Chapter Text
Captain Price stood tall at the front of the dimly lit briefing room, his weathered face etched with determination. The room was silently still as Soap and Ghost awaited further instruction. Outside, the faint sound of soldiers waking up filled the air, accompanied by the quiet shuffling of preparation. Price had called the two men in for an urgent mission, barely giving them time to get ready before they were shoved into the room. “We don’t have much time; this will be quick.”
Price threw two large files onto the table, watching as both men took them and scanned the contents briefly before redirecting their attention. “We're dispatching you to Genoa, Italy. There have been persistent rumors of a new drug making its way through the port—a substance known simply as 'Acqua.' We need you to infiltrate a party taking place tomorrow night; we have reason to believe the drugs are on a yacht owned by Marco Rossi. You must find and destroy them before they can leave the port.”
As the words resonated through the room, Soap felt a sudden tension grip his body, his senses heightened by the rapid-fire briefing. He felt a tight grip of fear surrounds him at the mention of being on a boat, always hating the idea of open water. The sergeant forced himself to calm down and refocus his mind, listening to the tail end of the discussion.
“Soap, you’ll be posing as ‘Matteo Bianchi,’ an art connoisseur from Milan. Rossi loves art and collects some himself; use that as an opening to get close to the man and try to get him to show you his collection of the ship. We have insider information that the drugs are being kept with the art since it’s the most secure part of the ship.” Soap nods, taking in this information, knowing there would be more necessary information in the files.
“Ghost, you’ll be acting as waitstaff on the ship so you can move freely without suspicion. See if you can pinpoint exactly where the drugs are located. The crew wears facial coverings, so your identity will remain concealed.” Soap watched the tension bleed from the lieutenant’s shoulders ever so slightly.
Soap nods, taking in this information, knowing there would be more necessary information in the files. “Are there any questions?” Both men looked to their captain for the last time, shaking their heads. “Dismissed; you have a plane to catch.”
The soldiers immediately rose from their seats, bidding the captain farewell before rushing out of the room to collect their belongings. “Well, guess it’s up to us, Lt.” Soap smiled over at his CO, nerves lingering from earlier. The lieutenant only gave a quiet hum in acknowledgment. “So, have you heard about this ‘acqua’ thing?”
Ghost glanced over at him, “It’s experimental, supposedly enhances your senses similar to steroids but makes you focus like Adderall. Completely fucks your nervous system, and if you take too much, your brain can hemorrhage.”
“Steaming Jesus…” Soap mumbled, not wishing to come into contact with the drug for longer than necessary. The two men depart, entering their rooms to pack their things and quickly get to the awaiting aircraft. The ride would only be around three hours, so they would have plenty of time to scope out the port before the mission. Once the plane entered the open sky, Soap couldn’t stop the unease in his bones.
“Johnny,” The lieutenant gently nudged his foot from his spot beside him, “Why did the scarecrow join the military?”
Soap glanced over at him, unable to contain the grin already threatening to slip onto his face. “Tell me.”
“Because he heard there were a lot of field promotions.” Johnny leaned back and groaned heavily, though he knew he was smiling.
“That was terrible, Simon.”
“Still got a reaction out of you.” Soap couldn’t contain the fond chuckle as it escaped him, turning his head away from the lieutenant. “Try to get some rest before we land.” The sergeant nodded, closing his eyes and waiting for sleep to grab him.
He slowly began to regain consciousness as the plane lurched for its landing, jostling to the men for a brief moment. Before long, they were gathering their things and leaving to catch a cab. “Hope you know some Italian, Ghost.” The sergeant mumbled, still rousing from his sleep. The lieutenant hailed a taxi, giving the driver some directions before heading towards their hotel.
It was called ‘Hotel Miraggio,’ close to the port where they would be scoping out. According to the files, their outfits for tomorrow night were already placed in the hotel room, along with any needed equipment. They had a shared room with two separate beds, Ghost immediately choosing the one closest to the door. The lieutenant quickly unpacked his things, taking out a smaller handgun and looking it over before tucking it into the waistband of his jeans.
“Alright, Johnny, you ready to start?” Soap had just finished scanning over the information one last time before nodding and taking a steadying breath. The two men slipped out of the hotel room, walking out into the cool night on the streets. Soft lights and a breeze greeted them, the scent of salt wafting in the air. The smell was familiar, causing Soap’s nerves to fray at the ends and his palms to sweat. It was only a short walk to the port, the two men stopping for a quick bite to eat before beginning their surveillance. They needed to blend in, just look like two friends taking a leisurely stroll.
“Look for the yacht that reads, ‘Aquarius.’ It should have a pool on the back.” Ghost mumbled beside him, his eyes scanning over the series of boats before them. The sloshing of water surrounding them made Soap feel off balance, his eyes gazing out into the inky blackness of the sea. His stomach turned and twisted with discomfort, and he turned his eyes to the boats bobbing in the water.
“Why have a pool when you’re already surrounded by water?”
“Dunno, Johnny. Ask the rich fuckers who can afford one.” Ghost shrugged, though he was amused at the sergeant’s question. Many transport ships were bringing and taking out cargo. Plenty of surveillance cameras were placed on the dock, giving security every possible visual they might need. Ghost quietly commented about tapping into the system to overview the staff tomorrow and monitor if anything suspicious occurs.
Finally, they noticed the large, dark yacht with Aquarius etched in silver letters. It was massive in the port, dwarfing the other yachts around it. The ship's design was sleek and modern, with a large open area in the front that could hold several people for dancing and drinking. Upstairs were some seating areas, and he even caught a glimpse of a bedroom.
“Jesus, it’s like they put a whole house on the water…” Soap mumbled, scanning the three visible floors of the ship.
