03rd November 2022, somewhere above the clouds
The loud humming of the rotor blades toned down any other sounds that could have been heard as the team sat quietly in the airborne vehicle, flying towards their new destination. With the chatter being nearly impossible, most of them opted to stay in their own heads, thinking about what had happened and what was about to happen, while one of them had dragged herself further away from the rest. Her back was turned towards them, as she happily slept away all the loud noises, leaving the rest to their own devices.
"Whit's on yer mind?" The Scotsman leaned forwards, towards the Sergeant, having noticed his furrowing brows and deepening wrinkles as he stared into the air, thinking intensely.
The man's eyes glanced at Soap before they shot towards her, a tired Ascii sleeping like a rock in the corner. Leaving a few seconds to pass, making sure she really was asleep, he turned towards the Sergeant who had asked him a question, a sigh escaping him while he did so.
"I was just in thought. How she handled the situation…" Gaz trailed off, the sound of the propeller blades filling in the rest. "She didn't even flinch..."
"Whit dae ye mean?" Soap questioned, uncertain if he was able to follow the man's line of thought. As far as he knew, Ascii dealt with the situation exceptionally well.
"If it were me, facing someone like that, someone who had that kinda past with me, I'd at least be shaken. But her? It's like she locked everything away. No hesitation, no doubt. She saw her friend and something clicked, the air changed, she shifted- I've never seen her like that before."
"Like whit? Whit exactly happened back then? Ye both were awfy vague when the Captain asked." The questions shot out of Soap, careful not to wake the sleeping companion yet simultaneously catching the attention of the masked men beside him, who straightened in his uncomfortable seat.
"As we waited in the hangar, I noticed her expression. It's a very specific one. Have you seen it before?" Gaz asked the Captain who sat beside him, earning a firm nod from him.
"I have. Not often, but I have once or twice." He added.
"Yeah, no different here, but when I do see it, I know something is up." He took a deep breath. "She warned me something was amiss, she couldn't pinpoint it, but she felt something was wrong. And I trust her gut blindly." He pointed out.
"A second later that prick surprised us, walking right in as if he owned the place. Mumbled something in German as he stepped aside, and just as I recognised the bloodied fella tumbling to the ground bellow his feet, so did Sinj. I stepped closer to her as fast as I could, but she was already miles away. Mentally. Couldn't read her mannerism at all. Let alone her expression. But I could see the gears in her head turn 'n shift."
"Whit happened then?" The Scotsman asked, sitting on the edge of his seat, his whole attention on his younger comrade.
"Well…" The man hesitated, uncertain how to describe what he had seen, what he had heard. "Toby tried to crawl towards her, begged her to let go, urged me to keep her away from Midas at all costs. I tried, but as she muttered in a code -they both shared- he quieted down straightaway. As if he had never asked me anything to begin with."
"What code?" The Lieutenant asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.
"A personal cipher between them. She explained it to me after I had asked her." Gaz saw Soaps baffled expression and snorted. "Believe me, I was as bewildered as you are right now. She not only got a code she shares with Laswell, but also one for Treebs. She's bloody darn smart."
"Sounds like we should also create one, eh L.T?" The Scotsman turned towards Ghost, several ideas already popping into his head.
"Probably not a bad idea." The Lieutenant mustered, crossing his arms over his chest in thought.
"Right, after she discreetly signalled for us to wait for her cue, she rid herself of her weapons and walked up right beside the twat. I was concerned what her idea was, she had no means to defend herself on her-"
"The blade. She had a wee blade when we rescued her." Soap intercepted excitedly.
"I noticed it when she let it slip out of her sleeve and into her hand." Gaz nodded. "Saw it glister in the light, and I knew it was time. As Alejandro and I shot the two Shadows standing to the side, she grabbed him from behind. His expression shifted in a second, from smug to petrified as she pulled him down and stabbed him right in the chest. Dude couldn't do anything about it, only stare at her as she pulled that thing back out, sealing his fate." He explained, recreating what she had done with his own hands to better explain what he had witnessed.
"Bloody hell... That's as cauld as Simon's hert. She did the job, nae hesitation. But ye cannae just turn it aff like that. It's gonnae catch up wi' her eventually." The Scotsman thought aloud, his respect for her only growing the more he mulled it over.
"That's what I am fearing…" Gaz admitted. With his eyes lingering on her, the rest followed his example, mustering their companion sleeping comfortably laid over several seats.
"She can handle herself." Ghost voiced, trusting in her wholeheartedly.
"She's blasted good at hiding emotions when she wants to, but no one walks away from this without scars. She'll eventually need someone to talk to." Price stated, having known her the longest, he knew that she would need to talk it out at some point. Although he also knew she despised doing it, lacking trustworthy friends, she won't be able to ignore it for too long.
"I fear she might shut down." Gaz admitted, having similar thoughts as the Captain. He too, had been her closest listener when she needed someone to vent to, as was she for him. But even then, talking and processing such a heavy topic, wasn't an easy feast at all.
"Whit makes ye think that? Has she no done it in the past?" Soap questioned, looking between them both.
"Once or twice. When she feels she is too human, she pulls away." Gaz explained, crossing his own arms over his chest.
