Chalice of Revenge (Ghost X Ruby Laswell)

1.

A/N: Hello fellow readers! Thank you for choosing this fic! I love to write and I can't wait to bring a fan book series to the table that will leave people on the edge of their seats! :)

Thanks sm! Xx <3

Tap, tap, tap. My fingernails rap against the table in front of me as I stare at a radar and a shit ton of blinking lights. Circles are locating and migrating, and profile pictures of fallen soldiers who were K.I.A. pop up in the top left of the screen. My finger presses a plus sign on the screen, bringing up a plethora of missions that we have yet to complete. Mexico, Australia, Africa... people were deployed everywhere; and I found it bullshit all I could do was sit here and watch as everyone else had the fun.

"I want to go." I state; I wasn't asking, I was stating. I turn to Kate, who is sat in her reclining stool behind her large computer screen. Her hand finds the top of the laptop as she slowly closes it, her eyes meeting mine with a stern answer.

"No, Ruby. I have told you this." Her head falls into her hands, sighing as she looks up at the screen. "Graves doesn't want you to either."

"Fuck what that guy thinks, I'm not his puppy dog, nor his property! I am lieutenant for a reason, aren't I? What's the point in sheltering me from a mission like this?" I scoff.

"Yes, but.. you remember last time." She sighs.

"And?" I press as I put my hands on the table.

"Where did you want to deploy." She blankly says.

"Task 141. I've always wanted to visit Mexico, and personally Hassan has been on my kill list for a while." I say delightfully.

"That is the most risky mission we have out there!" She exclaims as she stands up pointing to the screen. "We have had some of our best men die from Hassan and his forces- besides, we already have a lieutenant and three other skilled men deployed on Task 141."

"Skilled men being the key word. They need a woman of charge in there! So what says I can't help? I recall hearing Price say him and Gaz were drowning and needed help." I stand up, walking over to Kate and point at the screen, looking to her. "I am a grown adult; you may have adopted me, but I am still a woman in uniform- you don't see those too often, and we both know that." I bite my tongue, hoping to see surrender in her gaze.

"They have gone quite far without so thus far," She says crossing her arms.

"They're in Mexico, you're going to Mexico to join Gaz and Price. Drop me with Graves' team and 141, I will be okay." I plead.

"And if I don't?" She raises her eyebrow.

"If you don't I will find a way to contact Shepherd and have him fly me there himself, and he will not reject my help and neither will Graves," I retort. "I am the best tactical on the field as well as tech. There is no reason to not involve me."

"Why do you contest my authority, Ruby?" She groans.

"Because, Kate, contesting is all about being stubborn. And being stubborn is about being a solider." I turn around, looking over my shoulder. "You know what? Let me call Graves for you, just to prove my point." I walk over to the screen, pressing on the contacts and pressing Graves' name.

"The Shadows do not need aid, Ruby. Graves is more than capable of handling his own squad." I look at Kate, who stands behind me leaning against the table.

I look at the screen, seeing Graves' face pop up on the screen, behind him a control room with men carrying cargo and supplies to military trucks.

"This better be important, Laswell," Graves remarks over the phone.

"It is. I want to aid Task 141," I claim crossing my arms.

Graves looks over his shoulder then back to me, smirking. "They already have a reliable Lieutenant, Laswell. Don't need you getting hurt."

I roll my eyes. "Graves. We are nothing. We keep this professional. What will one more lieutenant hurt. I am not going to just sit here and twiddle my goddamn thumbs hoping I don't end up in tiny pieces. If that's going to happen I'd rather it be out on the field where I earned my title, sir." I suck my teeth, maintaining a strong stance.

Graves twists his expression, looking down at the camera. He seemed almost frustrated but he also knew my capabilities. "Well, you are one of the best tactical we got. Great shot, too; almost 100% accuracy. If I'm being honest, Soap could use a little supervision- the boy is just a blonde at times. You on board with this, Kate?" I look over to her who shakes her head, smirking.

"No, but she does take after me that's for damn sure," she looks at me and smiles.

"Then welcome to task 141, we will send out a chopper to pick Kate up for Mexico and put in an alternate route to where 141 is," Grave hangs up, and I turn to Kate.

"No one contests me," I smirk as I walk towards the bunks to pack a bag of supplies.

___________

"Let's go, ladies!" the man waves us into the chopper as I toss Kate and my bags onto the floorboards. I crawl in head first, grabbing the railing as I situate myself into the plastic seat.

Kate crawls in behind me, slugging herself into the seat and looking over at the pilot. "Las Almas. Then take her to 141, Graves put GPS coordinates on your screen." She looks at me, slightly smiling.

"You've grown up a lot," she says in a somber but proud tone.

"I am 32; not 12. When are you going to realize?" I ask.

"Look- I like women. I can't have kids- that's why we adopted you. We saw something in you, and I don't know if I could ever bring myself to adopt another child ever again." She sighs.

"Well, you did get me into this line of work." I say.

"Not intentionally- you were fifteen. You stole the throwing knifes, started tossing them into the dummies when you snuck in the firing range- everyone noticed your accuracy. Since then, I could tell you were built for this line of work, I just could never come to terms with it."

"I've been on several missions, Kate.." I say as I look out the window watching the ground disappear from underneath us.

"Nothing as big as this- I hate to say it, but this is the most nerve-racking mission I've been on. This is a direct threat to life. Powerful foreign enemies joining forces to eliminate our country- it's terrifying," She breathes.

"But we will get them. Trust me, we always do." I offer Kate a small smile and she returns it, rummaging through her bag and loading her army belt with flashes and mags.

I was nervous, too. There was not one mission where I wasn't at least the smallest bit nervous- but I also knew what would happen would be inevitable either way.