“That’s eighty million euros you're looking at, Sergeant.”
Soap turned to look at the lieutenant in muted horror; that boat was worth more money than he would ever have in a lifetime. He shook himself out of his stupor and observed the decks carefully, searching for where the art collecting could be located. “I don’t see any increased security anywhere. The drugs must be harbored on the lower levels of the ship.”
“You’re probably right; it’s safer for them to be down there. Fewer entrances that way; most of the floors above are pretty open.” Just as they were about finished surveying, they heard a loud yell from nearby and decided it was time to head back for the hotel. The two men picked up their strides and rushed back to safety.
Ghost sat on the bed, removing his mask to run a hand through his hair. He’d grown more comfortable removing it around Johnny when it was just the two of them. Johnny couldn’t help himself, taking every opportunity offered to scan over the man’s features and memorize his face. The lieutenant had a handsome face with deep-set eyes and a strong jawline. His face had a large scar that bisected his lips, exposing one of his canines, and disappeared into his blonde locks. Deep, brown eyes looked over to find his sergeant staring and smirked softly, “We should get some sleep; we need to be ready for tomorrow.”
Soap nodded, quickly looking away, and finished getting ready to sleep before shutting off the lights. Some of the lights from the port still snuck into the room, not allowing it to be completely dark. “Night, Lt.”
“Night, Johnny.” He heard quiet shifting as Ghost made himself more comfortable in his bed. Soap’s eyes moved to look out the sheer curtains that did little to provide privacy. He could see the motion of the water just beyond some of the buildings, and the sickening anxiety infiltrated his mind once more. The sergeant quickly flipped over, instead staring across at Ghost’s bed. The man’s back was to him, a knife on the nightstand between them. Soap inhaled a shaky breath and closed his eyes as he hoped for sleep to overtake him.
He was startled as he heard the sloshing of water surrounding him, his eyes ripping open and staring into the murky depths. He flailed his arms desperately, unsure which way was to the water's surface. His body felt smaller, more frail, as he struggled against the weight of the sea. After moments of struggling, his head finally broke to the surface, and he choked on the salty water. He could blearily make out the shapes of his family on the shore, and he opened his mouth to scream.
More liquid flooded his senses, filling his lungs as he attempted to inhale. He choked and sputtered, but no sound traveled to his blissfully unaware parents. Tears leaked from his eyes as he desperately tried to save himself, but he was no match for the sea’s current. His lungs burned, and his brain became hazy from lack of oxygen. Eventually, his entire body felt numb, and he felt his body begin to slip back under the waves. The last thing he saw was his father dive into the water, desperately trying to reach him.
Soap shot up from the bed, the sheets tangling his limbs and forcing him to struggle against them. He felt soaked to the bone, the bedding covered in his cold sweat. His throat wheezed as though he was still drowning. He heard the bed beside him rustle, but his mind was so panicked that it sounded muffled as though his head was still under the waves. He heard someone calling out to him, but he still struggled against the sheets. A sharp ripping echoed in the room, and his body was launched onto the floor, knocking the wind from his lungs and leaving him gasping.
“Johnny!” Ghost shouted, rushing over to his side. “Slow breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth.” The lieutenant moved his hand to rest on the other man’s chest, feeling the stuttering breaths he inhaled. “Come on, Johnny. You’re safe; just try to breathe slowly.” Eventually, Soap’s eyes grew less hazy, and his breathing deepened. He trembled under his touch, slight whimpers escaping him as he lay on the floor. “That’s it; you’re okay.”
Finally, John returned to himself, gently sitting up with Ghost’s help. “Shite, sorry, Lt. Didn’t mean to wake you.” His voice was rough and raspy when he spoke, forcing a wet cough from his throat. He flinched away at the hand, reaching up to move some wispy hairs from his sweat-covered forehead.
“It’s no trouble, Soap. What happened?” His eyes were worried, and his brow was deeply furrowed as he regarded the still-anxious sergeant.
“Just a wee bit of night terrors, sir. Nothing I can’t handle.” He brushed the man off of him, moving to stand on shaky legs. Ghost quickly followed him, moving his arms to catch the sergeant in case his knees gave out. He noticed how the man’s eyes drifted nervously towards the window every few moments.
“Is this about Chicago?” The lieutenant’s voice was soft, snapping the sergeant’s gaze back to him as they widened. “It might help to talk about it.”
Soap paused for a moment; it was the perfect deflection. Sure, Chicago had shaken him up quite a bit, but he’d learned to handle those terrors head-on over the past few months. He no longer flinched at breezes from open windows, his eyes no longer blurring when he looked at the floors below. In truth, what lay beyond the glass barrier terrified him, the ravenous sea waiting to swallow him whole. “Nae, Lt., I’m fine; let’s just get back to sleep.” He returned to his bed and noticed the torn-apart bedding, completely unusable if he wanted a decent night's sleep. “Fuck…”
“You can sleep in mine.” Soap turned, stunned by the sudden offer. Ghost was already sitting on the sheets, looking tired as he rubbed his cheek.
“I couldn’t…” He clutched the torn sheets in his still shaking hands, his eyes hazy as he heard the distant splashing of waves.
“Johnny…” The lieutenant’s voice was soft yet firm, “Get in the damn bed.”
Finally, the sergeant moved towards him, gently moving onto the sheets and keeping a respectable distance between them. His mind screamed at him, his body tense with unchecked adrenaline and fear. Slowly, a hand moved to rest over his where they fisted the sheets. He met the soft brown eyes of his commanding officer, going willfully as he maneuvered the exhausted Scotsman. “Rest, Johnny. You’re safe.”
By the time his head hit the pillow, he was out cold.