"Nae one's ower human. Feelins' are common. Standard, aye." Soap stated, slightly upset by her lack of understanding.
"Tell her that." Gaz pointed towards her. "She's certain it's a weakness."
"Nae in this case." Soap deflected, his voice rising as did his pulse. "She jist-" He caught himself, quickly quieting down and eliminating the frustration that overcame him. "She just saved yer arses, wiped a massive bit o' work aff the earth's surface an' stayed calm whilst doin' it. Gie her some slack. If she pulls away, we'll pull her back. She's nae alone. Never wis, ah reckon. Sometimes ye need tae force folk intae their luck. Gently." He expressed, having put all his heart in that statement.
"We've all got our demons, lads. She's got her own way of dealing with it. What matters is making sure she has what she needs when the dust settles. And when she's ready, she'll let us in. But we keep moving. No one heals standing still." Price chimed in, ending the debate once and for all.
Having woken up a while ago, from the sharp pains that shot up my back and into my neck, I sat with my eyes glued to my phone, fingers gliding expertly over the dimly lit screen as I held a conversation with a certain someone- someone who had been sentenced to four weeks of nothing but boring bed rest.
22:47 Mr. Tree
You should have told me sooner how nice these beds here are!
22:47 Me
I thought they were just as any other…?
22:47 Mr. Tree
You thought wrong.
22:48 Me
Maybe it's just your old bones… Grandpa
22:48 Mr. Tree
Old bones? I'll show you what these old bones can do when we have another sparring session. You know you still owe me one, young punk. ;)
22:48 Me
These beds really are nice. You are right! I should have told you sooner. Definitely.
22:48 Mr. Tree
Also, nice food.
22:48 Me
Oh yeah, the dishes were fantastic!
22:48 Mr. Tree
Just as our future sparring match will be. Hope you've been practising. This 'grandpa' got some moves
22:49 Me
Can't I bribe you with something? Cookies? Donuts?
22:49 Mr. Tree
You may hand me some after our fight.
22:49 Me
Well, shit. Fine, fine. Which ones? Chocolate?
22:49 Mr. Tree
Whichever your little hands can grab.
22:50 Me
These 'little' hands really want to strangle you right now. Maybe I will ask Alejandro if he can do it for me… :D
22:51 Mr. Tree
I am dying and hurt over here!
22:51 Me
Your humour clearly didn't suffer at all!
22:51 Mr. Tree
No, but I did!
22:53 Me
Yeah. You did. I'm sorry.
22:53 Mr. Tree
Shhh, none of that. We talked about it. It is behind us. You are not at fault for somebody else's actions.
22:55 Me
You are right. I am not.
22:56 Mr. Tree
You saved me, actually. And I am damn glad you did. Thank you.
22:56 Me
Please don't thank me. It was expected of me. I expected it of me. You are my closest friend. I'd be damned if I just left you there.
22:56 Mr. Tree
Yet I will still thank you.
22:57 Me
You are welcome.
Glancing up at the metal roof above me, I lazily pushed myself off the chair, dragging my tired bones to the tiny restroom after I had excused myself from the rest of the team. Wanting to freshen up, I removed my mask and splashed cold water onto my warm skin, watching droplets form on my chin, I sank into thought. A minute passed before the unbroken stare made my eyes burn, forcing me to pull away. Reaching into my back pocket, I pulled out my phone and leaned against the sink.
23:13 Me
Treebs?
I kept his chat open, biting nervously at my lower lip and tugging at the chapped skin as I waited for him to answer.
23:14 Mr. Tree
Yes, little Leaf?
23:14 Me
You remember the talk we had in the bar?
23:15 Mr. Tree
I remember. What about it?
23:16 Me
I keep thinking about it. Mulling it over, what you said, what I had said…
I was struggling. The words weren't coming out the way I wanted them to. I kept overthinking every sentence, only to delete and rewrite it again. In the end, I chose the simple approach- just writing what was on my mind. No fancy words, no grand expressions, just raw emotion.
23:18 Me
I think you might have been right. Deep down I always knew… But I never wanted it to be the reality. My reality. I think I might really be capable of loving more than one.
The silence that followed, swallowed me whole. Minutes passed, agonising seconds ticked by and no answer came. Had he fallen asleep? Fallen off his bed? Dropped his phone into his coffee? Misplaced it? Furrowing my brows, I opened our chat. The last message I sent was not my confession. It was the sentence I had written before the revelation. But if he never got the message, where did it go?
Suddenly, a familiar sting of ultimate doom prickled my heart. I hadn't accidentally sent it to the wrong chat, had I? Swiping back to my list of conversations, the colour drained from my face at the one sitting at the very top. The group chat. The one I shared with none other than Task Force 1-4-1.
23:18 Dish soap
Ye awright, Sinja? Ye've been away an awfy lang time.
23:18 Ass(cii)
I think you might have been right. Deep down I always knew… But I never wanted it to be the reality. My reality. I think I might really be capable of loving more than one.
A hot flush ran up my neck. My fingers froze over the screen, eyes wide as I reread the message over and over.
How could I have messed up that badly?!
