(Location: Bar. Time: Night.)
Ash gave a sigh, before gulping his alcohol in one swoop.
"Another." Ash ordered, practically slamming his glass onto the bar. The bar keep nodded with a 'yes sir' before taking the glass, refiling it, and placing it back in front of Ash. Ash nodded, before placing both his hands onto the bar and grabbing his glass. He swooshed it around, taking focusing on the ice cube that went back and forth. His mind started to wonder, to what he had done earlier that day.
(Flashback. Hours earlier. Location: Village in Mexico.)
It was supposed to be a short, simple mission. Intel informed that a small, terrorist group had entered Mexico, gathering those willing to be suicide bombers. Instantly Shepard sent Price, Meat, Ghost, Soap, Ash, Road, Fire, Roach, Royce, and Archer to eliminate the targets. They flew to the village, and started to set up. Wanting the kid, Ash, to get better with his killing and sniping, the soldiers decided to have him to the job.
So they all split up. Ash and Ghost went to a ledge, overlooking the village while the others hid in, on, or behind abandoned houses. That was when the targets showed up. But all Ash could do, was shake his head.
"I can't do it." Ash stated, looking through the scoop of his sniper rifle. Currently he had eyes on the suicide bombers. But he couldn't believe who it was. A young girl, maybe 5 to 7, and her mother. They were standing, among a group of regular people.
"You can, and you will." Ghost demanded, while watching the two talk to each other, through binoculars.
"It's wrong." Ash shot back, with sweat forming onto his forehead.
"Do it kid, or I'll do it my self." Archer informed, while adjusting his own aim.
"Kid, you're never gonna be a good soldier, if you can't throw your morals out the window." Price said, getting annoyed at the argument.
Instantly the soldiers started bombing him with 'do it' or 'man up' or 'come on'. They kept saying these things and more, over an over again. Until he couldn't take it anymore.
"Shut up!" Ash whispery shouted. It was quiet for a few seconds, before Ash gave a sigh. "What should I do Roach?" Ash asked. Whenever Ash was faced with a difficult choice, he would turn to Roach for an answer. They were practically brothers, always looking after each other and standing up for each other.
"I, ah, I think you should do it Ash." Roach answered.
Ash sigh and nodded before aiming. He got the kids head in aim, and fired. As if in slow motion, the bullet fried and flew through the barrel. It whizzed through the air, getting closer and closer to its target. But with perfect timing. Because the mother bent down, lining up both her head and the child's. After a few seconds, the bullet made contact with the child's head. It cut straight through her skull, and exited, before hitting the mother. The two fell down, dead. The people who surrounded them yelled in fear, before scattering away. Ash gave a shocked and pained look at what he had done, before feeling himself being picked up by Ghost.
"Lets move." Ghost ordered, before the two made their way down small mountain. After they got to the bottom, the team got back together, before running to the helicopter.
(Minutes later) "Ya did good kid." Soap said with a smile. Currently the soldiers were in the helicopter, flying back to base. But Ash did not respond. The others looked confused, before Meat waved a hand in front of Ash's face. He just sat there. Not moving, not talking, breathing quietly, and just barley blinking. The soldiers looked at each other, before shrugging it off, and waiting for the flight to end. (One hour later) Ash was currently back in his room, at the base. When he and the others returned, Price and Soap went to inform Shepard, while the others went off to do their own things. So Ash walked back to his room, before closing and locking the door. He removed his gear, allowing it to drop onto the floor. He stood in the center, before grabbing his hair, gritted his teeth, and then letting out a horror and pained yell/roar/scream. He, in his fury and pain, punched the door too his room, before dropping to his knees.
(Now)
Ash was about to gulp his drink once more, but felt himself being slapped on the back. He turned around, only to be met with a smiling Price, as he sat down in a chair.
"What's up lad?" Price questioned. Ash just slowly and sadly shook his head, before turning around, gulping his drink, and putting the glass upside down, onto the bar. He got up, before taking some money from his pocket and throwing onto the counter.
"Lad, I know you're still shocked or whatever about what happened earlier, but you need to get over it. You'll never be a good soldier, unless you can throw morals out the window at any second." Price informed.
"There's just one thing Price." Ash said.
"What's that?" Price asked. At this Ash turned around, before bending down to look Price in the eyes.
"I'm not a soldier." Ash replied, before getting up and walking out of the bar. Price sighed, before leaning back in his chair, connecting his hand behind his head, and looking up. He hoped and prayed, that Ash would grow up and became the solider Price knew he could be.
I mean, what's more important. Saving the lives of two, who would just kill themselves? Or, saving the lives of two thousand soldiers?