"Sorry it's over…"
Day: 223
Gary "Roach" Sanderson
Task Force 141
Unknown
"Sorry it's over…"
Day: 223
Gary "Roach" Sanderson
Task Force 141
Unknown
The metallic smell of blood came into my brain and the smell did little to comfort my already panicked heart. It was cold outside as we stepped through the trees, feeling the snow crunch bellow our boots. I felt the icy wind hit my face, and I found myself pulling my white balaclava over my face trying to find some kind of warmth. Our uniforms were thick, but nothing could possibly be prepared for Russian frost.
I glanced over at Ghost, who had remained quiet for some time. He was dressed in white, but his mask and sunglasses gave away his position. He seemed to be glancing away from me, but I had my suspicions about it. He held is rifle at attention as he followed behind the rest of our group.
Scarecrow, and Zach had joined us again, but neither of them seemed a joking or as playful as they had been months ago. Archer stood next to Zach, looking once again bored. He stood slightly ahead of Zach as if trying to protect him from anything that came his way. A few others had come along as well, like Meat who seemed relatively passive compared to his usual aggressive behavior.
I kept glancing at Ghost, who kept looking further away as if to keep from getting caught. I saw his eyes flicker to me every once in a while, and I knew then he wasn't telling me something.
I heard a click, and before I could even turn to process what was happening Ghost tackled me. "Hit the deck!" He yelled as the flashbang went off.
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I woke up set up against a tree. My body shivered as the snow soaked my clothes. I began trying to remember what I read about hypothermia, but nothing came to mind as my head rang. I felt a sharp ache in my head from where I hit the ground, but other than that I seemed okay. I wondered how I got here, but I quickly put my money on Ghost dragging me over here for safety. I flipped my com on hearing only static.
With a sigh I heaved myself up, and felt a sharp tingle in my legs. I felt my head spin and I used the tree behind me to support myself. I would have to find my team and the best way to do that was to find evac.
I heard a snap and turned my head slowly to see a tango coming out of the woods. He was dressed in white gear that easily blended in with the snow. He was armed with a knife and his side arm. His helmet had been lost in his trek through the woods to reveal his dark hair and olive colored eyes. He scanned his eyes over me, and aimed down his site to shoot.
I closed my eyes thinking for certain that I was dead was sure. There was a loud gunshot erupted through the air, and when I felt nothing hit me I opened my eyes to see the man dead on the ground, and a strange woman standing his place.
She smiled wickedly at the man that laid before her, and I wasn't sure who she was or wear she came from. She'd saved me, but that didn't mean she was a friend. She looked out of place in a war zone, seeming almost angelic with her blond hair and shiny blue eyes. She looked haunted as if she'd seen things that would kill a normal man, and maybe she had. She turned to face me fully, and I noticed now that the girl had a long jagged scar across her face. It started from her left eye and trailed down over her lip and to her jaw line.
"Eh?" She said as if noticing me for the first time. "What are you? A bug?" She asked and I could make out the sound of a Russian accent peeking though.
I didn't say anything for a long moment, not really sure if she was a friend of foe. Eventually a came up with "T-thank you?"
She had the advantage with her gun, while mine stayed rested in the snow a few feet away. I felt the mood shift dramatically as she began to laugh, and she quickly glanced over my uniform, bringing her eyes to my task force insignia.
Her lips came up in a rather cruel smile, and I resisted the urge to shiver as it chilled my bones. "You, thanking me? Whatever for?" I opened my mouth to give her an answer, but she pulled her gun on me. "You are all in my way, Makarov won't like that." She shrugged as if taking my life was just another part of her day.
"Grab her!" MacTavish's voice echoed rather loudly as he nudged me out of the away.
The girl glared at him, but it was quickly replaced with a smile. "John, you were not supposed to find me yet. You are not very good at games."
MacTavish glared at her rather annoyed with the girl's nonchalant attitude. "Enough of your games. You are coming with us Sarah Kazkov. You've got the blood of over half my platoon on your hands."
Sarah raised a thin brow at him stretching her scare a little as she did so. Her smile stayed in place as she cocked her gun. "I've got more than your mens blood on my hands, Captain." She purred at him and he simply returned with a sharp glare, which caused her to sigh. "So this is the thanks I get for sparing the little rodent I found? You know the saying finders keepers? He is technically mine now." She said talking a step behind her, her gun still raised.