Panicking, I scrambled to delete the message. Alas, it was too late. Everyone had seen it. Simultaneously feeling scorching hot and freezing cold, I wished I could just throw my phone out of the window. Maybe even myself. Anything would be better than the situation I thrusted myself into.
The loud vibration of my phone startled me, the device lying where I had dropped it onto the steel vanity like a handful of hot coals. Grabbing it, I carefully unlocked the screen, mentally bracing myself for what was to come. I wasn't sure what I expected, but it certainly wasn't for any of them to message me privately. Let alone in a way that was kind. Forthcoming. Taking a deep breath, I read through each message, slowly, carefully.
23:19 Suds
Dinnae panic, hen. Ye're no the first tae accidentally send a message intae the wrang chat, and ye won't be the last. Aye, it could hae been me that did that! There's nae judgement here. Ye're safe wi' us, yer private matters are safe wi' us, even if ye never wanted tae share them tae staart wi'. Take a deep breath, Sinja. Ye're still the caraid we cherish most among us. A valued pairt o' oor team.
It was sweet, I could hear his voice in my head as I read his message, imagine his expressions as he tried to calm my racing heart.
23:19 Gasoline
You meant to send it to Treebs, haven't you? No harm done, Sinj. Could have happened to any of us. If you ever want to talk privately about it, you know I wouldn't mind sitting in a bar with you again. Speaking of which, we should do that again soon; it's been a bit too long since we did it last, I miss it… And if you need a wingman, I'm just the right man for you ;)
His humour made me crack a smile. How would he react if he knew I didn't want him as a wingman? That I wanted him instead? Them. Would he still crack his jokes? Would he look at me differently? Distance himself? Be disgusted?
23:19 Casper
Nobody's thinking any less of you. We're not like that. No shame in figuring yourself out.
23:23 Casper
If you need to talk, I'm a good listener.
Ghost's messages surprised me the most. It was unexpected, yet still hoped-for and most certainly appreciated. It touched me, knowing he supported me. Realizing he accepted me. It felt like a step into a different direction, a stride into more than just soldiers on their job… It seemed like he extended a warm hand towards me, towards a friendship between us.
23:19 Cpt. Crunch
Do not throw your phone out of the window. I know you, Sinja. Do not do it. Don't overthink it. If you want to talk about it, I am all ears. It's entirely up to you. But know this, nothing has changed. What you do in private, is none of my business or anyone else's. Hold your head high.
The Captain never disappoints. Always a balance between professional and a slightly personal touch. Of course he'd know best how I'd feel. How I'd wish I could get rid of this phone and be swallowed by the ground… Each message felt like a thread stitching me back together. Each response loosened the tension weighing me down. Slowly yet steadily, my heart calmed, and my mind cleared.
Finally gathering enough confidence, I stepped out of the lavatory and back on deck where my team was sat. Carefully glancing towards them, I was met with sweet smiles and soft nods, my chest warming up in response. Sitting down beside Gaz, he pressed his shoulder into mine. "You're alright." He expressed, his soft smile turning into a wide grin.
Sending him a small smile of my own, I felt the familiar vibration of a message in my pocket. Confused, I pulled it out and stared wide eyed at the message on the display.
23:37 Dish soap
D'ye think that means us? Here's tae hope
Glancing at him, our eyes met as he lifted his gaze from his phone. The smirk on his lips quickly evaporated when he saw my expression. Furrowing his brows, he looked at the rest of the team, who had also peeked into the group chat. The Sergeant beside me was the first to break, his laughter filling the space to the brim while Soap stayed completely puzzled. As the Lieutenant beside him also began shaking with mirth, his head snapped towards him.
"Whit's sae funny?" He barked.
"The message, mate. You posted it in the wrong chat." Ghost hollered, unable to keep his composure.
Soaps face flushed as Price pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head in disbelief, a tiny smile hidden beneath his hand.
"How dae ah delete that message?!" Soap shouted, his voice high from embarrassment.
"What's the point? Everyone's seen it?" Ghost called, causing the Sergeants face to turn a deep shade of red. He opened his mouth to yell back, but nothing came out. He looked like a fish gasping for air.
Pitying the poor man, I grabbed his phone out of his hands and deleted the message. "Here you go." I said, shoving the device back into his hands while my mind wandered. I wanted to yell it at the top of my lungs, that I did mean them, but I couldn't. I wasn't ready to compromise what we had, to ruin the friendships I had been maintaining and caring for years, bonds that bloomed despite the inhabitable environment. I had barely gotten a glimpse of Simons personality; I wasn't ready to throw that all out. Let alone the harmony between all of us. I couldn't imagine working alongside anyone else. I adored them.
"Someone's deep in thought. You considering it?" The Lieutenant teased, his eyes lingering as I struggled to deflect his obvious bait.
I couldn't deny it though, that would be a lie, and I don't lie. I couldn't exactly confirm it either, knowing what consequences it would bear if I did. What should I do? What should I do? What should I do? The quiet torment stretched on, and I felt my pulse quicken. Ghost's eyes narrowed as he regarded me while Soap lifted an eyebrow. I could barely breathe as the air thinned right in front of me, my heart crashing against my rigid ribcage, wanting to escape its enclosure.
