Disclaimer: Call of Duty Modern Warfare and characters are copyright of Infinity Ward and their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended. This is strictly made for personal entertainment, and not to gain any profit. It's just a fan's work and love of the powerful storyline and great game, because I couldn't get this story out of my head. I had to make some sort of release.
Two Years Later
It's been two years since the Russian/American war. The Task Force had ended the war with the Intel they had gathered, linking their original commander, General Shepherd, with acts of treason, causing Russia to invade America with a misunderstanding. The Ultranationalist Terrorist, Vladamir Makarov was still at large, and at the top of the Most Wanted list, and a main target of the newly reformed Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). The Task Force was created permanently, consisting of a Battalion sized unit, mixing with the best of the Special Operatives from the British SAS, U.S. military Special Operations, the CIA, and most recently, the Australian Special Operations Command. The original members, Major John Price, Major John MacTavish, Captain Simon Riley, SFC Eric Foley, SSG Michael Dunn, and Special Agent Anna Williams, had been cleared of their statuses as international war criminals, and had elected to stay on with the force.
Simon "Ghost" Riley pressed his hand onto the scanner. Soon, the screen in front of him populated his ID - Captain Simon Riley, Task Force 141, Joint Special Operations Command. The door hissed open, allowing him in. He walked through, seeing SFC Eric Foley speaking with Major John "Soap" MacTavish and a new recruit, Sergeant Joseph Ramirez. "Ghost, meet SGT Ramirez. Just came through from the Special Forces." Foley introduced him. "Ramirez, this is CPT Riley, call sign Ghost."
Riley extended his hand, shaking the Sergeant's hand. "Good to have you," Riley told him. He looked at MacTavish, "What's the status on Angel One?"
"She had just uploaded Intel into the system. Dunn is analyzing it now," MacTavish told him.
The screen beeped in front of them, signaling a video call, with words displaying, Incoming Call: Special Agent Williams, Anna. Riley grinned, pressing the button in front of him, "Ahh, Angel one." He smiled once her face appeared on the screen.
She grinned at him, "Well, Captain Riley. And how was your night?" She asked him.
MacTavish rolled his eyes. CPT Riley and Anna had met when the force was originally created, and finally acted upon their feelings, developing somewhat of a serious relationship on the side after the war had ended. MacTavish noticed it softened the normally harsh Riley, but he luckily remained just as focused on missions as he always had been. "Cut the chatter," MacTavish intervened, "Angel one, what's the status?"
Anna smirked slightly at the demanding Scottish major. "Well, Nikolai and I had completed our tasks of gathering Intel from foreign sources. We've had to resort to digital recordings, rather than convincing the agents to accompany us to headquarters. But, we've just finished uploading the last of the recordings to SSG Dunn." Anna briefed. "Once we're done, we'll be heading to the extraction point ready for return."
"Good work. We'll see you when you return," MacTavish said.
The call disconnected. Riley looked at Ramirez, noticing the new recruit staring up at the now blank screen, "You want something?" Riley snapped.
Ramirez snapped out of it, looking at Riley, "No sir," He said.
Foley guided Ramirez out of the room, "Pick another thing to look at. He's not the one you want to worry about. She is." He lowly told him.
Ramirez closed the drawer of his clothing dresser, and looked up into the mirror. He rubbed his head, noticing the hair beginning to grow back, that he had continuously cut while he was in the Special Forces; but was encouraged to grow it out while in the Task Force. He remembered what Foley had told him; to pick another thing to look at. He scoffed to himself, as he grabbed a gold chain to place around his neck. There was nothing else to look at on the compound. The only option he had was to head to the bar just outside the gates of the compound, leading to the main base. He shrugged to himself, figuring that would be the best choice of activity for the night.
The van stopped at the gate, waiting for the guards to come to the window to do their checks. "You know, this is fine," Anna said to the driver, looking at Nicolai.
"Da, we can walk from here." Nicolai agreed.
