"Finally," Ghost sighed, collapsing onto his couch. The living room - one of many in this sprawling house - was his last sanctuary. The only room his daughter hadn't turned into a menagerie. Yet.

"Jesus Christ," Price whistled as the team pulled up the long, winding driveway through dense forest. "When you said 'moved to the country,' I wasn't expecting..." he gestured at the massive property, complete with barns and endless fields disappearing into the treeline.

"Mate, this is practically an estate," Soap added, eyeing the sprawling grounds. "Must be what, hundred acres?"

"Two hundred," Ghost muttered, leading them inside the enormous house. "Trust me, wasn't my idea."

"Since when do you need this much space?" Gaz sprawled on one of the oversized couches. "Thought you were a 'small apartment' kind of guy."

"Things change," Ghost replied carefully.

The team spread out, the enormous living room easily accommodating all fourteen of them with room to spare. Through the windows, they could see the edge of farmland and forest stretching into the distance.

"Love what you've done with the place," Roach called from his corner. "Very... minimal."

"Only in here," Ghost mumbled into his beer.

Casual conversations flowed. Farah and Laswell debating mission tactics by the fireplace, Alejandro and Rodolfo arguing about the best tactical gear near the window wall, Kamarov and Nikolai in their usual Russian dispute while Krueger, Nikto, and Horace placed bets.

"Uh, Ghost?" Soap returned from searching for the bathroom, looking puzzled. "I think I took a wrong turn and ended up in... well, I'm not sure what I ended up in. But there were multiple tiger-sized beds, what looked like a jungle gym for monkeys, heat lamps, and something that looked suspiciously like a savanna habitat-"

Ghost opened his mouth to explain, but the massive front doors burst open.

The team froze as what could only be described as Noah's Ark paraded in. Two mini cows in matching harnesses. Five goats prancing alongside six leashed wolves trotting perfectly in formation. A tiger and lion walking side by side like oversized house cats. Two leopards and cheetahs prowling gracefully. Three monkeys riding on the backs of six pigs. Nine cats weaving through the chaos. Twenty-plus dogs of various sizes, all perfectly behaved. A mini donkey and pony bringing up the rear.

And in the middle of it all - a small girl with a clear, multi-level backpack containing various reptiles, all on tiny custom leashes, birds perched on her shoulders, and...

"No," Ghost said immediately, spotting the dirty bundle of fur cradled in her arms.

The team sat in stunned silence, beers forgotten, as they tried to process what they were seeing. Roach's mouth opened and closed like a fish. Price's cigar fell from his lips. Soap spilled his beer. Laswell blinked rapidly, as if trying to clear her vision.

Suddenly, the massive house, the remote location, the extensive grounds - it all made a lot more sense.