I felt lightheaded.
A gentle jab to my side caused me to turn towards a visibly concerned Gaz. "You're awfully pale, you feelin' okay?" He asked, the crease between his eyebrows making him look even more charming as my internal struggle only worsened. I screwed up. They knew now. They knew I meant them, if not all of them, they most certainly assumed it was Johnny and Simon.
"I'm just dizzy-" I managed to push out from behind my teeth.
"Cut it out you two!" The Captain shouted at a whispering Soap and an intrigued Ghost.
What had they been mumbling about? Were they analysing me? Dissecting every move, every breath, every thought that reflected on my face?
"You need anything? Water? A chocolate bar?" Gaz asked me, sending the two other men a warning glance.
"No, no. I'll be fine. Thank you." I muttered, looking away. I couldn't bare seeing their expressions.
I was done for. My career. My present. My future. I could smell the order coming from a mile away. "Corporal Morrison, unfortunately, dating isn't allowed between the ranks, you should know best. Therefore, we are forced to move you to a different unit. Best of luck." It hurt. The thought alone pained me deeply.
I should have just lied...
But I am no liar.
I can't.
I won't warp what is in my heart.
04th November 2022 Chicago, USA
The loud rumbling of the speedboat's engine below my fingers, vibrated comfortably through my whole body, while the wind caressed my exposed skin as we rushed over the river's calm waters. Sitting quietly behind Gaz and amidst a few marines, I was staring into the air behind us. Looking at the three choppers flying above our heads, I heard Kate's voice in my ear.
"Watcher-One to Bravo-Six Actual. Perimeter is secure. We have a possible hit on the missile container. We're moving in now." She informed us, the Captain chirping in a second later.
"Solid copy. All Bravo, move to set. We're on." He hollered into the shared comms as we sailed up the Chicago river while the rest were sitting in the heloes above us.
"Zero-Five copies all. Bravo Six-Two is twenty seconds from the target building. Intel reports multiple AQ inside." The Sergeant in front of me called out, turning his attention to me, a hand on my knee.
"You're on my six. We'll push the building from bellow up to the fifty-fourth floor and see from there." He yelled over the deafening sound escaping the purring motor. Nodding, we set foot on dry land a few seconds later.
Hassan had been last seen in the Arch Industries Tower which was owned by a shell company of the Las Almas cartel. Its building was the tallest in the city, the highest floors overlooking the entirety of the Metropolis. While the local police were led to believe that they were after a container filled with weapons, we knew better. Our mission was to find Hassan and neutralize his threat. While Gaz and I would force entry from bellow, the rest of our team would strike from above, hopefully cornering Hassan before he can do any more harm.
Moving in formation into the building, we slowly made our way up the seemingly endless stairs, every turn gnawed at my consciousness, every step higher and higher up the skyscraper burned up my legs. As we reached the twenty-seventh floor, Price disclosed to us that Hassan was yet to be found. Sharing a glance with the Sergeant, we pushed onward, soon finding ourselves on floor thirty-six.
"Visual on the control room. All Stations, negative on Hassan. Control is a dry hole. Ghost, you got anything?" The Captain reported, prompting the Lieutenant to answer.
"A-firm. Possible visual. Forty-sixth floor." He called, being the only one of us that was stationed on a different building, overlooking ours with a sniper. He was the sole overwatch provider.
"Copy, we're moving." Price confirmed, our shared comms falling silent once more.
Wiping the sweat that trickled over my eyebrow, we continued our ascend to the higher floors, careful of every corner, cautious of every door. Nothing was left untouched nor unturned. Reaching the fortieth floor, Gaz decided to inform Price of our position. "All Bravo, Five is making entry on floor forty."
"Copy. We'll push him your way. Let's tighten the noose." I heard him, perceiving a slight bit of frustration oozing from his words. Fixing my loosening grip on my weapon, cursing the sweat that gathered under my gloves, I kept climbing up the stairs, turning a blind eye to the growing ache in my legs.
"All Bravo, be advised- Hassan is in the stairwell, he's moving down." Ghosts sudden report forced a shiver down my spine. As the Sergeant peeked into the hallway whose door he had just kicked open, I marginally leaned over the railing, aiming the weapon further up the stairs.
"Solid copy! Gaz- he's headed your way!" The Captain reaffirmed, just as I spotted the man and his lackeys rushing down the stairs.
"Contact." I yelled, every soldier around me turning towards the spot I had been observing. With a few signals and nods, we bolted up the stairs, pressuring the Al-Qatal goons to reconsider their initial plan, forcing them to seek shelter sooner rather than later. Driving them onto the forty-sixth floor, we pinned them down just as they pinned us, an exchange of bullets taking place.
"Gaz, sitrep?" Price barked, slightly out of breath.
"Zero-seven, target is cornered! Floor forty-six!" The Sergeant yelled back.
"Copy, we're moving to you!" Came a swift response.
Taking cover behind a table, Gaz right beside me, we fought off everyone that dared stand in our way, but soon it crystalized that our numbers were slowly diminishing while theirs seemingly remained unchanged. The marines around us slowly fell to their bullet fire, leaving us with only a handful of soldiers at our disposal. Where were Price and Soap?
