Catching A Ghost | Simon 'GHOST' Riley

TWENTY

"You hid this...why?" Price said.

"We all keep secrets, Captain." Shepherd responded.

"Why the hell wasn't I informed?"

"Consider yourself well informed now, John."

"Oh, that's really fuckin' helpful, General. Thank you. But you're a day late, and a missile short. There's three of them, we've only found two."

Gaz, Soap, Alejandro, and Ghost stood around the table, listening. In the corner, Rudy had you on a make-shift bed, made up of the old hay bales in the safe house, slowly tipping water into your mouth.

You'd only just come to, completely confused and groggy. 

You remember everything.

When you'd finally opened your eyes, you sobbed in Price's arms. Ghost couldn't even look in your direction, despite you desperately looking for his gaze.

"Then point yourself in that direction, and fix it."

"And who fixes you, eh?"

"I don't need fixing." Shepherd scoffed, "I'm a patriot protecting my country."

"You're protecting your own arse." Price said, standing to pace.

"I do what needs to be done, and no one holds me down with a roll of red tape. I know what's best for the cause."

Price laughed, shaking his head, "You've lost your mind, General."

"And you've forgotten what you're fighting for, John. To do good you gotta do some bad. When we shit, we bury it. That's how it works."

"Yeah...but we don't bury each other with it, do we?! You need to call off your Shadow."

"Graves?" Shepherd laughed, "He's a dog with a bone, and I highly recommend you don't try and take it."

"This is your last chance to change your mind. He tried to kill my sister, my fucking family, TWICE."

"Then what?"

"Then after I go for him...I'm coming for you."

You were left in the back room alone to recover.

Your body was aching, but your wounds had been treated and wrapped well, and the painkillers that Rudy had you take were an absolute game changer.

Hearing voices outside, you stood up, albeit a little wobbly at first, but managed to find your feet relatively quickly. Smoothing out your shirt, you walked, pushing the doors open into the main room.

At the end, the Vaqueros boys were gathered near, while Price, Soap, Rudy, Alejandro, Gaz, and Ghost were stood around the table, talking. 

Just like the day you first met them, you stalked through the shadows cast by the high windows, inching closer as you listened.

"Alright, listen- we are taking back your HQ." Price began, "We are getting our prisoner, we are killing Commander Graves."

"When?" Rudy asked.