Chapter Text
“You know our mission, in and out, no hero’s, just make it out alive. Everyone fall out.”
Price has a way with words when it comes to motivating his comrades in arms, Task Force 141. The mission was simple, recon and any information that can be collected to help on future missions. They were closing in on Vladimir Makarov, but more information meant less likelihood of being out of their elements, and with that meant less casualties. Surprises were never a good thing in their line of work, no solider likes a surprise. It could often cost them their lives. However, there are outliers to that train of thought, Simon Riley. Well, not Simon Riley, Simon Riley was dead, buried in a house that barely had any love in it and exuded torment and childhood trauma. Simon Riley experienced too much, felt too much, saw too much, and no one that experienced what he has lives to tell the tale. A phantom rose up to take his place, and phantoms, as everyone knows, can’t feel pain. How can you feel pain when you’re dead.
The mission begun without a hitch, Price and Gaz would push in first while Ghost and Soap would cover them from a high vantage point, picking off any unlucky lackies that had the misfortune of picking this line of work and walking outside on a day like this one. Ghost and Soap would then make their way to the building and go up while Price and Gaz went down. The building itself had a total of 4 floors and was at some point in time meant to be a warehouse of some kind, but when it was taken over by Makarov and his people it was converted into more of an office/torture den. Price had previously mentioned on the helo that if Gaz and him found any survivors in the cells they would be rescued and questioned for information, Soap quickly citing that torture does tend to push the torturer to ask the darndest questions. Price had smiled at that and then moved on with his brief.
When shit really started hitting the fan it was about 4 in the morning. Inside the building was freezing. Whoever had constructed this building didn’t use enough insulation and the cold winter breeze from outside was causing Soap to shiver. “Freezing my bloody balls off over here Lt! Lets keep moving!” he whispered in a very obvious annoyed tone. Ghost was taking point when they got to the 4th floor, reaching the top step and then stopping. After about 5 seconds and no response from his superior, Soap heard Ghost’s breath hitch in his throat. “What’s wrong Ghost, talk to me. Use your words.” “Something is off Johnny, this floor is where the server room should be, so why the hell aren’t I seeing any guards around?” What an incredibly valid question to ask, but it was one that sent another shiver up Soap’s spine.
Soap jumps when his and Ghost’s radio crackles to life in the silence of the staircase, of course Price decided now to check up on them, he had some of the worst timing sometimes. “Soap, Ghost, This is Price, How Copy?” “We are on the 4th floor Captain…something is wrong.” Soap whispers, trying to keep his voice from travelling anywhere else but the radio. “How you mean Sergeant?” Price sounds concerned, he should be, it felt like they were walking straight into a trap. “Laswell information told us the server was on the 4th floor, correct?” “Affirmative Sergeant, why do you ask?” “Because there is no one in the hallway, and you would think they would want to protect whatever they have on that server.” The line went quiet for roughly 7 seconds before a confused sounding Price continued talking. “Here’s the plan Sergeant, we have 2 survivors with us, Gaz and 1 will escort them out of the building and to a safe area. I will then make my way back to the building and meet up with you and Ghost to sweep the floor. DO NOT move without my say-so, is the clear?” “yes Captain” Soap responded quickly. “I need to hear you too Ghost.” There was silence for another 5 seconds before Soap hit Ghost’s shoulder, causing his to let out an annoyed groan “Loud and clear Captain.” “Good to hear, I’ll be there in 10”
10 minutes came and went and there was no sign of Price. “I don’t like this Lt, what’s taking Price so long?” “We haven’t heard any gun fire from downstairs of outside. It’s probably just one of the survivors causing them to lag.” Ghost muttered as he continued to check both side of the hallway. Always alert, always knows how to calm him down Soap thought to himself, a light smile creeping up his face. He loved that about his superior. Ghost always had this air about him, jaded, takes no shit and will ignore your existence if you weren’t important or capable, which is exactly why Soap felt that little bit special that Ghost interacted with him so often. Las Almas really solidified their relationship to what it is today. Soap trusts Ghost with every fiber of his being and he hopes that Ghost feels the same in some way. Soap knew it was difficult for Ghost to trust anyone, he could count the amount of people Ghost trusted on 1 hand. As long as Soap was one of them however, he vowed to himself that he would try and help Ghost discover that the vast majority of people weren’t out for blood.
