Chapter 10: Alone in the Storm

"You got to be willing to walk in a storm. That's what I tell people all the time."

-Ray Lewis

---

When she awoke at first, she couldn't tell up from down. Her vision was blurred, and she could feel some blood trickling down her arm. When her eyes focused, Rarity could see the hell that surrounded her. There was nothing left of the skyscraper that they were once in, only the destroyed pieces of concrete and steel to tell the grim story. Rarity moved some rubble that was on top of her, thankful that she wasn't crushed. It had now turned to night, no stars revealing themselves, as if they were all hiding from the destruction.

"Oh my sweet Celestia…" Rarity said, wiping dust and dirt off of herself. She couldn't stand the sight of it all, but she knew that even now there were bigger problems. She didn't know where her friends or the men were, whether they were dead or alive. She felt around the near pitch black ground, and luckily found the medical kit that she was supplied with, along with a tactical knife. She then viewed the cut on her left arm, obviously from a crumbling piece of the tower.

"Come on, remember everything that Soap taught you," she said, encouraging herself as she tended to the wound. She covered the wound with bandaging wrap, then wrapped some more over that and tied it in place, making a small fashionable knot out of habit. She slowly got to her feet, feeling around, her eyes still adjusting to the dark. As her eyes dilated to compensate with the night, she ducked as she heard voices speaking a language she couldn't understand, so they must have been the ones they were fighting. She could see that they had flashlights, searching the area. Rarity could see well enough to see a crack under some rubble, it being just large enough to squeeze into. She did, and tried to breath as quietly as possible as she could see the beams of the flashlights, followed by the feet of the soldiers with them.

Rarity's heart wanted to scream, but her mind knew better.

"This is dreadfully awful…" she whispered to herself. Her eyes widened and heart stopped when one soldier stopped right in front of her.

"Вы узнали что-то?" she heard one say.

"Он был всего лишь на прошлой неделе ветра, продолжить поиск." another said. The man moved on, and Rarity waited another couple of minutes before finally crawling out. The soldiers were out of sight, and she looked around, trying to figure out where to go. She saw a fire, and by it were a few men. She recognized some of them wearing U.S. marine uniforms, but they had their hands behind their head. Rarity snuck closer to the en, but stayed far enough where she would be out of sight. She then saw one spetsnaz soldier walk up to one of the marines.

"Tell us where you have hidden the other elements." the spetsnaz said to the man.

"We don't know anything. And even if I did, I wouldn't tell you shit." the marine responded, spitting blood in the spetsnaz face after saying so. The soldier wiped his face and turned around, starting to walk off. He made his hand into a fist and pulled it down, and two other spetsnaz soldiers walked in front of him and slaughtered the marines.

"those monsters…" Rarity said, wide eyed from seeing this. She knew she had to move on. She stopped as she saw a soldier blocking her path, his back turned to her. She looked around, and found a pipe. She didn't want to do this, but she knew she must. She grabbed the pipe and started to sneak up to the man. When she got right behind him, she tensed and swung the pipe into his head, knocking him over and out cold. She searched the pockets of the man's vest, and found a tactical knife. She figured it would be better to keep her presence a secret than to expose it with a gun.

She moved on, hoping to find one of her friends, or one of the guys. She kept looking for a few minutes, until she did see someone she knew, but not how she wanted.

"Rainbow Dash!" Rarity quietly exclaimed. Dash was being pushed by one of the soldiers. Rainbow's hands were handcuffed behind her, but she was still trying to kick the man holding her from escaping.

"Let me go you no good fatty!" she exclaimed. The man was obviously stronger than her, keeping her at bay. They walked up to another man, who was wearing a red beret. The man pointed towards the south, and the soldier took Dash that way. Rarity started to follow in the shadows, until she felt a hand grab her shoulder, she spun around and looked into the visor of a spetsnaz soldier. She screamed and kicked the man, who grabbed his shin. Rarity started to run, but was soon tripped by the man in the beret.

