Bookie Bites- Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom

Hello and welcome to the first and hopefully not the last ever edition of Bookie Bites, where talk about books and the words inside them!!!! 

Tonight we are joined with Mr Mitch Albom's Have a Little Faith as conclusively mentioned by the title published 2009 and read by yours truly only very recently (I am so so sorry)

The story starts with a simple question posed to Mitch, where his childhood pastor, a man by the name of Albert Lewis, asks for him to write his eulogy. The story also follows the times of another pastor, a former drug dealer and convict by the name of Henry Covington, focusing more on his reformation(??) instead of the end of his life as in the former. Mitch's insight into his relationship with his religion is also covered in this book, one which I find at times very relatablez.

Now obviously, I have actually read the book, and I must say that I find it an extremely eye opening piece of literature. The story touches on themes like faith (duhhhhhhhhh) and love (epppp) (I'm 18), a bit of current affairs, basically almost everything under the sun. What has pulled me (and hopefully will pull you) to this book is basically wanting to know those answers from the point of view of  religious mind. Add also the fact that there are many faiths in this world, and couple that with the extremely grey areas of  the best way to live life, what comes after it, and many other cool things and you've got a pretty good read for the best of two weeks :) 

If that sounds slow, then it's ok cos I savour my reads like I savour my food ;)

What comes afterwards is a few choice passages from the book I feel I should share with ally'all. Initial spoiler alert here though. This doesn't mean you read this so you don't have to read the book BUT i wish to share these things to incite lol  some interest to move your butts to the library to read!!!!

Anyway.

The Great Tradition of Running Away

 Adam hid in the Garden of Eden. Moses tried to substitute his brother. Jonah jumped a boat and was swallowed by a whale. 

Man likes to run from God. It's a tradition. So perhaps I was only following tradition when, as soon as I could walk, I started running from Albert Lewis. He was not God, of course; but in my eyes, he was the next closest thing, a holy man, a man of the cloth, the big boss, the head rabbi. My parents joined his congregation when I was an infant. I sat on my mother's lap as he delivered his sermons.

And yet, once I realised who he was-a Man of God -I ran. If I saw him coming down the hallway, I ran. If I had to pass his study, I ran. Even as a teenager, if I spotted him approaching, I ducked down a corridor. He was tall, six foot one, and I felt tiny in his presence. When he looked down through his black-rimmed glasses, I was certain he could see all of my sins and shortcomings.

So I ran.

I ran until he couldn't see me anymore.

Why Bad Things to Good People? 

When I asked the Reb, Why do bad things happen to good people?, he gave none of the standard answers. He quietly said, "No one knows." I admired that. But when I ever asked if that ever shook his belief in God, he was firm.

"I cannot waver," he said.

Well, you could, if you didn't believe in something all-powerful.

"An atheist," he said.

Yerp Yes.

"And then I could explain why my prayers were not answered."

Right.

He studied me carefully. He drew in his breath.

"I had a doctor once who was an atheist. Did I ever tell you about him?"

No.

"This doctor he liked to jab me and my beliefs. He used to schedule my appointments deliberately on Saturdays, so I would have to call the receptionist and explain why, because of my religion, that wouldn't work."

Nice guy, I said.

"Anyhow, one day, I read in the paper that his brother had died. So I made a condolence call."

After the way he treated you?

"In this job," the Reb said, "you don't retaliate."

I laughed.

"So I go to his house, and he sees me. I can tell he is upset. I tell him I am sorry for his loss. And he says, with an angry face, 'I envy you.'

"Why do you envy me?" I said.

" 'Because when you lose someone you love, you can curse God. You can yell. You can blame him. You can demand to know why. But I don't believe in God. I'm a doctor! And I couldn't help my brother!"

"He was near tears. 'Who do I blame?" he kept asking me. 'There is no God. I can only blame myself.' "

The Reb's face tightened, as if in pain.

"That," he said softly, "is a terrible self-indictment."

