The 141s Reaper (Simon Ghost Riley Romance)

Chapter 3 - The Lowdown

(Song for this chapter - Ophelia - THE LUMINEERS)

GHOST POV

She didn't sleep. I don't know why but she pretended to. Afraid? No that's not it. She isn't afraid of me at all, yet. Doesn't trust me? But then why pretend. Embarrassed? Maybe she snores. I don't know I can't work it out. Another thing I need an answer to.

Nik is in en route. We made radio contact twenty minutes ago and he was already on the way. The sun should be up just as we leave. Good timing. She's on the back of the truck, just sitting there looking up at the sky. Waiting.

She's given me the box of intel, had bunch of memory cards in it so we'll have to wait until we get to Price to see what's on them.

Once the airlifter comes into view she jumps off the back off the tailgate and is getting her bag out of the truck. It's light, small, she didn't have much with her. Must have left most of her supplies back up at her base camp.

Once the airlifter lands I'm surprised to see Soap walking out. Probably came along as back up thinking I was being pursued.
"Ghost you made it, we started to think you needed back up."
As soon as he finished speaking his eyes instinctively moves to her. He goes to raise his gun but I gestured for him to lower it.
Once she comes out from behind the truck and into his view, his expression completely changes.

"Reaper!" He yells as she walks up the ramp of the plane. "What are you doing here?"
She just winks at him as she walks past into the airlifter and takes a seat.

He spins around and looks to me for clarification. "Hoffman assigned her to help us with Gone Dark." I say to his unsaid question.
"Reaper?" I question back to him.
"That's her call sign, she didn't tell you Lt?"
"Didn't ask." usually I'm the one who doesn't say much.

"Don't worry sir you're going to love her, up there with the best of the best. Would even give you a run for your money." He states as he pats me on the shoulder and walks up the ramp after her.

She already has.

On board Soap sits next to her and I opposite, don't want to overcrowd her and I can read her responses better from here. No doubt Soap will ask her a bunch of questions, bodes well for me that they know each other. She may be more willing to disclose information.

"What were you doing out here?" Soap doesn't waist anytime.

We are barely off the ground, christ Johnny give her a second. He never was one to miss an opportunity.

"It's classified" she answers looking across at me. I nod back at her ever so slightly, impressed by her answer. Good girl.

Soap just looks between her and myself.
He narrows his eyes at me, I can only guess what his mind would be thinking. Thankfully Reaper is looking at me and not Soap. Of course he would jump straight to something like that. I shake my head at him once, it's all he needs to drop it.

"So Reaper, have you finally been promoted to Sergeant?" He asks diverting his attention back to her. The kid never ceases defeat.

"I think the window for a promotion has long passed Soap." She answered sarcastically, a tone about her reply.
She's never been in line for a promotion, not even on the radar. At least she's aware. Never was one for trying to climb the ranks.

"After the stunt you pulled in Uzbek I shouldn't be surprised" He's answering her but really speaking to me. He's told me about Uzbek. One soldier disobeyed orders, snuck across the border and rescued an entire black ops team taken hostage. The target for their original assassination mission had time to escape. But they saved five men. He didn't mention who it was, wasn't relevant at the time.