"Well well, look at the beauty we have here." the man said, holding Rarity down.

"Let me go!" Rarity revoltingly said, trying to break free of his grip. The other soldier who she had kicked was now standing about 6 feet to the left and behind the man with the beret. The officer smiled.

"I always liked feisty girls, how about we have some fun." The officer said, a perverted smile coming across his face. Rarity struggled even harder, trying to break free of the man's death grip. She looked around, trying to find something to grab and hit him with, but instead saw something much different. She saw a figure standing in the shadows, who motioned for her to keep quiet. She then immediately looked back at the officer, who had just rubbed her thigh.

He laughed until he heard a scream behind him. He turned around, seeing the other soldier struggling to reach something behind him, a knife in his chest. The officer started to draw his pistol, but the man that had stabbed the soldier bull rushed him with the body. As the two fell, the man who had stabbed the soldier pulled his knife out, dodging a punch from the officer. He then grabbed the officer's arm, twisted it behind his back, and slit the mans throat. He gargled as the blood ran freely from his neck, eventually going limp. The killer pushed the body aside, sheathed his knife, and started to walk to Rarity. Rarity was both thankful and fearful, knowing this man saved her from the officer, but scared that he may do the same. It was when she heard a familiar voice that she calmed down a little.

"Rarity, you ok?" The male southern voice said.

"Scarecrow?" she asked, shocked. The fire reflected across his face, showing the brown eyed man that she knew. His mask was torn in places, part of the "smile" he had stitched on it cut off. He had a thin but blood red gash on his right cheek "Where are the others?" she asked.

"They're all captured. I was with Price and Ghost, but we got separated after a skirmish with some of the reds. My radio then went off, and Dash said that she had found the others being held captive by the spetsnaz, but then I heard gunfire and I lost contact." Scarecrow explained.

"I just saw Rainbow Dash being taken away," Rarity said.

"Good, at least we know everyone survived. Now we've just got to break them out." Scarecrow said. They moved, picking up supplies as they went. They eventually found rope, two pistols, and one intervention with one clip among the ruins. They then saw a convoy setting up, Scarecrow watching it through the intervention's scope.

"That must be a prison convoy, I can see them loading the guys up in a truck." he said.

"What should we do?" Rarity asked, obviously worried and scared to death. Scarecrow kept his cool, looking around. He then saw a ledge that was near the road that the convoy was on.

"Well, isn't that lucky. I have an idea. Simple, should be easy. Follow me." Scarecrow said, he and Rarity heading to the large ledge.

---

"Darling, are you sure this will work?" Rarity said, slowly letting the rope they found down over the side of the ledge.

"I can only pray so." Scarecrow said. He was at the other end of the rope, hanging over the ledge, a large drop below him. It was strong enough to support his weight and the weight of the intervention.

"That's as far as it will go." Rarity said down to him. Scarecrow aimed at the road with the sniper rifle, but the trees still blocked his view.

"Are you sure?" he called back.

"Positive!" Rarity replied. She then looked into the distance, then back at Scarecrow. "They're coming this way!"

Scarecrow tried to think of what to do, and an idea hit him. It was crazy, sounding like something Jester and Pinkie Pie would do, but he had to try it to save his team. As quickly as he could without putting too much stress on the rope, he turned himself upside down. This would make the planned shot extremely more difficult, Scarecrow's calculations had to be spot on. He aimed through the scope of his intervention, and he could see the now upside down road, the convoy soon appearing. Scarecrow started sweating, but it was soon hidden by the sound of rain, it starting to pour. He heard Rarity complaining about her hair getting wet and flat, but he blocked it out. He blocked out all the sounds around him, the only noises he could hear was himself and the whirring of the engines of the vehicles.

"Come and show me your mercy, as you do for all who love your name," Scarecrow said, starting to recite Psalms 119.

"Guide my steps by your word, so I will not be overcome by evil." he loaded the rifle.