They both grabbed their backpacks, slinging it over their shoulders. They stepped out of the van, and grabbed picture ID's out of their pockets, handing them to the guards. They then placed their hands on scanners, confirming their identities. The two were waved through. They began walking towards the living areas. "I hate those long flights, you know?" Anna began, to strike up a conversation.
"Da, Miss Anna, I do too. Very boring, they are." Nicolai smirked.
They both looked up as they saw a figure standing at a room door, fiddling with keys in his hand. "Looks like a drunken newbie," Anna smiled.
They were going to walk past, but were stopped, "Hey! Listen, can you help me?" As a man rushed in front of them.
He had almost fell forward onto Anna, but she immediately slammed her hand against his throat, holding him away from her. "Maybe they didn't brief you properly, newbie!" Anna growled at the now shocked stranger. "Respect personal space!" She told him.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" He said. Anna finally let him go. "I've just had a few beers, and I can't figure out which of these keys unlock my door!" He desperately told her. "Sorry, my name is Joe. Joe Ramirez."
"Like I give a shit," She looked at Nicolai, "I'm going to bed. I'm tired."
With that, Anna walked away. Nicolai looked at the lost newbie. "I'll help you. But when you go into your room, go to sleep." Nicolai rolled his eyes.
Anna quietly shut the door, placing her bag and keys onto the table. The area was cleaned, and the lights were off. She quietly walked towards the bedroom, pushing open the partially opened door. She smiled, as she realized Riley was sound asleep in the bed. She began to change her clothing. She turned in shock as she felt a hand on her back. He was awake, and had quietly snuck up behind her. He kissed her bare shoulder, wrapping his arms around her waist. "How was the flight?" He asked her.
She smiled, as she thought of the changes Riley had gone through. He'd been hard as nails, especially when it came to life in general. He had a rough life, a rough and traumatic career, and had a hard time trusting others. But, when the task force came together, all of that changed. They were placed together, and they all realized they had to trust each other. Anna was almost shocked when he continued to trust her after she confessed to him that the very person that betrayed them all and caused a serious international incident, branding them all as war criminals, was her very own father. But, Simon Riley had reasoned with her: he had a horrible father. A drug addict that beat his mother, and had shown Riley his first dead body when Riley was only 9. His father was so twisted, he convinced the then 9 year old Simon Riley that the death of the woman was hilarious. Riley could have cared less of his father, that he allowed for his father to be handled by twisted Soldiers turned mercenaries.
Anna sighed heavily, hugging onto his arms that wrapped around her waist, "It was long," She turned to look up at him, and smiled as his lips pressed against her forehead, "How was your two weeks of freedom?" She smiled, as she rested her head against his chest.
She heard a laugh rumble in his chest. "Bloody fantastic!" He joked. "Parties every single night, had a different lass in the bed with me, sometimes on the couch, the works!"
Anna's eyes opened, and she looked up at him, slamming her hand against his chest to push him away from her. "Prick!" She laughed.
She turned, finishing to change her clothes, throwing on her black yoga pants, and a black camisole top. Anna walked to the linen closet, grabbing a towel. "I'm taking a shower, and then I'll come to bed," She told him.
She began to walk towards the bathroom, and heard him almost yelp from excitement, "I'm coming with you!"
With that, she squealed and ran towards the bathroom, with Riley chasing her. He finally caught with her, just as she almost closed the door on him. He pushed open the door, hearing her laugh, and finally closed the door behind him as he stepped into the bathroom with her.
Riley opened a door, and his eyes took in the gruesome scene; blood almost completely covered the carpeted floor of the living room. He cautiously walked in, looking for any bodies. The room looked vaguely familiar. He almost gasped as he took in the blue suede upholstered couch; the small oak coffee table; the white painted walls that were decorated with family pictures; his brother's family pictures. He finally remembered; this was his brother's apartment. Where he found his brother, his brother's wife, and his brother's young son on the floor, murdered brutally by the Soldiers that had betrayed him so long ago. He began to pant heavily, as he could feel the anger begin to come back. He looked around for the bodies. He found none. His eyes settled onto a wide trail of blood that led to a closed door to a room past the kitchen. He followed the trail, and opened the door. Riley had realized that the door had led to his own bedroom. On the bed, was the body of someone else; one that he never wanted to see. He walked towards the bed, seeing the blood that had poured from the body onto the white goose down comforter. As he got closer, he placed his hand on the chin of the corpse, and turned the head to look up at him.