Scarecrow, who was normally carefree took a step forward. "Don't move bitch. We are taking you in."
Ghost made his way over to me rather timidly, and helped me stand. I felt my head spin again, and I fell forward slightly. He steady me quickly and handed me my rifle. His glasses must have been lost along the way as his grey eyes showed every emotion he was feeling right now. "You okay, Gary?" He whispered to me as he glanced over at Sarah every few seconds.
"I'm okay. I just woke up…" I explained pulling the strap of my rifle tighter around my shoulder.
He nodded, and glanced over at the rest of the team before leaning in rather close. "You had me worried for a little bit bug. I needed you to be okay." He whispered so only I could hear, and I was glad my mask hid my face. I was suddenly feeling warm.
"You need me?" I said a little shocked, and I watched him smile a little from under his mask.
"More than the universe, bug." He said turning his attention too MacTavish, who continued to bicker back and forth with Sarah.
"John. What a lonely life you have, ne?" She taunted pointing her gun up to a tree. "Here you are following me around when the other half of your men are probably bleeding out as we speak." She grinned at him and pulled her gun to his on her shoulder. "Do you like me that much?"
MacTavish went red with fury, and his eyes narrowed into thin saucers. "I'm going to give you five seconds to shut your mouth, before I put a bullet in that pretty little face of yours."
"Oh John!" She cried sounding more like a sexy moan then anguish. "I do love it when you talk dirty to me, but I'm afraid our fun has to end. My boss is a very pushy man, and if I fail him. Well… I'll have another pretty scar to add to the one you gave me."
MacTavish ignored her giving Toad the signal to cuff her, but as Toad approached her she smiled. "If you touch me you'll never find your men alive."
Sasha smiled as Toad stopped turning back to MacTavish slowly. "Sir?"
MacTavish let out an inhuman grown, and readjusted his rifle to aim at her directly. "Where are they?"
Sarah laughed at him as she darted a hand out to capture Toad in her grasp. He struggled for a moment, but froze when she put her gun to his head. "You are wasting time MacTavish. You know I'm not telling you a thing, until I have your word that I'll be left alone."
MacTavish glared at her but lowered his rifle a bit. "That's not going to happen."
She sighed but her eyes were filled with amusement. "Very well. You made me do this." She said before pulling the gun off of Toad and shooting Archer in the leg.
Zach let out a panicked cry and darted over to him. "Isaac!"
She shoved Toad away from her and he stumbled to MacTavish who caught him with ease. She pulled a flash bang from behind her and smiled at us. "See ya around John." She tossed it down, disappearing in the flash.
"Damnit." MacTavish growled as he recovered. He slammed his hand into a tree as Sarah's laughter echoed through the woods.
"There is still time John. I left them there at the factory." Her voice echoed before falling silent.
MacTavish leaned against the tree and I heard the sound of dog tags clink in his pocket. So many small dings rang, and I felt my stomach clench as I turned to Ghost. "Where is Wings?"
Ghost opened his mouth to answer, but no words came out. He just looked at me, hopelessness filled his eyes. He turned away from me. "We haven't seen them."
My fingers twitched, and my heart dropped. I couldn't hear sound anymore, but Ghost's mouth moved. I turned from him with Sarah's last words in my mind, and I ran.
"Roach! Sanderson, stop!" MacTavish yelled, but it fell on deaf ears as I darted through the trees.
MacTavish growled as he began barking orders at everyone. I could hear him through the com-link now. "I'll have him court marshaled for this, Riley."
Ghost replayed rather coolly and as if MacTavish knew he was right he growled. "You won't."
I heard MacTavish give the order to move out, having two men carry Archer. I didn't really care. I had to find Wings.
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I stopped right outside the base, holding my gun ready. I was breathing heavy, but I did my best to hold my sight straight. The ground laid littered with bodies, but as I looked closer they weren't just bodies. They were friends.
Crain laid closest to me, his pale face had deep gashes in it as if someone had tried to cut into his head. He blood smeared around him, and I noticed his dog tags were in his hand as if he'd been forced to rip them off.
