A/N: As before, I don't own COD: Ghosts or its characters etc. that all belongs to Activision as does the actual "Ghost story" in this chapter.

"It was a different time, a different enemy. Sixty men, from Tier One teams, were sent to face down a force of five hundred enemy fighters. Their objective: to force the enemy back from a civilian hospital, and keep its occupants alive. For three days, they held their ground, but the enemy's numbers were too great. The sixty were cut down to fifteen. They wouldn't last another night, and the enemy knew it. Under the cover of darkness, they evacuated the hospital, sending only one of their own to lead the way. The rest returned to the line, and took up positions beneath the bodies of their fallen brothers. As they lay in wait, the blood from the dead poured over them. The sand stuck to their skin like a shroud. Changing them. Anointing them. When the enemy drew near, the remaining fourteen rose out of the desert sand. They were like hunters that couldn't be seen, using stealth their enemies couldn't defend against. When the men ran dry of ammunition, they used their blades...and when the blades ran dull, they used their hands. When the dust and sand had settled, only one of the enemy had survived. He was picked up in the desert, wandering aimlessly, traumatized. He expressed warnings to others of a force so menacing and unbeatable, it could only be described as supernatural. He called them...'Ghosts'."

I love that story. I swear it gets better every time he tells it and he's told it so many times I pretty much have it memorized by now. Still, even after all the times he's told it, I can't help but whisper 'Ghosts' along with him in hushed reverence. Other kids' superheroes wear spandex and capes. Mine wear cammies, blood and sand.

"And this really happened?" asks Hesh, his tone conveying his complete disbelief.

I scowl at that. Hesh used to love these stories just as much as I do. Since he turned 18 and joined up though he thinks he's too cool for them. What a dork.

"So the legend goes."

"Come on, Dad. You don't honestly believe that story is true?"

Stupid Hesh. Thinks he's so smart. Thinks he's too cool for Ghosts. Freaking goober.

"Yeah. I do. C'mon, let's head back to the house."

I just sigh and stretch but Hesh isn't moving to get up either.

"Let's go. Shake a leg."

Dad takes off and Hesh hops up. He gives me his hand and pulls me up to my feet.

"You're starting to get a little heavy there Char," he teases.

"You're just getting soft, jerk."

We run to catch up with Dad, slowing once we reach him. We hike in silence for a while before I break it.

"I think it's true."

"What are you talking about Char?" Hesh asks me and Dad just watches us out of the corner of his eye as we keep going.

"The Ghosts. They're real and when I grow up I'm going to join them."

Dad smiles but Hesh just laughs and shakes his head.

"Sure you are little sister."

"I am! And it's going to be a secret and you won't know anything about it. And whenever you say something stupid about the Ghosts not being real I'll just laugh 'cause I'll know you're wrong."

Dad gets a laugh out of that and shoots me an approving smile.

"You tell him Charlie."

I just smile back before he turns back around. Then I'm stumbling as the ground shakes below us.

"Woah, little tremor there," Hesh says, briefly grabbing my arm to keep me from falling on my face.

Dad let's out a short laugh and shakes his head.

"Those things used to freak the hell out of your mother."

Yeah, and I can see why. The ground shakes again but I'm able to keep my footing this time.

"Another one?" I ask, not quite able to keep the worry from my voice.

"We'll get a couple more of 'em before everything settles down," Dad says, his tone soothing.

"Wind's starting to pick up too," Hesh notices.

The ground shakes again, practically knocking me down. A tree falls across the path in front of us.

"Dad?"

Crap. Now Hesh is starting to worry too.

"Let's just get to the house. Make sure nothing got damaged."

Dad's trying to keep us calm but the soothing tone from earlier is missing. He's worried too. Dad and Hesh jump the tree easily. I'm a little surprised when I manage to vault it with ease too. We hurry up the hill and as the street comes into view there's chaos. Smoke's in the air, houses are burning. There's a mess of horns and screeching tires. I'm scared and I can tell Hesh is too when he speaks.

"Dad what's happening?!"

"ODIN! It's ODIN! To the house, kids! Now!"

Dad's scared too. From the tone of his voice you'd think the world was ending. Hell, looking around I think maybe it is.

"Careful!" Hesh warns as he pulls me out of the street.

I just miss getting mowed down by the truck that goes speeding by. Dad missed the entire thing.

"It's not an earthquake!"

"What are you talking about?!"

I'm glad Hesh is speaking for both of us because right now I don't think I could string a sentence together if my life depended on it.

"You two get to the house and stay there! I'm going for the truck!"

"But Dad!"

"Just do it, son!"

"C'mon, Charlie!"

