<em>"Oh yes, I understand that there's always someone looking for trouble,"</em>Russell agreed when Niko told him about the reaction of the townspeople to her visit.<em>"Well, if someone's looking hard enough for trouble they'll be sure to find it. So long as we're not around to get caught in the middle of it I really don't care."</em>With those words the wiry Marine settled back into the Humvee's back seat, his ice-blue eyes gazing out the window as the terrain rolled by. His jaw twitched momentarily as Lt Black burst into song - Russell's own singing wasn't anything to write home about, and he'd heard far worse voices than the lieutenant's, but the Army officer still had a long way to go before he'd be winning prizes in karaoke. Still, the young soldier admitted to himself, his tension was probably due to Lev and Jessie's comments about his attraction to Niko. He hastily tried to put the notion out of his mind and focus on the view outside the Humvee as it trundled down the road.<br/><br/>By the time the convoy of the 13th's vehicles reached the stone bridge that was their destination Russell was almost eager to get out and start walking again. A quick look at the narrow bridge convinced him that maybe it would be better if he got out to check it himself, but before he could make such a suggestion Lt Black had already opened hid own door and had gotten out.<br/><br/><br/>OOC: 2 weeks of crap IRL, a week of working on this post, then losing it in a drive crash - screw it. I'm posting what I've written here, and will work on completing it as I go.