Worse than an unanswered prayer?

"Oh yes.It is far more comforting to think God listened and said no, than to think that nobody's out there."

Happism

Can I ask you something?

"Yes," he said.

What makes a man happy?

"Well..." He rolled his eyes around the hospital room.

"This may not be the best setting for that question."

Yeah, you're right.

"On the other hand..." He took a deep breath. "On the other hand, here in this building, we must face the real issues. Some people will get better. Some will not. So it may be a good place to define what that word means."

Happiness?

"That's right. The things society tells us we must have to be happy- a new this or that, a bigger house, a better job. I know the falsity of it. I have counseled many people who have all these things, and I can tell you they are not happy because of them.

"The number of marriages that have disintegrated when they had all the stuff in the world. The families who fought and argued all the time, when they had money and health. Having more doesn't keep you from wanting more. And if you always want more- to be richer, more beautiful, more well-known- you are missing the bigger picture, and I can tell you from experience, happiness will never come."

You're not going to tell me to stop and smell the roses, are you?

He chuckled. "Roses would smell better than this place."

Suddenlt, out in the hall, I heard an infant scream, followed by a quick "shhh!" presu,ably from its mother. The Reb heard it, too.

"Now, that child," he said. "reminds me of something our sages taught. When a baby comes into the world, its hands are clenched, right? Like this?"

He made a fist.

"Why? Because a baby, not knowing any better, wants to grab everything, to sat 'The whole world is mine.'

"But when an old person dies, how does he do so? With his hands open. Why? Because he has learned the lesson."

What lesson? I asked.

He streched open his empty fingers.

"We can take nothing with us."

___________________________

"Anyhow," he said, his  voice trailing off.

I hated seeing him in that bed. I wanted him home, with his messy desk and the mismatched clothes. I forced a smile.

So, have we solved the secret of happiness?

"I believe so," he said.

"Are you going to tell me?

"Yes. Ready?"

Ready.

"Be satisfied."

That's it?

"Be grateful."

That's it?

"For what you have. For the love you receive. And for what God has given you."

That's it?

He looked me in the eye. Then he sighed deeply.

"That's it."

A clergy member on pastor Henry Covington

Henry never told me any of this, I said.

"That's why I'm tellingyou," Cass said. "I moved in with his family that night. I stayed there almost a year. A year. He let me sleep on the couch in his main room. His family is upstairs, they got little kids, and I'n sayin' to myself, this man don't know me, he don't know what I'm capable of. But he trusts me."

He shook his head and looked away.

"That kindness asved my life."

We sat there for a second, quiet and cold.I now knew more than I'd ever figured to know about an elder of the I Am My Brother's Keeper Ministry.

What I still didn't know was why.

___________

And then Cass told me:" I see the way you watch the Pastor. You here a lot. And maybe he ain't the way you think a pastor should be.

"But I truly believe the Lord has given me a second chance on account of this man. When I die, Jesus will stand in the gap for me and I will be heard and the Lord will say, 'I know you.' And I believe it's the same for Pastor Covington."

But he's done some bad things in life, I said.

"I know it," Cass said. "I done 'em, too. But it's not me against the other guy. It's God measuring you against you.

"Maybe all you get are chances to do good, and what little bad you do ain't much bad at all. But because God has put you in the position where you can always do good, when you do something bad- it's like you let God down.

"And maybe people who only get chances to do bad, always around bad things, like us, when they finally make something good out of it, God's happy."

He smiled and those stray teeth poked into his lips. And I finally realised wy he had so wanted to tell me his story,

It wasn't about him at all.

You really called Henry "Reb"? I asked.

"Yeah. Why?"

Nothing, I said.

I think this book is personally a huge eye opener into the religious aspects of many things in life. Albeit from the aspect of another faith in Judaism and Christianity (Albert Lewis and Henry Covington respectively).