"All stations, missile is hot! I say again, the missile is launching!" Kate's voice rang through my ears, prompting me to whip my head around, staring startled and with a sinking feeling in my stomach through the glass panelling overlooking the city's skyline. There it was, the missile bolting with rapid speed towards its preordained endpoint, only the thick plume of smoke staying in its wake.
"Bloody hell." A curse slipped past my lips as I heard yells from the side lines, an angry and devastated Captain striding into the room.
"Gaz- Where's Hassan?!" He shouted intensely; the agitation of his emotions worn openly on his sleeve. He was heated.
"End of the hall! Hassan's held up behind those doors!" The Sergeant beside me answered, signalling with a nod towards the heavily guarded doors at the other side of the room we were pinned down in.
"Let's clear this out and bag him, then!" Price declared loudly, his baritone voice reverberating over my body. With the added support from him and Soap, we managed to conquer the enemy, dropping them one by one until none were left.
"Where's Hassan?" Price repeated his question, his tone unchanged from a few minutes' prior.
"We got him cornered in this room." I stated, boldly stepping over several bodies littering the carpeted floor into the hallway. A faint hum of machinery echoed off the walls, several lifts lining the corridor spreading to my right, while my eyes fixated on the double doors looming over me. "Hassan's behind those doors."
"I'll snake a camera in there." Price called, sinking to his knees as he pulled a snake-camera out of his compact backpack, shoving it right under the door frame. With a memory flickering to life behind my eyes, I stepped aside. "Soap, get positive ID on Hassan. We need those controls." The Captain ordered.
"I'll get them." The Sergeant exclaimed and just as he shifted to lean down to Price's eye level, the doors burst open with a loud explosion, debris flying all around us, as we were thrown to the ground.
Disoriented, I fought to keep my eyes open, taking in the aftermath of the blast as I willed my body to pull me off the filthy ground. Reaching for the weapon that had been knocked out of my grasp, I realized Price and Soap were still on the ground, having taken most of the blast. Redirecting my attention, the rapid movements coming from the now open conference room, caught my attention. Recognising the man that stepped into the light in an instant, I leaped to my feet, gun held high as I shielded my team.
Yelling ensued around me, an Arabic language reaching my ringing ears as I fought against my hazy vision. Hitting one of his bodyguards, driving him to the ground, I detected Gaz in my peripheral vision. While I was providing cover, he had managed to grab Soap and yank him out of the dangerous area, hauling his collapsed body to safety. Just as I intended to do the same for the Captain, I watched in awe as he pushed himself off the ground, shooting the second assailant. The tiny smile that had formed on my lips, faded just as quickly, as I bared witness to a bullet hitting him straight in the shoulder. Sensing him collapse to the ground, grunts leaving his shut mouth, my heart roared.
Anger surging through me, its toxic tendrils blending with the growing fear of losing the ones closest to me, I jumped into action, compelling Gaz to back me up. Grabbing the firm material of Price's vest, I dragged him from the open hallway into the room Hassan had escaped from just moments prior. Grabbing his upper arm as I hauled him against the couch, I inspected the blood dripping from his wound and onto my glove.
"You broken?" I asked.
"I'm good. Go, you got this." He grunted, firmly grasping my hand that had been hovering over his injury.
Nodding, I turned away. "Soap, Gaz, on me!" I exclaimed, signalling for the two men to accompany me.
"We'll be taking the lift. Follow me." I exclaimed as I walked up to one of the open elevator shafts. Peeking my head through the initial entrance, I carefully stepped onto the cars ceiling. As the emergency alarms had been triggered, every elevator in the building had been shut off. Dropping to the second car a few feet below the first, I barely made contact with the metal structure when an RPG shot wheezed passed me, hitting the construction above my head. Falling to my knees from the blast, I heard the metal wiring snap as the lift pummelled a few meters downward, enough to lift me into the air and smack me against the lifts roof as the gravity pulled me down.
"Ascii!" Soap's voice rang through the tight shaft. Squirming in pain, I shakily pulled myself to my feet, fire licking my skin as I struggled to find my balance on the shaky cab.
"That car won't hold! Jump down, now!" Gaz yelled after me, urging me to pull myself together and jump into the next lift. It was a longer fall than before and one that landed me right onto the man we were after. Hitting him boot first, we both collapsed to the ground. Disoriented and with a hiss leaving my throat, I lifted my head, our eyes meeting momentarily before I broke the connection. Grabbing the missile control case sitting on the ground barely a foot from me, I watched in horror as Hassan picked up the weapon lying right beside him.
"Move, Corporal!" I heard Gaz's yell, as he fired at Hassan, forcing him to take cover while I bolted out of the elevator.
Rounding the corner, I crossed paths with two heavily guarded soldiers. Barely evading their menacing forms, I darted through an opening in the wall, reaching a bigger chamber with a few tables. Choosing the one in the furthest corner and the most covers messily thrown over its dusty surface, I crawled under it.
"Ascii, what's your status?" The comms came to life, Price's rich voice filling my ears.