The cold, and dead eyes of Anna were open; staring straight at him. He examined her; her arms were stretched out, as if someone had held her arms to the bed; her legs were hanging over the side, as if someone were possibly straddling her, or worse. He looked for what wounds could have done her in; her body had so much blood around it, he almost figured she literally bled to death. He saw multiple bullet wounds in her chest and stomach, and finally one in the middle of her forehead. Riley's eyes began to tear up in frustration; he had lost someone else he had loved. He placed his hands to her eyes, closing the eyelids. He sat next to her body, and gently picked it up, holding it to him. He had realized, as he held her to him, that he was doing something he never thought he could do: cry. His eyes slammed shut, as he began to weep while holding the body of the woman he fell in love with, against him.
But, soon, the body disappeared; the blood had disappeared; the room was as it usually is; clean, bed made, with the lamp sitting neatly on the nightstand on his side of the bed. He turned his head to the bathroom, as he heard the shower turn off. He stood up, walking towards the bathroom, and saw Anna step out of the shower; alive and well. She was wrapped in a towel, and now combing through her long brown, wet hair. He turned as he heard the doorbell. "Just a second!" She called from the bathroom.
"Anna?" Riley finally spoke up.
But, Anna didn't respond to him. In fact, it was almost as if he was really his namesake; a Ghost. The doorbell rang again, and Anna came from the bathroom, and hurriedly dressed into her usual lounge around clothing; yoga pants and a shirt. "Anna!" Riley called to her, as he rushed in front of her. She still ignored him completely.
She walked towards the door, ready to answer it, but just as she got to the door, it was kicked open, and two men walked in. "No!" Riley screamed out, as he ran towards the intruders.
Before Riley or Anna could move, two shots rang out, hitting Anna's stomach. He recognized the two men as the ones who had killed his family; but Riley remembered that he had killed both of these Soldiers. He attempted to run to her aide, but as he tried to attack the two Soldiers, he went through them. He turned, realizing with horror that he could do nothing. He watched as they shot Anna again, while she was on the floor gasping for air. They grabbed her legs, dragging her across the living room, and to the bedroom, creating the huge blood trail that Riley had seen earlier. They closed the door behind them, and as he ran to the bedroom, he heard more gunshots. He stopped at the closed door, slamming his hands to his ears, and screamed out in pure rage.
Anna shook Riley, as he screamed out in his sleep. He finally opened his eyes awake, and sat up suddenly. Anna shot back away from him, afraid he would strike out accidentally. Riley's eyes focused as his body attempted to comprehend that it was all just a nightmare. He looked to his side, breathing heavily, seeing Anna stare at him in concern. He instinctively placed his hands to her face, to touch her, and make sure that he indeed had just a cruel nightmare. Anna swallowed harshly, "What was that about?"
He pulled her head towards his, putting his forehead against hers. He placed his lips to hers urgently, wanting to make sure that he could kiss her. Their kiss continued, as he lied her down, settling himself on top of her. He pulled away, staring at her, cradling her face with his hands. "What happened?" Anna asked him.
Riley gulped, and finally spoke up, "N-Nothing. It was just a nightmare." He stroked her face gently, "I do love you, Anna." He told her.
She slightly smiled, "Well, I love you too, Simon."
With that, he finally lowered his face to hers, kissing her again.
AN- I know this seems like another Riley/Anna fic, but it's not; just going through changes and evolution of the characters, and how the past few years has affected them, and how it will affect their big mission that's coming up; also, I read the Ghost comics; LOVED them! And can't wait to see the last issue! So now, I can bring a lot of Ghost's past into this fic, and how that affects him with caring about someone again. Please read and review!