  As a Muslim, it's inevitable that some material found inside this book is sure to be differently understood slash interpreted slash received in the eyes of Islam. Religious debates have always ravaged on for centuries, and will continue for centuries. We all have our differences, I think we can all agree to that.

  But underneath out different revelations, underneath our different religious practices, underneath our Friday prayers and Sunday church services, there are a few basic principles, a few virtues and teachings that are shared by all out religions.

   Principles of love, of caring for our neighbour, of contributing to a better community, and belief in a power beyond ourselves. We should all be convinced of what we have, but we must also be humble enough to admit that we do not know everything.

And because of that, we have to accept that we may all believe in different things.

And on that conclusion, it's time to end tonight's Bookie Bites. I really appreciate all you guys sticking around till the end. 

Thank you all and until next timez n__n

Thoughts unsaid: Family

This is a me giving a few words to everyone of whom I wish I'd spared a few moments of my life to speak with. For all the moments I didn't seize the right opportunity at its right time to have a word with these people, here or not anymore here, like in this world here like alive her-nevermind for all the times I chickened out because I was too scared slash ashamed slash shy slash angry et cetera.

Should you terase or perasan and see yourself below, well, this is your friend(hi gaiz) slash enemy(hopefully not) slash family member(HOPEFULLY NOT) slash student(hi cher) (this is so impossible) slash blogger(you're ok) you know as Mu'az. These words I spit forth below will hopefully put my mind slightly at ease.

Will this be a bashing session? Will all the stuff be derogatory? Or a nice kissing of butts? Maybe ignorant opinions?

The words I spit forth are honest, dudes.

(ofc i have to start with my family right)



 To my dearest parents, where do I begin haha. I guess it be fitting if I go from the start. Throughout my time growing up, I totally get it that I haven't been the best sort of child(??) to be parents to. I couldn't remember how I was actually when I was small, but it was probably along those lines kan. Then you made the conscious decision for an unconscious me to enter madrasah. Then I left (as in graduated not dropped out mind you) and here I am.

Perhaps one of my biggest failings as your child (and as a son to two wonderful parents myself) is that I may have been shortchanging you horribly when it comes to expressing my love for you two. I don't know if you notice (though you two probably do cos parents man) but I was never really a very emotional person, as in when it comes to expressing feelings and all that other stuff I didn't and still don't get. As a result I went about my stuff without doing much of that affection love thing.

 I realised this when I grew older and yknow understood everything better, fortunately. But unfortunately I still didn't rectify it directly. And I guess that was a really bullshitty thing to do. I figured an indirect way to do so was to just keep my head down and work hard and generally make you proud of me. And I really hope I've managed to attain that. It may not be the best, but it's the best I can do /so far/ and Inshallah I'll be better and all :)



  To my dearish siblings, you guys suck. I still love you all :)

To my uncle,

(serious face)


I will try my best to put whatever I have to say as nicely as I really can. I have no idea what happened at work that resulted in your retrenchment. I have no idea what led to the housing development board to take away your apartment. I have no idea why you refused to accept the apartment they offered at another neighborhood. I have no idea how long you plan to stay in your little sister's home. I have no idea how you are contributing to the daily household expenditure. I have no idea why my father never added your family in the list of house occupants for my tuition grant subsidies.

In fact, I have no idea how you got here, or what you plan to do next.

So I cannot and will not judge you nor put you in some form of negative light. That being said, I'm pretty sure some decisions could have been made to land everyone in better places. If I'm wrong, I stand corrected. If I am right, then, well, people make mistakes.

Either way, I hope you will learn to appreciate the sacrifices my parents have made (and collateral in terms of my siblings and I) and I wish you all the best in sorting your problems out.


 
I'm sorry if this is a sour ish way to sign things off haharz until next timez readerz.

Best Of You - Foo Fighters

I've got another confession to make
I'm your fool
Everyone's got their chains to break
Holdin' you

Were you born to resist, or be abused?

Is someone getting the best
The best, the best, the best of you?
Is someone getting the best
The best, the best, the best of you?