A few feet away laid Trojan, who was faced down, but I could see the blood that formed around him in a puddle. On his left hand his fingers had been removed and scattered around him. He was only the second to many, which were killed. Each man having gone through their own personal hell.
"Ryan…" I said barely above a whisper as I tried to catch my breath. "Ryan." I said feeling tears building up. "Ryan… are you there?"
"Gary…" I heard a small voice to my left and I darted over without hesitation.
He laid on his stomach as he dragged himself over to where he now sat. He reached out to me falling short. I threw my gun to the side as pulled him into my arms. He was covered in blood, and I found rather quickly that it was his. A knife lodged deep in his side. A trail of blood followed him, showing that he had dragged himself over to this spot. He was covered in blood, but he still smiled. He gave a smile that showed how tired he was. He coughed rather rough, and I watched as blood trickled down the side of his mouth.
"Ryan…" I said pulling him closer. "Ryan, you are going to be okay. Don't leave me. I-I love you."
"Gary… I'm so sorry. I love you…" He said and he squeezed my arm as if he was afraid, and then he went still.
"Ryan…" I said shaking him. "Ryan!" I screamed holding him close to me, letting my tears fall. "Ryan, don't leave me. I need you… I… Ryan!"
I think time froze in that moment. I pulled the knife from his hip and laid him down to rest. He looked peaceful, but the blood on his face gave away what looked like sleep. I pulled off my mask and used it to wipe his face clean.
I couldn't fathom anything, so I rested next to Wings. I waited for a long time. I kept thinking that this was going to be one of his jokes, and that he'd open his eyes any minute, and tell me he was fine. He didn't. Ryan didn't open his eyes, he didn't laugh. He just died.
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I felt a tear fall down my face, but I quickly wiped it away before Dr. Reed could notice. I went to pull another cigarette from my carton, but quickly tossed it back in my pocket.
It stayed quiet between us for a very long moment, before Dr. Reed finally asked. "Are you okay?"
I nodded and collected myself before I finally said. "Do you know the moment in life where you feel happy? You are so happy that every bad dream you ever had, gets better. Where you feel so close to someone, and that bond is just ripped from you. The warmth you had was taken, and all that is left is the memory. A simple memory which will one day seem like a far off dream… My happiness shattered so easily, and it was all Makarov." I said, gritting my teeth at the thought of the Russian man. "One day he is going to have something that is so important to him, and I hope something takes it away from him. He doesn't deserve anything good. He deserves to be alone…"
Dr. Reed didn't say anything at first, but after a moment she replied with. "How did you get back?"
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"Roach…" Ghost said shaking me a little, but I didn't respond to him. I stayed still as they bagged up his body. "Gary… are you okay?"
Ghost put his hands on my shoulders and shook me a little, but nothing happened. I just blinked at him unable to form any words.
Zach came over, after insuring that Archer was safe. He pulled out his flashlight and shined it in my eyes. "He's in shock." He said after a moment, and he put away the flashlight. "We need to get him out of here. He needs rest."
I sighed and for a long moment they just watched me as if waiting for me to speak. I said nothing, and Ghost pulled me to him. He tossed my arm over his shoulder and let me lean against him as he pulled me along.
Ghost nodded. "Everything is going to be fine, Gary. I've got you… You are going to be okay."
He kept telling me things like this. That I was okay, and that he was going to make it better. I didn't know how he could make my heart stop breaking. I didn't know how he planned on making my stomach stop aching or how I was he was going to make the world seem alright. I didn't know, but I let him tell me these things.
The ride back home was one of the most silent that I'd ever been on. It felt like hours, and yet the entire way back, Ghost sat beside me. He made the trip bearable, and gave me some sort of comfort. MacTavish tried to make arrangements for families to be called. I couldn't bare it. I sat down, but no tears came. Everything just ached and felt unbearable real.
Ghost came over to me, giving me a comforting hug. It was nice, and I wanted to thank him.
But it wasn't Ryan. All I wanted was Ryan.
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I had a really hard time writing this chapter, and at one point I cried because I attached myself to Wings. But here it is, after a super long wait. I'm really sorry about that! I hope you enjoyed. Have a lovely Day/Evening/Night.