"Construction floor. Controls secured. Lost my weapon." I whispered, clutching the coffer in my trembling hands as I stared wide eyed through some slits, monitoring the room.
"Copy. Stay outta sight. Passing comms to Watcher-One." He replied before a static sound momentarily filled the air.
"Sinja, the missile was launched, so you'll have to remote-detonate it." Kate's sudden speech briefly frightened me.
"Tell me what you need Kate-" I whispered, shifting my attention to the briefcase in my hands. "I've done my research."
"I'm counting on you. Now open the controls when you're ready." She instructed, her voice cool and collected.
"Done. The target is D.C. Coordinates: Thirty-eight, negative seventy-seven." I informed her, keeping tab on my surroundings as I did so.
"That's the Pentagon." She muttered.
"Yeah, he wants to hit where it hurts most." Price tuned in.
"Sinja, enable diagnostic mode. Hit CLR and MODE at the same time." Kate continued.
"I'm in." I said as a loud clicking noise confirmed the correct use of said buttons. Startled, I clutched the cool exterior of the case, straining my ears. Had anyone caught onto me? Stalling Kate's next step, I allowed myself to listen for a few more seconds before I gave her my go.
"Good. Next- override. I need to know what's in row two, column three." She directed.
Flying over the columns with my eyes, I found what she was looking for. "%. Echo. Sierra. Papa." I called quietly, keeping track of some faint voices in the distance.
"That did it. Now hit LEFT and CLR to initiate override."
"Override on." I whispered, shifting on my achy knees.
"Copy. Get safe. This next part will make some noise." She explained to my utmost discontent. Why couldn't these things have an implemented mute button?!
"One second." I expressed, glancing from bellow the tarp. Spotting a set of light beams vanish behind a corner, I listened closely, until the voices grew distant and, in the end, only silence prevailed. "Ready."
"Press LINK when it hits the fourth position." She stated.
Taking a deep breath, I pressed the button as the light switched to the fourth position. All five positions lit up a bright green colour, before a text appeared and several loud noises rang through the room, alerting the enemies of my position. Closing the lid in record speed, I barely managed to inform Laswell the missile was detonated when several steps closed in on me. Rushing from beneath the table, leaving the blasted device behind, yelling ensued as I ran in the opposite direction, building up much needed distance between them and I.
"Where's Hassan? You safe?" Kate's voice rang in my ears as my breath quickened.
"He's on my ass with his guard dogs. I'll have to cut the talk short, Kate. As much as I like your company, I've got a few men to take care of. Out here." I articulated, dashing through the construction site, desperately searching for a hiding spot as my heartbeat roared in my throat.
Reaching a section with a reception desk, I hid behind it, feverishly calming my beating heart and hectic breathing. I was at a massive disadvantage, and severely outnumbered. Peaking from behind the desk, I spotted a toolbox close by. I would have to be smart about it, put my knowledge to the test. A shitty test, I mustered in my head.
"Well done, Ascii. Found anything in the box you've been violating?" Ghost announced his presence, reminding me that he must be observing me from his spot on the opposite building. Turning my head towards the nearby window, I looked in his general direction.
"I'm glad my violence amuses you. Fun fact, it's my middle name. Actually." I answered as I pried open the bin I have been trying to unlatch.
"You don't have a middle name." He replied after a moment of silence.
He has done his research, I mumbled in my head. "No. But I do have a first name." I continued teasing softly, keeping my voice low as I surveyed my surroundings closely.
"So do I." Came an equally quick answer, surprising me.
Did he really want me to call him by his first name? Shaking my head, my fingers skimmed across the dusty surfaces, searching for anything that might be useful to me. I had to come up with a plan. I was against two men that were heavily armoured and accompanied by assault rifles they weren't shy of using, and a madman that was talking my ears of as he was searching for me. Preaching about his beliefs, playing god when there was no deity that should rule over us.
Quietly prying open another door and slipping into the room, I was met with a few shelves filled with cleaning supplies.
"Trying to make smoke bombs?" The Lieutenant suddenly asked.
"You're as observant as ever… Simon. Indeed, I am, although I was certain you can't see where I am, there are no windows here." I answered as I carefully pulled out drawers and opened cabinets.
"Saw the broom as you slipped into the room. Found any chemicals? Wax?"
"Some cleaning supplies, yea. 'N some tape." I replied as his subtle hum reached me.
"You got a knife?" He proceeded to ask after a while.
"Yeah, in my back pocket." I responded, my fingers gliding over the sheath on my back, making sure the knife really was where it should be.
"Good."
Leaving the room after I had made sure Hassan and the rest were nowhere to be seen, I crawled under another table, weighing my options. There weren't many. I had to think fast and act accordingly. Spotting a few glass shards not too far away from me, a plan began to blossom in my head.
"Is it similar to yesterday?" I questioned quietly as I evaluated my options and ran over all the possible outcomes.
"Pardon?"
"When you guided Johnny." I repeated in a low whisper. "He told me."
"Did he now-" I couldn't interpret his tone of voice. Was it agitation? Annoyance? Or rather disinterest? Indifference?