“We are just sitting ducks out here. If we don’t start moving now we are screwed!” Soap was pulled out of his train of thought by Ghost’s annoyed whisper. He was right however. This mission was supposed to be done under the cover of night where (G)host’s and ghouls roam free and where the majority of Task Force 141 felt the most comfortable. The shadows would protect them from any stray bullets and their heroics (or crimes) would be a secret that only the stars would know about. But now it was creeping closer to 5am, and with it being the winter the sun would start to rise and force its deadly light into their hiding places, robbing them of their safety blanket. Task force 141 wasn’t any less dangerous during the day, with all the training they did they made sure of that, but everyone was afraid of the dark and what lurked in it, and they used that to their advantage.
“Price told us to wait Lt. It would do you no good to be written up for insubordination. Plus, you would be subjected to one of Price’s lectures, and not even I would be able to save you from it.” Soap got a dramatic distant look in his eyes as if he was having a flashback to a past lecture. Ghost rolled his eyes, “His lectures to me aren’t that bad because I know when to keep my mouth shut.” “Ouch! Words hurt Lt.” “Glad you’ve finally clued into why I even talk to you Johnny.” Soap lets out an offended gasp and lightly hit Ghost’s shoulder. Even with his face turned away from him Soap could see that Ghost was smiling slightly under his skull mask. It was the way his ears moved up slightly that gave it away which in turn made Soap’s own ears get a bit hot with flush. It was the little things like making Ghost smile that fueled the fire under Soap. Make Ghost’s life at least a little bit easier for him, that’s all he could hope for. Why he felt like this about his Lieutenant, even he didn’t know. He didn’t feel this way about anyone else in the 141, and he cared about every single one of them deeply. Soap would give his life for anyone in the 141 with 0 hesitation, but there was just something about his feelings for Ghost that felt different, the frustrating part being that he couldn’t even pin down what the ‘different’ was. He didn’t have time to unpack all of that however when they were running from warzone to intel mission to warzone. It would be a future him endeavor, or more likely a ‘never him’ endeavor considering his line of work. People like him rarely get to glimpse a future, unreachable…unattainable.
A few more seconds of silence pass before Ghost whispers “Fuck this”, turning slightly to get Soap in his periphery so that he could still watch the hallways. “I flank right, you flank left, we meet in the back of the hallway after sweeping all the room. We go in the server room together. Got it?” “But…“ “Price is taking too long Soap, it’s now or never. We don’t have the luxury of waiting any longer.” Ghost gave him a stern look. Soap sighed. He knew Ghost was right and he hated it. “On your call Lt.” is all Soap says in response. Ghost gave him a quick nod and then turned back to the hallway. Soap watched Ghost bring up his fist and then gesture for him to go with a swift hand gesture. From where Soap entered his side of the hallway he could see about 3 sets of doors. He turned to see a roughly similar layout behind him where Ghost was heading. Soap turned back towards the first door, finding it unlocked. He carefully opened it and found a pitch dark room. Pulling down his night vision goggles over his eyes, he could see that the room was completely devoid of anything except for a few empty boxes. Soap assumed that Ghost had the same luck as him with his first room when he heard through his radio “clear”. They both started heading towards their next rooms when Price was heard over the radio. “Clear? What do you mean clear? Soap and Ghost, how copy? You 2 better not be doing what I think…”
However, before Price was able to finish scolding the 2 men, Soap watched as Ghost slowly opened his door, hearing some type of wire snap, a flash of light, and Ghost going flying.
Soap has vowed to himself that he was going to try and make Ghost’s life just that little bit easier because he knows hes been through a lot. It doesn’t take a genius to know that. But how could he accomplish that when it seemed like fate herself had it out for Ghost.