Hey everyone! New chapter up! Yeah, I'm on a roll. Just don't expect many chapters this coming week. Though school has JUST started, I already have tons of homework. I know, right? Not fair.

(Looks at Ghost) Ghostie, could you and the boys handle my homework for me? (puppy-dog pout)

Ghost: (sighs) Of course. (motions to Task Force 141) C'mon, let's start reading Chapter 1 of her Biology book for her...

YAY! THANX GHOSTIE!

lol anyway, I have a bit of info for you guys! You'll notice that during Mckinley/Queen's message after Ghost's, she asks multiple questions, not really addressing anyone in particular. I thought that maybe YOU guys could reply to her. Y'know, answer the questions she asks. I think it'd be really cool, and I may have a little bit of info to give out to the people who DO respond to her... (HINT HINT HINT)

Scented Of Roses: You asked two questions that I thought I should answer on the disclaimer. One: you wondered "Wait, where the hell is Roach?" Answer: I sorta kicked him outta the story (sorry Roach fangirls... don't hate me...) to put Mckinley in his place. The reason? Because frankly, I have NO IDEA how he talks, what he looks like... etc. I didn't really want to keep a character that I could just easily replace. :'( Sorry everyone. I do love Roach, don't get me wrong. But this is Mckinley's shining moment.

Question Two was: "How did Mckinley get her callsign?" Well if you look up above at the HINT HINT HINT, you'll notice that I said I might have a bit of info to disclose... about a sequel, perhaps? (cough cough cough) And I PROMISE you will eventually learn the story. I PROMISE. :D

Okay, that's a wrap! Please read and review! I LOVE REVIEWS ^_^

ecto1B

Chapter 9:

One

Lt. Ghost

Ever since we escaped the favela, I'd been having curiously vivid daydreams. Nothing like the usual assortment of hallucinations that came to me during a mission. No, these were exceptionally terrifying… and they were slowly sucking the life out of me one day at a time. The first one came as we were taking off in Nikolai's Pave Low, with Queen coughing up blood and our prospects falling on us like acid rain. In Queen's bloodshot eyes, I saw my mum—my dead mum, that is. I saw her anguish and pain, and I heard her speak to me.

"Simon…" my mum had murmured. Her voice was much unlike what I'd remembered. No longer was it comforting, warm and affectionate, striving to outlive all the abuse she'd encountered with my alcoholic father. Now her voice was wretched and gloomy, pinged with distrust and desolation. "You let me be slaughtered. You didn't do anything to save me. It's all your fault, Simon."

I'd felt my throat constricting and my skin become hot with agony. My mum had once been a very beautiful woman, but now her skin was white and her eyes were bloodied and sore. Seeing her looking like that had been absolute hell.

In the background, I saw Chemo tending to Queen and injecting a painkiller into her arm. Her lips moved and formed words, but though I strained to hear her, I could not. My mum's voice was the loudest sound in my head.

"Your brother, Simon. Your very own brother. He's dead because of you. Poor Thomas… he had a family, unlike you. And you let all of us be murdered. Thomas… his wife, Beth… even their five-year old son, Joseph. They're all dead because you didn't try."

I tried not to shed a single tear, for I had enough sense to realize that Queen, MacTavish and the others were still there with me. They couldn't see my mum, and they'd wonder why I was crying. But I was so disturbed… so tortured by listening to my mum tell me I was at fault. My eyes began watering, and I rested my elbows on my knees to muffle the sounds of my faint sobs. Behind my mask, no one could tell I was in pain. That's why I wore it.

Then, I managed to glance up at Queen. Her black eyeliner was smeared from the tears she'd shed while running to the chopper. Her dark red hair was wild and tangled. But yet, I saw a piece of celestial innocence behind her grey eyes. Someone that could possibly assure me things were going to be okay. Someone who could convince me that these hallucinations were fake; that my mum would never say such a thing to me. Suddenly I was certain of those facts. I could turn to her for help.

Almost as if she'd read my mind, the ghost of my mum glanced over at Queen, observing what I called angelic. A chalky simper appeared on my mum's pallid, dry lips, and she faced me once more.

"If that woman learns to trust you, Simon, surely she will die," my mum told me. My heart thrashed against my ribcage in objection. "You won't be able to protect her like Thomas tried to protect Beth." My mum shook her head. "You cannot have a life with that woman, Simon. You'd have no life with that woman… no home, no children, because you aren't real." Her breath became icy as she leaned towards me. I choked back another sob as she added, "You're merely a ghost."

Mckinley Front

I couldn't believe it when I found it as we rested the night we'd escaped the favela. My iPod Touch. It'd been in one of the smaller pockets in my waist pouch all this time, and I'd never realized it. How the hell did it wind up in my pocket? I don't recall having it when I was transported into Modern Warfare 2… Aw, what the hell. I had my iPod, and I wasn't complaining.

I'm a big rock 'n' roll fan, actually, so I spent most of that night playing songs for the fellas. MacTavish loved listening to The Who, Chemo preferred Green Day, and Ghost claimed he enjoyed them all. Frankly, I don't think he did. He kept to himself that entire night, but became his regular self in the morning. Anyone know what his problem is?

Anyway, I thought I might've scared/insulted Ghost when I blasted "One" by Metallica. The lyrics seemed to have gotten under his skin…

Oh, and when I randomly played "Second Chance" by Shinedown, I swear I saw him shiver and turn away.

Did I do something wrong?