"Yeah. I had to know what happened after I had been…" My words faded into silence as the memory resurfaced. "He's grateful, you know? Not needing to go alone through that, having someone to back him up, even if it wasn't physically."
"Sounds like Johnny." Came his reply, successfully shutting down any attempt at a heart-to-heart.
Disappointed, I squeezed my eyes shut, a plan already devised. A risky plan.
"Thank you." I uttered with gratitude, preparing my heart and mind for what was to come.
"What for?"
"Keeping me company." I stated, not wanting to reveal any emotions that piled up in my throat, making it hard to breathe.
"I can't really mute you…"
I chuckled, a heavy laugh escaping my trembling lips. "You're a terrible liar, Simon."
Picking up the shards, I creeped from bellow the table. With the knife in one hand and the broken glass pieces in the other, I quietly approached one of the soldiers I had previously spotted. Throwing the sharp fragments at his feet, he took an alarmed step back and right into my arms. With his attention glued to the surface bellow his soles, I kicked the back of his leg, forcing him to his knees as my, now empty hand, slithered under his chin and put constant pressure on his airways. Plunging my knife deep into his neck, my fingers slipped from the rugged skin on his neck over his wide-open mouth, forcing it shut. As his strength wavered, I quietly lowered him to the ground.
Nicking his weapon, I was disappointed to see only a few bullets-
"Found you!" The second Al-Qatala soldier yelled, startling me. Breaking out in a run, fearing for my life, I shot around the corner, jumping over half build walls and sliding under obstacles whilst several bullets followed my every step, until two hit me and caused me to stumble to the ground. Sliding over the dirty floor, a pained groan escaped me as I felt a throbbing sensation spread over the areas the bullets hit me. Pressing my hand onto the wound on my arm, I cried out into my mask. It felt like a hot, sharp knife had cut me deeply, leaving behind an unwavering burn that stung me to my bone.
Regaining my footing, I forced my body to comply, drove my muscles to their absolute limit. I had to keep running, had to build the distance further between me and my attacker. I pushed through the pain every step caused me, kept going as warm blood seeped into my clothes, sticking it uncomfortably to my warming skin. Managing to haul my frame against a wall, shallow breaths left me as I searched for the missing soldier. I had to turn the tables on him.
"Talk to me Sinja." Ghost instructed out of the blue.
"One down…" I whispered with a hiss, before I took another calming deep breath. Edging forward, my gaze slipped around the barricade, surveying the area. Spotting the aggressor, I kept hidden, waiting patiently for the right moment. Watching with increase anticipation his light beam come closer, I readied my knife, which, in the corner of my eyes, I saw had still some left-over blood sticking onto it. Tuning it out, I braced myself for my next step.
As the man rounded the corner, I leaped out of the darkness, driving my heel into his knee, a sickening crack disturbing the air, until a bloodcurdling scream pierced my ears. Blocking the gruesome scene from my mind, I thrusted my knife into the man's throat as quickly as I could, breaking his bone-chilling wail. Yet, as his body limply hit the floor, so did I.
Hassan had been waiting in the shadows, besting me at my own game. The prey had finally fallen to the predator.
As my senses returned and I found myself still laying on the ground just beside the dead soldier, I watched in horror as Hassan stumbled toward me, a submachine gun clutched in his hands. My armoured plate had saved my life once, I doubted it would withstand a second time. And then I felt it, the dread creeping in, panic clawing at my feet, slithering up my legs, coiling tight around my chest until it swallowed my heart whole. It kept me frozen on the ground, my breaths turning ragged, my thoughts unravelling. I could only stare into the endless void of the barrel as he held me at gunpoint.
This was it. This was the end of the line.
Blood roared in my ears, my heartbeat hammering in my cranium. Holding my breath, paralyzed with terror, I braced for the shot, only to hear the empty click of the trigger. The weapon was dry. No matter how many times Hassan pulled it, no bullet came. Frustration twisted his face before he swung the gun down, the butt slamming into my skull, the world shattering into darkness.
A few hundred meters away, on the roof of a skyscraper, a man leaned against the parapet surrounding the flat area, his beloved sniper rifle perched up beside him. With the wind gnawing at his balaclava, he listened to his teammates broadcast, as he left his eyes to their own devices, slowly drinking in the city's skyline and glistering lights in the distance.
Ears suddenly perking up at the muffled strike, he listened closely. Had she left her broadcast unmuted?
"Ascii?" He called, the long silence beginning to undermine his resolve. Instantly frustrated with himself for using her callsign instead of her given name, he bit down on his tongue, irritation blooming in his chest. "Sinja!" He tried again, the stillness testing his determination and perception. Reading people was his speciality. He was bloody good at it, which is why he was certain something was amiss. This wasn't like her. She wouldn't leave him hanging like that. While she managed to surprise him enough times to catch him off-guard, this was different.
Unexpectedly hearing a heavy, scraping sound, his heartrate quickened. Racking his brain, he tried to remember what the sound reminded him of. He felt it, on the tip of his tongue. He knew that sound by heart…
His blood ran cold as he realised.