Or are you gone and onto someone new?

I needed somewhere to hang my head
Without your noose
You gave me something that I didn't have
But had no use
I was too weak to give in
Too strong to lose

My heart is under arrest again
But I'll break loose
My head is giving me life or death
But I can't choose
I swear I'll never give in
I refuse

Is someone getting the best
The best, the best, the best of you?
Is someone getting the best
The best, the best, the best of you?

Has someone taken your faith?
It's real, the pain you feel
You trust, you must confess

Is someone getting the best
The best, the best, the best of you?

Has someone taken your faith?
It's real, the pain you feel
The life, the love
You'd die to heal
The hope that starts
The broken hearts
You trust, you must confess

Is someone getting the best
The best, the best, the best of you?
Is someone getting the best
The best, the best, the best of you?

I've got another confession my friend
I'm no fool
I'm getting tired of starting again
Somewhere new

Were you born to resist, or be abused?
I swear I'll never give in, I refuse

Is someone getting the best
The best, the best, the best of you?
Is someone getting the best
The best, the best, the best of you?
Has someone taken your faith?
It's real, the pain you feel
You trust, you must confess

Is someone getting the best
The best, the best, the best of you?

The Godfather: A crash course

This will a be a conclusive and hopefully (hopefully hopefully) an interesting crash course on the phenomenon known as The Godfather, both the book and its movie adaptations.

The whole book (and therefore the movie ofc) (duh) follows the leader of a fictional criminal organisation based in New York City around the 50s. The leader is a man named Vito Corleone, an immigrant from the Italian city of Corleone in Sicily. Basically it covers the transition of Vito's son, Michael, from an unwilling outsider of the Family to a ruthless Mafia boss, taking his father's place at the helm as the Don.


Why is this movie such a big deal? You see eh, this movie was like, the bomb for many reasons. Of which included the fact that it was made from a member of the gang's point of view looking outside to a corrupted capitalist society, instead of looking on from the outside in hatred. This served up a pretty fresh take on an ubiquitous mafia scene in the States.

Mafia members felt it a sort of nod to the whole scene in America, and outsiders got a different take on their mobsters. Add this to the excellent cinematography, and an amazing cast (whose actors were relatively unknown at the time) and the fact that the book was really good, it is regarded as one of (if not) the greatest films of American cinema.


Personally, I find the general themes of the book slash movie a whole new opener to my eyes (sorry that sucked HAHA opener to eyes wtf) in that such topics such as friendship, trust, respect and all that was perceived in such a refreshing and unique way in the book. These were immigrants who worked their asses off to make a living for their family because they believed the government was rubbish (which it was) often going against the law. The stuff they have to deal with I'm sure they take deal with it seriously. Again I have to stress that it is a fictional story based on factual events (mafia scenes and whatever).


If you haven't read the book, or watched the movie, both are deemed awesome by a billion people, so get your ass to the library already. The following is an introduction to the main men of the Family and the general characters that make the movie amazing.

"Fish for your friendship, how's that Paddy?"

Don Vito Corleone, The Godfather: Played by Marlon Brando, he represents the head of one of the Five Families of the Mafia in NYC, the Corleone Family, which is Italian for "Lionheart". He was a very traditional man who lived a moral code of loyalty and respect to friends and ultimately, his family. Vito is famous for being a careful and very very reasonable boss, yet unhesitant in using violence when the situation calls for it. Think of it as an iron fist in a velvet glove. A lot and I mean a LOT of what he says has been quoted and quoted and quoted again, denoting the huge influence it has on the media and the general awesomeness of the things that come out of his mouth. One of the greatest movie characters of all time indeed.

