What else have you heard?"

"We're fighting our own battles here, we have no time for rumors," Farah immediately replies, voice firm.

"Farah," Phillip says, lightly laughing, "I have always liked your style. Respect."

"You've been helpful to our cause," Farah replies. 

"You can thank General Shepherd for that," Phillip says.

Alex raises a brow, hands gripping his vest. "Been a minute since we've heard from the General."

"Well, he's been, uh... occupied."

Farah speaks up. "War is everywhere."

"Ain't that the truth." Phillip nods after he replies. He steps up to the table, pointing at the map. "Battle plans..."

"Al Mazrah," Farah explains, pushing the map forward. Phillip turns to Ellie and motions her forward. 

Alex meets Ellie's eyes. "Russians are in country."

"Konni Group," Ellie says, sighing. "Right in your backyard."

Phillip starts fidgeting with a bullet, Farah asking, "What do you propose?"

He answers with a firm, "Striking while the iron is hot. We both have good reason to fight. We're ready."

"Before they move to Urzikstan," Farah adds, looking for clarification.

Phillip holds up the bullet, placing it down on the map, suggesting, "We combine forces. Send Konni packing back to Moscow. More preferably, in wooden boxes to be laid into the ground."

Alex and Farah look at one another for a moment, communicating without speaking. Farah nods and places a magazine to a rifle on the map. "I like the sound of that."

Phillip smiles. "Good. Let's unleash the beast then, shall we?" He reaches across the table and shakes hands with Farah. 

As Ellie lies on a twin bed in a dorm at Farah's base, her phone starts vibrating from the nightstand. She grabs it and the picture and name on the screen make her heart swell. She didn't ever picture Simon calling her. The thought that something might be wrong makes her happy thoughts go away. Pressing the green button, she answers. 

"Hello?" she asks quietly.

She can hear the tiredness in his voice as he replies, "Evening, love."

"Is everything okay?" Ellie questions, voice on edge. 

"Of course. Why wouldn't it be?"

"Well, I just didn't think you'd call me," she admits. "I had the thought of calling you first, but... I didn't want to seem too pushy."

"Call me. Always."

She smiles. "You sure?" 

"Yes. If I don't answer, you know I'm busy. But I will call you back. Texting is fine... but I thought it might be easier to just call."

"I agree," she says with a laugh. "How is it going out there?" Ellie asks, like she isn't just about sixty miles away from him.

"Not bad. Soap's getting on my last nerve."

"Imagine that."

"He put a bird in my room." She bursts into fits of laughter, moving the phone away from her ear.   "Glad you're as upset about it as me. It took me a bloody long time to get the thing out of here."

"That made my night. Thank you," she says, wiping away a tear from laughing so hard. 

"Anytime. Now, how's it going in Las Almas?" 

The question makes her pause.

"It's going... to say the least."

"We've got some new intel on Valeria. That's about it out here."

"Same," she replies, chuckling quietly. "How's Alejandro?" she asks, hoping the subject will change.

"He's fine."

Boy, he's not much of a talker. "Just fine?"

"Yes. He said that Rudolfo wasn't going to be able to meet up with you and Laswell."

"Yeah, it's a bummer, but I understand." Ellie squeezes her eyes shut. She hates lying to him. This is a horrific way to start off this relationship.

"You okay tonight?"

No. 

"Yes. I'm just tired, I think. Ready to be done with all of this and move on. This whole Makarov thing... I'm kind of tired of dealing with it all. And we're not anywhere close to him yet."

"It'll pass. We'll be done with him in no time."

"I suppose you're right," she replies quietly, tears burning her eyes, throat becoming sore as she tries to hold in a cry. "I might need to let you go." She tries to speak but the words come out a little forced.

Ghost sounds deeply concerned as he asks, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Don't lie to me."

Those four words make the tears spill over and down her cheeks, into her ears. She moves the phone away from her face. When this mission is over with Farah, she's done working with Phillip. Even if she has to expose everything to Price and betray Laswell's trust, she'll do it.

"Ellie, come back to me, love."

She moves the phone back closer. "I'm sorry, Ghost. I'm just tired."

"I'm calling Laswell. She's gonna send you back home."

Ellie sits up on the bed, shaking her head. "No. I can't leave."

"You're not ready and I don't like you being by yourself. You need to just come back here with us."

"But, Ghost-,"

"I'm flying out to you then."

"No!" she exclaims, hand going to cover her mouth. "I'm sorry... It's not that I don't want you with me. I do... But, I need to do this, Ghost. I'm okay. Like I said, I'm tired and just over this whole situation. I'll get some sleep and then I'll be fine."

He doesn't say anything for a while and Ellie wonders where he went.

"Ghost?" she asks.

"Okay," he responds flatly, Ellie hearing some shuffling on the other line. "I'll let you go. Goodnight."

"Night, Ghost," she whispers, hanging up the phone in shame. "Way to go, Ellie," she mutters to herself. "He probably thinks I don't want him here."

Phillip's taunting words come back to haunt her. How will Ghost react when he finds out the truth?