Grabbing his rifle, he hauled it off the wall, simultaneously pushing himself off the ground. He had to change his position. Gone was his order to survey the city and nearby skyscrapers for any suspicious movement, replaced by the urgency of finding his comrade.
He saw her just as the comms came back to life, the voice of none other than Hassan dirtying his ears.
"I told you your nation would see fire. You think you can stop me...?" The attacker hollered over her, a sharp anger tightened in Ghost's chest as he watched the man drag her by her feet towards the window. A sudden explosion momentarily obscured his view, the glass breaking into a million pieces as Hassan teared away the last barrier between them and certain death.
Grasping his plan, he pressed his lips into a thin line, hearing the hushed grunts leaving a bested Ascii as the man plucked her effortlessly off the ground.
"We are not attacking... We are invading." He stated, as he slowly yet steadily pushed Ascii closer and closer to her doom. She fought back nail and tooth, clawing at his arms and hands, pushing against him with all her might as he dragged her further and further.
Taking a deep breath, he zeroed in on Hassans head. "I'm here." He breathed out and the Corporal stilled, enabling him to expertly hit his mark.
Hassan hit the ground, Ascii following suit. Her ragged breath reached him, as she turned her head, her eyes going wide at the proximity between her and the abyss. Observing her quickly increase the distance between her and the window, he remembered her fear of heights. The memory of her wide-open eyes from back then, plagued him. The olive-green colour hugging her black pupils closely, while the turquoise occupied what was left of her iris. Did she know her eyes were mesmerising when they were focused on him?
"Nice shot." She uttered, pulling him out of his thoughts, her breath loud and shallow until the comms fell silent once more.
Catching her again in his scope, he watched as she pummelled to the ground. Looking her over, worry etched into his handsome face beneath the mask. He noticed then, the blood that clung to her crumbled body, coating her gear in a dark residue. She must have been hit.
"Sinja. What's your status." He demanded to know.
"Yellow." Came a weak answer, momentarily confusing him before Laswell dialled in, having been listening to the conversation.
"John. She needs medical attention. Now." She asserted sternly over the shared comms.
"Shit. Sinja, talk to me. You broken?" The Captain asked as Ghost held his breath, taking note of Ascii's trembling fingers pressing down on the communication device around her throat before her answer came though.
"I meant you, dumbasses." Her laugh was thin, breaking apart at the edges. "All of you." A sharp inhale. "Oh wow, I can see sounds. That's new." A pause. "Still standing, sir. Well, technically lying." And then, the comms went dead.
Ghost could only watch from afar, the feeling of helplessness, of not being able to do anything again, clouded his judgement. He could only hold her in his gaze as the medics finally arrived and until she was hauled off the ground and out of his line of sight. Only then, as she was gone, he realized he had been holding onto his sniper rifle a bit too harshly, his fingers tingling from the strain he put on them. Straightening his back, he noticed he had been glued to the gravely floor as his thoughts paced endlessly in his head, stamping a circle on the inside of his skull.
She was speaking nonsense, she must have. Blood loss perhaps? High on adrenaline? Maybe both. Certainly both. Ghost was no stranger to these situations, having found himself in these same circumstances one too many times. He knew what fear could do, knew how different everyone coped with a near death experience, yet he couldn't stop his concern disguised as mere curiosity to plaque his mind...
"How is she?" He asked, feeling the night's cold bite through his clothing for the first time this evening.
"Shot in her leg an' arm. She'll pull through." Soap answered. "Did ye catch whit she said?" He asked after a heartbeat passed.
Of course he had. It had been the sole subject in the thick skull of his for the past minutes. He didn't know what to make of it. Had she really meant what she said? Was she into all of them? The mere thought made him snort in bewilderment. Yet, he couldn't help himself but be nosy… Since when? How? Why? However, even that quickly morphed into disbelief. One fourth of them was unlovable, the rest were broken men, one way or another. There was nothing to love there. They were flawed, one way or another. She knew better than to cross that line. Didn't she?
And suddenly he understood her dilemma. He grasped her panic in the helo when he cracked the obvious joke. She was contemplating between lying and telling the truth, knowing very well that both would bring their own consequences…
If she really meant what she said, they were in for an interesting ride, and he was, surprisingly, all in for it.
"Heard it loud 'n clear."
Notes will be a bit longer this time. You can skip them if you want to ;)
Thank you everyone who joined in on this journey. It was and still is my greatest pleasure to be able to write in my favourite franchise. So much, that I had to buy a new keyboard... It has been two years now, since I started this 'small' project, not really expecting much from it, yet being blasted away from the enormous amount of support and love. Thank you everyone who had joined me on this ride, and welcome to the next big chapter of this adventure! With MW2 now finished, we are looking to slowly but surely lean into the happenings of MW3. I can't wait to dive into it! Also, I've been playing with the idea of writing my own book, an actual book... If me as a teeny rebellious child could see me now, she'd think I've lost my marbles for even considering writing at all. I used to detest both, reading and writing... That being said, you guys keep on rocking! Love you all, Sinj
P.S.: They know, finally! She bloody opened her mouth and told 'em! My god gurl, took you long enough you dumbass... What a happy accident that wrongfully sent message was. Definitely not inspired by my own mishaps.. No, no...