Tom Hagen, Consigliere: Tom is the Corleones' informally adopted son, and therefore a half brother sorta to Vito's sons, Michael, Fredo and Santino, but we'll get to that later. After being brought to the family by Sonny from the streets, the homeless Tom was taken in and taken care of by the family. A mild mannered and soft spoken (qualified) lawyer, he serves as the Counselor, the voice of reason in the Family. Fun Fact? Only non- Sicilian member of the Family as he is of German-Irish descent. (Spoiler alert) He personally blames himself for Sonny's death, realising his incompetence as a Consigliere in times of war. All round good guy though.

Santino Corleone, Underboss: Affectionately known as Sonny, he represents the eldest of the Don's sons, after Fredo and Michael. An underboss with an explosive temper, he is the heir to the the throne of his father, destined to take over the Family after the Don retires. Being the most involved of the sons in the criminal operations, he 'made his bones' at a very young age, after finding out who his father really was and admitting that he 'wanted to be just like him'. The opposite number to his ruthless temper and impulsiveness is found in the boy he brought home when he is 11 in Tom Hagen, denoting a softer side to the brash exterior. He also doesn't choose to harm women and children and anyone who is defenseless. (Spoiler alert) Sonny's life is upturned when he speaks out of line in a meeting with a businessman named Sollozzo, who realises Sonny's interest in his business, one which was declined by his father. As a result, Sollozzo attempts to assassinate the Don to make a deal with his successor, Sonny. As his father recovered after barely escaping death, he takes over the reins temporarily but in the end, is assassinated due to his impulsive ways and an excessively hot temper.

Michael Corleone, Godfather: Played by the amazing Al Pacino, young Michael was initially uninvolved with the Family. On the contrary, he chose to not associate himself with the Corleones, instead believing in being a good American citizen, even enlisting in the Army during WWII, much to the distaste of his brothers and his father. The movie follows Michael as he is forced to transition into becoming the ruthless mafia boss he is after his father retires and Sonny is assassinated, causing a rift with the middle brother, Fredo. Michael is the only Family member with formal college education and his father wanted him uninvolved in the criminal activities, instead to enter the world of politics and make a difference there.

Fredo Corleone,  Underboss: Freddie Corleone is portrayed as the weakest and least intelligent of the three (four if you include Tom) brothers, despite being of older age than Michael. Due to this, he is given the task of running the Family's less important businesses, but he was still loved for he was the most obedient and dutiful of the three. His womanizing as the movie and book progresses becomes a huge weakness, putting him out of favor with his father and increased his feelings of personal inferiority among his brothers. As the assassination attempt on his father was carried out, Freddie could only fumble with the pistol and watch on as the Don was shot down. Michael once explained to Hagen his brother, saying "Fredo has a good heart, but he's weak, and he's stupid."



The following is a few highlights of the three part-movie and a bit about the book as well. These are only spoilers if you remember them, which you won't cos the movie is so friggin' long :) I'm also afraid these events may not be in chronological order, so I am terribly terribly sorry T.T

Behind the scenes: The Corleone brothers Sonny(extreme left) Michael(second from right in the military suit) Fredo (extreme left with a normal suit) Marlon Brando as Vito(also with a normal suit) and director Francis Coppola(with no suit)

One of many legendary quotes. Family was held in very very high regard.

Don Vito Corleone falters against his car after being shot by two assassins as he goes to buy a bag of oranges. Only Fredo was at the scene but he fumbled with his pistol in shock, failing to return fire. Both survive though. Below: Fredo weeps beside his father's unconscious body, riddled with bullets and blood.

Vito Corleone feared murdered, the headline read.

What's next?: The three brothers gather in a room to contemplate their next step as their father recovers in hospital. Fredo is asleep recovering from the shock. Sonny as the temporary Don, Hagen advising him against killing everyone, and Michael quietly observing the two.

Michael explaining to his eldest bro that the shooting wasn't revenge for dirty cop McCluskey breaking his jaw at the hospital, where he had foiled a second assassination attempt at the Don's purposely police- free hospital.

