-CHAPTER 3: Catching Up-

"Umm...that sort of looks like a...uhh...eagle."

Hudson was preforming another one of his tests to see if my psychological self is up to his standards. I laid down on a table that was shaped for humans while I looked at a screen with a bunch of blurry pictures. He and Mason both sat in a room with a window peering into the room that I was currently in. Hudson flipped a switch and on came another image.

"Uhh...looks like...a Tsunami - Is it suppose to be this blurry? I can barely make out shapes on this god-damned thing."

"Yes," Hudson replied over the intercom, "we want your brain to work hard to decipher the images."

"Don't sweat it, Woods," Mason also voiced over his microphone, "you're doing fine."

I eased my muscles a bit thanks to my partner's soothing voice as the test continued. "I-I think that looks...like a tree."

Afterwards, Hudson told me to go to my pre-designated quarters to get some rest, as I was cleared for duty and my first mission (in thirty years) started tomorrow. As soon as I got there, I stripped down to my filthy boxers and practically flew under the covers of the bed that was on the right side of the entrance. I got settled in and I looked around while pulling the thick fabric up to my bearded chin.

The room was relatively large. It looked like a room fit for around three to four people. I looked past my covered feet to see a desk with a green desk lamp, a couple of writing instruments in a small pen holder, with a book open on the top and what looks like a computer screen at the back right corner of it.

I always hated that techno garbage. I could never get how to use it properly back in the 60s let alone now when they appeared to be a little bit more technologically advanced. 'Maybe I'll try and learn about it later,' I thought. To the right side of the desk there is a bookcase completely stuffed with neatly organized books. It partially blocked a window that was situated over the desk and it was filled with the calm, dark sky with precious, winking stars littering it just enough to be beautiful.

To the left of the desk were two closed doors: probably the bathroom and a small closet. To the left of those was...another bed, all nice and neatly made. I wondered if I was sharing a room with anyone, and if that was true, who would it be. I just shrugged the thought off and I tried to sleep...

...but I couldn't.

My body refused to slip into subconsciousness. Probably an effect for the nightmare that I previously had on the train. Ten more minutes had passed and I couldn't sleep, then I heard the door being unlocked and a figure slowly and quietly stepped inside. I closed my eyes but left them open slightly to see who it was and to also appear that I was sleeping. He (I could tell by his strong build that he was, in fact, not a woman) looked towards my direction, then quietly closed the door behind him.

He moved towards my bed and crouched down to my level and just looked at me quietly. I closed my eyes completely and waited for him to move away. Around a minute later, I heard him stand up fully and made his way towards the desk and turned on the lamp to a low setting, which I guess wouldn't let the light seep though my eyelids while I was "sleeping".

I opened my lids once again just a bit and observed the figure. He took of his suit jacket and placed it on the chair and sat in it quietly. I saw the side of his face as he was placing a pair of reading glasses on his face and I realized that it was Mason. He picked up the book that was previously on the desk and was about to read it when I spoke up.

"Catching up on some reading?"

He gasped slightly and looked towards my direction at once.

"Oh!...uhhh...yeah, I guess you can say that." he replied, taking his glasses off. "Did I wake you? Is the light too bright?"

"No. Not at all. I just can't sleep."

"Awww...would you like me to read a bedtime story to you?"

I sat up, exposing my bare chest while pinching the bridge of my nose.

"Funny. Got anymore jokes?"

"Hmmm...not at the moment, but I will get back to you on that."

I can tell that he's changed. This was not the Mason that I've had countless missions with. He's way wittier now than the one I knew before. He left the book open on the desk as he got up. When he was right beside my bed, he sat down on the said object so we were literally an inch away from grazing arms.

"How has these years treated you, Mason?" I asked quietly, while staring into his cerulean-colored eyes.

He moved his head side-to-side before he spoke. "Well starting off at '72, we lost the war-"

"Probably due to my absence." I interjected.

Mason chuckled. "Yeah. Okay. Anyway, after that, we went through a lot of culture changes, style changes, et cetera. There hasn't been any major wars like the World Wars or 'Nam, but there are still unstable countries that the United States is trying to neutralize into a safer place for their ...that's basically it for now."

I felt his hand slowly move towards my back and he patted it two times and rested his hand on my right arm and he hugged me close. His body and hand were welcoming, warm, and comforting. It felt good to be with someone I trust so dearly again.

"To be honest, Frank, I really missed you."

His remark caught my off guard and I looked towards his direction with a confused expression as he smiled back.

"Excuse me?"

"You were, and still are the only person that truly gets me. You are still my best friend after all these years."

I was slightly flattered at his words. It felt very good. "Why are you saying this to me all of a sudden?"

I moved to the right to let some space for him to lie down as I sensed that a long story was about to be told, given his age. He kicked off his shoes and lied down on the bed beside me as I listened intently.

"When I finally killed Dragovich, thanks to the help from Hudson of course, I just...shut down for a couple of months. I felt lonely, exhausted and depressed. Even though by that time, you "died" 4 years ago, I still felt as if I was the one to blame for your death. As if I was the one who forced your decision to jump out the window with Kravchenko.

"All this time my mind was filled with self-hatred that was, to an extent, almost wanted to kill myself, despite all of my friends and colleagues supporting me though my small missions and work afterwards. It was noting compared to 'Nam, but it was very taxing work.

"Fast forward twenty years and when I heard from Hudson that you were actually alive, I don't want to sound cheesy, but my heart soared I was so happy. As he probably told you, I literally sprinted towards the main computing console to try and hack into the R.F.I.A. systems to get you outta there.

"He stopped me because I didn't exactly know what I was doing and he got you outta there."

I smiled. "What's your rank now?"

"Commander" Mason smirked.

I felt my eyebrows raise with surprise and I hit the middle of his chest lightly with the back of my hand. "Good job, buddy! Took you long enough!"

Mason sarcastically laughed. "Which reminds me, I'm promoting you to Major."

My eyes widened at these words. "W-what? Really?"

I was awestruck at the suddenness of the promotion, and he threw a light, playful punch at my right pec. "Yeah. Of course, you stud! Trust me, every promotion helps."

"No shit."

His eyes narrowed. "If you behave, you might make it to General."

"Just remember that I used to order you around, you bastard."

Mason chuckled. "Hey. Don't talk to your superiors that way."

I smiled as he lifted himself off of my bed and walked towards the desk, turning off the light. He then went to the side of his bed and started to undress to go to sleep himself. When he took off his dress shirt, I saw that for sixty-five years old, he was in very good shape. His chest and arms were toned and muscular while his abdomen was vividly defined with a six-pack, but since I'm 28 years younger than him, I'm obviously more defined than him. He was also hairy, but that isn't too important.

He stripped down to his own boxers as he slowly slipped under his warm fabric.

"Good night, Frank." I heard him say.

My first name. It was surreal in a way as he never said my first name before his confession that he missed me a bit earlier that night. I returned the feeling.

"Good night, Alex."

I heard him let out a long sigh as he slowly slipped into the land of dreaming, and somehow, I felt sleepy all of a sudden. Maybe I should talk to him a bit more often...

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Just in case you were wondering, this is not a Yaoi. (Unlike my usual work) This is strictly an actual COD story. I'm pretty sure that they wouldn't sell a game with sex in it. :|

And again, Please Rate, Review and Favorite. :)