"Ransom me from the oppression of evil people; then I can obey your commandments." he turned the safety off.

"Make your face shine on your servant and teach me your decrees." he took aim at his target.

"O LORD, you are righteous, and your regulations are fair." he held his breath, the last thing he always does before pulling the trigger.

---

"We've got to get out of here!" Twilight said, being pushed into the truck.

"But how? They've got us surrounded and handcuffed." Jester said.

"Well, Scarecrow and Rarity are still out there, maybe they'll figure it out." Soap said.

"If they aren't dead…" Applejack sadly muttered.

"Shut up back there!" one of the spetsnaz soldiers said in rough English, banging his fist on the glass. The convoy started moving, the group all sitting down. Dash tried to kick the back door open, but to no avail. The group looked out the windows to see the destruction that was mostly hidden by the night. Applejack sighed, worried about Scarecrow and Rarity, but then something caught her eye. When she first trained with Scarecrow, he told her about being "flashed". It's what he called it when another sniper's scope reflected in a light. This could tell you the position of an enemy sniper if your team is pinned down. She saw the flash, and had a feeling in her gut. She turned around, getting everyone's attention.

"Get ready." Applejack said, sitting back down.

"Ready for what?" Ghost asked.

"These guys are about to get the hay scared off of em'." Applejack responded, getting a questionable look from everyone.

"By what?" Rainbow Dash then asked.

"What else scares things but a scarecrow?" she rhetorically asked, smiling. They then looked through the glass as they heard the two Russian men yelling as the jeep in front of them started to swerve across the road, a body falling out. The jeep then flipped in front of them, the driver doing everything he could to dodge it. But they hit the jeep, the truck flipping. The girls screamed as glass shattered, one of the Russian men smashing against the back glass, breaking it. When it stopped moving, Price jumped up and reached for the keys he saw dangling on the rear view mirror, just reaching them. He unlocked his handcuffs first, unlocking everyone else's soon after.

"Find what weapons you can, and lets get the hell out of here. Applejack, you lead us to where you saw that flash, that must've been Scarecrow." Price ordered. A.J. nodded, and they started moving. They got weapons off the dead Russians in the jeep that Scarecrow took out. Multiple soldiers were yelling. Soap pulled out a radio he got off one, and turned the dial to the channel that he had last remembered using.

"Overload, this is Bravo 4-3, we are still alive in this hellhole, we need an evac now!" he yelled, firing at one soldier. Dash covered him, hitting another, Soap gave a silent prayer of thanks when command responded.

"how the hell did you survive? never mind that. We'll have a CH-47 head to the location of where checkpoint Charlie was located. ETA 20 minutes." Overlord responded.

"Copy that." Soap said, putting the radio up. Ghost fired an AK-47 in the direction behind the group, hitting a few spetsnaz that were chasing them. One jumped at Applejack, who fired the Spas-12 she was carrying. The kick from the shotgun bucked into Applejack's shoulder.

"Now I know what those trees back home feel like.." She muttered, moving her shoulder. They kept moving, certain soldiers dropping here and there from Scarecrow's shots. Soap went for the radio again.

"Scarecrow, if you can hear me, head for checkpoint Charlie. I repeat, checkpoint Charlie!" he yelled into the radio.

"Gotcha, me and Rarity are moving there now." he said, signing off.

"He's with Rarity!" Soap said.

"Damn good! I knew she had some rough and tough in her." Price said, smiling.

"Up there!" Rainbow dash pointed. They saw the lights of a CH-47 Chinook helicopter waiting for them. There were some marines out, firing at the spetsnaz soldiers. As they ran, Scarecrow and Rarity came out of some shrubbery to re-join the others.

"Glad you could make it!" Price yelled over the gunfire.

"Heck, I'm alright, you just may have to get the little princess here a manicure." Scarecrow said, referring to Rarity.