Don't worry Pop: The Godfather is reassured by his favourite son that everything will be ok :)

Michael shooting down Captain McCluskey of NYPD, a corrupt police captain, along with Virgil Sollozzo(not in pic) the man behind the assassination attempt on his father. Also note the bengkak of Michael's jaw, broken by the captain after a second assassination was foiled at the hospital by Mikey.

"I was air guitar champion"

The Don explains his favour to one of his friends, an undertaker.

Shot at the causeway: Vito looks on as he gets an undertaker to clean up the mess made by Sonny's assassins.

End of Part1: The first of the three movies ends with Michael officially being recognised as the Godfather after the death of his father,  and Family members shake kiss his hand and address him as "Don Corleone" in a gesture of respect.

Yellowcard - Ocean Avenue Acoustic

Lone Survivor: The next step

A sunny day in the Afghanistan forests. A four-man Navy SEAL surveillance team has been discovered by an elderly goat herder with a bulky satellite phone and two children, one in his teens. Also the one who tried to flee, but was duly taken down by Matthew "Axe" Axelson, the team's ginger bearded sonar technician. Now the team, led by Michael "Murph" Murphy, stood in a close circle, their prisoners in the middle, scanning their surroundings and pondering their next step move.

"The way I see it, we got three options," Murphy started, "One, we let 'em go, hike up, might be found in less than an hour; two, we tie 'em up, hike out, roll the dice. We'll probably get eaten by fuckin' wolves, or freeze to death."

The other two members, sniper Marcus Lutrell and communications specialist Danny Dietz, along with Axe, digest this information in silence, all waiting for the final and probably the least desired option.

"Three; we terminate the compromise."

The men glanced at each other, before shooting looks on their prisoners, who didn't flinch, matching up to their eyes. The elderly man muttered out something in his native language. Which fell to deaf American ears.

Marcus was already shaking his head as if he knew what his buddies were thinking of. Axe had his head down, half his face blocked out by the shadow from his military sun cap.

"Shah's down there, we let them go, we're lettin' him go; mission fails," he said grimly.

(Ahmad Shah happens to be their target in the surveillance mission) (duh)

Again, the team looked at each other, contemplating their decisions. Obviously, Marcus felt against having to kill the villagers.

"No Mikey, I don't like it," Marcus replied, eyes on his squad leader. "I don't fuckin' like it at all."

I don't like it at allz.

"What are you gonna do, we're gonna kill 'em, huh? Okay we kill 'em, okay, right then what? Fuckin' bury 'em? They get found, then what?"

Axe had his eyes fixed on his brother, unconvinced. "And then what?"

Marcus shifted focus to him.

"You know then what!"

"What do you think, this shit's gonna be private, huh? It's gonna be out there for the whole fuckin' world. C-N-N, okay! SEALs kill kids, that's the fuckin' story for everyone."

"It's nobody's fuckin' business what we do up here," Danny cut in.

Jangan nosy. 

"We do what we do-what we have to do. This is the fuckin' Navy, and you're the fuckin' boss, so you make the fuckin' call, sir!" he continued, with the right emphasis at the right words.

Axe had turned away and stared down the mountain, before facing his team again.

"Shah killed twenty Marines last week. Twenty."

This captured the attention of the team, including Marcus.

"We let him go, twenty more will die next week-forty more the week after that. Our job is to stop Shah. Why do these men have the right to dictate how we do our job?"

"Rules of engagement says we cannot touch them," Marcus replied.

"I understand. And I don't care."

They didn't break stares.

"I care about you."

"I care about you. I care about you, and I care about you," Axe said, taking his time to personally address Marcus, Danny and Mike.

"I don't want your mom seein' your head-your decapitated head-on Al-Jazeera," he continued, holding out a clenched fist as if to hold up a decapitated head by its hair.

Your decapitated head, guys.

"That is Shah."

"I don't see it that way," Marcus muttered, shaking his head and looking away into the distance.

The goats bleat in reply.

"Where do you think he's running to? 200 friends down there," Axe insisted.