Dad takes off one way while me and Hesh run up the hill to our backyard.

"What the hell is going on?!"

I really hope he doesn't expect me to answer him because I don't have a clue.

"This way, Charlie! Climb over! It's not safe out here!"

He hops over a ledge and I'm following right behind him until the earth rumbles below me again and I'm sent tumbling into the pool. Another rumble and a horrific crack sends me scrambling out onto the pool deck as the pool splits and begins to drain. I'm up and running after Hesh a second later, shoes squishing with water.

"Get inside!"

Hesh is already there. He grabs my hand and yanks me inside, slamming the door shut behind me as I slip and slide on the tile. We take a second to catch our breath and start walking through the house. Hesh is worried. He's running his hands through his hair, tugging at it like Dad does when something's bothering him.

"What the hell was Dad talking about?! What's ODIN?! Come on!"

I guess we're heading for the front door but another tremor stops us cold. Knocks me to the ground, dust and debris are falling all around us.

"Hesh..."

I really try not to let it but it comes out as a whine. Hesh ignores it and picks me up, setting me back on my feet before heading for the door again.

"This place isn't going to take much more of that. We're not gonna die here! Come on!"

He tries the door but it's stuck.

"It's jammed! Help me out!"

I don't move but Hesh doesn't yell at me. I'm terrified and even my goober brother knows it.

"Hesh, I'm scared."

He hurries over and looks down at me, rubbing my arms reassuringly as my sopping clothes drip on the floor and my hair sticks to my face.

"Hey, easy Char. It's okay, I won't let anything bad happen to you okay? You want to be a Ghost right?"

I just bite my lip and nod.

"Well you've got to practice. That's all this is. We're practicing to be Ghosts, okay Charlie?"

That makes me smile. I let out a laugh and nod again. Hesh hurries back to the door and I take the other side.

"Okay! Three, two, one, push!"

Apparently the door wasn't as stuck as we thought because we hit it and go flying out. We both manage to land on our feet. Soon as we touch the ground though we see a missile hit touchdown in the distance and I'm the first to speak.

"Holy crap!"

It hits and there's a rumble through the air as the shockwave sends us flying back and does all sorts of damage to everything else. We're both quick to get back to our feet though.

"Come on! Dad said he was going for the truck! We have to find him!"

Hesh takes off running and I'm sprinting after my brother as pavement cracks and falls and fissures spring up and try to swallow us whole. In the back of my mind I realize I should be freaking out but I push it aside. I don't have time to be scared, I'm too busy being a Ghost.

Hesh doesn't talk much other than to shout directions and encouragement as I follow along behind him.

"Get across! Quick! ... Keep running, we can get through this! ... Through that house!"

I'm quick following him up the stairs but I hesitate when we get there and the only way down is onto the roof of another house.

"We gotta jump!"

Hesh jumps onto the next roof, tugging me behind him. When we land though The roof gives out and we go crashing through it. I land, hard, and man does that hurt. Don't have time to think about it though because Hesh is pulling me to my feet and I'm running up the stairs behind him.

"Run upstairs, we have to get above ground! Just keep running! Look out!"

I look up and see a tanker flying through the air. Holy crap, we're gonna die. Hesh is pulling me down and back but the tanker hits and blows, sending us both crashing to the ground where everything goes dark.

"Charlie?!"

Hesh's voice makes me open my eyes but everything's fuzzy and man, do I hurt. Everywhere. My mouth feels full of ash and my lungs feel funny. I'm coughing when Hesh throws my arm around his shoulder and hauls me up while Dad's running to us. That's weird, where'd he come from?

"Hesh?! Charlie?! You alright?!"

He's yelling, I think, but he doesn't sound right. Then again neither does Hesh. Everything's ringing. I think I can hear my heartbeat in my ears. That's new.

"Dad?! We're okay!"

"Get in the truck, kids! Get her in the truck! Get her in now! We got to get out of here!"

Suddenly Dad's on my other side and he's helping Hesh lift me into the truck.

"You're gonna be alright, hun."

I'm pinned between the side of truck and my brother when Dad slams the tailgate. He climbs into the cab and takes off as I try to keep my head from bobbling around so much. God, if you keep me from puking all over myself I promise to be nicer to bobble-heads from now on.

"Hold on kids!"

Whatever you say Dad. I'm tired. Like really tired. I want to take a nap. Everything's fading in and out, Hesh is telling me to stay awake and I'm trying, really I am. In the distance I can make out the blur of the San Diego skyline. A missile strikes destroying the skyline of my home and a thought hits me hard as everything starts to fade to black. Nothing's ever going to be the same.