"Never in my life have I run through so much muck and dirt! Never again!" Rarity yelled, following Price.

"We're being shot at, and you worry about a little dirt?" Price jokingly asked, chuckling.

"Let's move! Come on!" one of the marines yelled to the group. The marines started piling back into the chopper, and the crew made it just in time. Ghost and Jester were still firing at the spetsnaz on the ground as they took off, keeping any RPG's from being launched. When they were out of sight, everyone took a seat. As almost everyone gathered around Rarity, who started to tell how her and Scarecrow met up and stopped the convoy, Applejack saw Scarecrow, soaking wet from the rain, staring into the night sky, holding the intervention close to him. She sat down beside him.

"Looks like the great Scarecrow does it again." Applejack jokingly said, sitting beside him.

"I don't consider myself great, just someone who wants the job done." Scarecrow said. He turned to her, and she became worried at the sight of the cut along his right cheek. She put her hand on his cheek, near the cut but not touching it. Scarecrow saw her concerned look, and put his hand on hers.

"don't worry about it, it was nothing." he said, trying to reassure her.

"I just want to make sure you're alright." Applejack said. Scarecrow chuckled.

"You sound just like my mother. I think you two would have got along." He gently took her hand off and grasped it, Applejack intertwining their fingers. She rested her head on his shoulder, and before long was fast asleep. Scarecrow played with her hair a little, and then kissed her forehead as they went back to base.

---

"Look, I can't believe it just as much as you. You don't have to repeat it over and over." Scarecrow told Jester as they and the others were heading to two planes. They were all shocked when they heard the news from their commanders. They were having to re-group supplies and men, and they had not detected any of the remaining elements in some time. While they were regrouping forces, they gave the girls and men a temporary leave from duty. They said they would be called back up as soon as they were ready.

"We finally get to go home, about bloody time. Even if it's not forever." Ghost said. The men had gathered around.

"We all are mate, but there's one problem." Soap said.

"He's right," Specter started, "the girls."

"Yeah, what are we going to do about them?" Jester asked.

"We would have to house them, but we live all over the place. I live in Atlanta, Jester lives in Oklahoma, and Specter lives in Chicago." Scarecrow said.

"Same here, Soap in Aberdeen, Ghost in Fullham, and I in Manchester, we'll be hundreds of miles apart." Price said.

"We'd have to keep them in contact, as well as each other." Scarecrow said.

"We can get them phones and let them use one of those video chat sites." Jester suggested.

"That could work, but we'd have to ask them." Ghost said. The men nodded and started to walk to the girls, who had been discussing something also.

"Well, we think we have an idea." Soap said.

"We do to." Twilight said.

"we'll split up." both said at the same time.

"Well, at least we're in agreement." Jester said, chuckling.

"We'll each go with one of you, but we'll need to keep in touch with each other." Twilight said.

"Right, we can get you cell phones and video chat, show you how to use them." Soap explained.

After some discussing, Everyone separated. Before the girls did though, they all group hugged.

"Make sure to keep in touch!" Twilight said.

"Don't worry sugercube, we'll be alright!" A.J. said.

"I'm nervous, but excited at the same time." Fluttershy meekly said.

"This is going to be great!" RD said.

"Oh, I'll miss you all dearly! Make sure that we do keep in touch!" Rarity exclaimed.

"I'm so nervouscited!" Pinkie exclaimed, smiling.

"You do realize that's not a word, right?" Applejack asked. The group laughed and said their goodbyes, getting onto each plane. Twilight looked out of the plane window as they took off. Specter put a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, it'll be alright, When we get to Chicago, I'll let you call one of the others. I have their numbers in my phone." He said with a reassuring smile.

"Thanks Specter." Twilight said. Her nerves were just about as high as her excitement for this. She was going to get to see "The Land of the Free" for the first time ever.

---

A/N: I know this chapter was kind of short, but I figured I would add this chapter pretty quick to help move the story along. Stay tuned for more!