"We got guys in Leavenworth doin' twenty for taking home trophy guns. What do you think they're gonna do for fuckin' two kids and an old fuckin' man?!"

No Leavenworth pls.

Leavenworth, Kansas was home to the US military detention barracks, a maximum security prison they'd be sent to for military offences. Like bringing back enemy weapons as trophies, as mentioned by Marcus. And probably killing two unarmed civillians, and an elderly goat herder armed with a herd of goats. Also affectionately mentioned by Marcus.

"Fuckin' look at them, man," Danny muttered, his eyes fixed on the teenage Afghan. The boy was staring hard at the ground, his face red with anger. And blood. And hatred.

Resentment and disgust.

Danny's face turned to one of resentment and subtle disgust.

"They fuckin' hate us."

I hate Americans. 

"Look, that's not a kid-that's a soldier," Axe said,"that's Death; look at Death!"

"We can't do it," Marcus persisted.

"Look at that soldier!"

"They are unarmed prisoners," Marcus said, his voice slower but firm and unwavering.

"And the second that they run down there, we got two hundred hajis on our backs!'

Marcus now realised Axe wasn't about to change his mind anytime soon.

"Tie em' up; Tie em' up, let's get the fuck out of here," Marcus suddenly said, desperate for any other solution.

"We can't just fuckin' leave em', let' em go!" Danny retorted.

"I thought you were standing by, waiting for your fuckin' orders!" Marcus barked at him.

"I am standing by waiting for my fuckin' orders."

"What do you think that radio's for?" Axe asked Marcus. Rhetorically, I think.

"They're not callin' Domino's Pizza," he said, annoyed at that Marcus wouldn't go for the more logical-the more easier option.

"I know what the fuckin' radio's for," Marcus said.

"That radio's fuckin' Tali, bro!" Danny barked, ignoring Marcus.

"That's a cellphone-to the Taliban!" Axe repeated his point about the satellite phone the elderly man had.

"So you just think this will just be our lil' secret, huh?"

Axe shifted his gaze to the teenage boy.

"That's a warrior," he acknowledged with a nod.

"Schwack 'em!"

(thoughts of survival in Afghan language)

The old man was now staring intently at Axe, trying to piece together what kind of fate the white soldier wanted for him and his boys. These Americans seem to be in a very heated argument, and he had no idea why. Though, after hearing that, he glanced at Marcus worriedly- as if he knew what was coming.

"We cannot do that," Marcus stressed, this time his eyes straight at Axe's.

"This is a soft compromise," Axe replied in similarly firm fashion, his voice louder.

"You wanna go to Leavenworth?!"

"We don't know how many fuckin' hajis they have down there, man!" Danny exclaimed. Of the three, he was certainly the most unsettled by the whole situation.

"Don't let him influence you," Marcus said, turning to Mike, who had been quietly uninvolved in the whole discussio argument.

Or at least that was what it was. The whole discussion descended into a flurry of words, and vulgarities, and more vulgarities.

"Marcus, I'm just sayin'-"
"Look at that child-"
"Make up your fuckin' mind-"
"That is fuckin' Shah-"
"And don't let him influence you!"
"Schwack 'em."
"It's your fuckin' call I ain't fuckin' votin'-"



"This is not a vote," Mike firmly cut in, stepping into view, after extensive anonymity.

Michael Murphy stamps his authority on the team

"This is what we're gonna do."


Mike had the attention of his team, and the prisoners as well.


"This op is compromised," he declared.

 "So we're gonna pack up-everything. We're gonna cut 'em loose-and we're gonna make this peak," he continued.

"And when we make this peak, you're gonna get comms up," he said, referring to his communications specialist. Danny didn't flinch.

Danny not flinching(lol)

"And when you get these comms up, we're gonna call for extract-and we're goin' home."


The team voiced their affirmatives, one by one. It's not the most ideal solution, but under the circumstances, it will have to do.


Only Axe nodded with a tinge of resentment.

"Roger."

Don't let me go