Simon "Ghost" Riley x Reader

Thirty-Five

The mood was grim as you pulled up between a front of trees, right next to another armoured vehicle.

Outlines of people moved in the dark.

You turned off the lights.

A sigh made you throw your head back against the headpiece of your seat.

"Johnny.", you said in a silent voice.

He moved in the passenger seat.

"We shouldn't let the captain wait.", his hand reached out to open his door.

Quickly, you locked it.

"One moment.", you asked, almost begging him.

A low sound made his chest vibrate.

He crossed his arms.

His head tilted to the side to allow him to look outside the window and pretend he wasn't interested.

"Make it quick."

You sighed.

This was just the way it had always been.

Secretly you had hoped he would grow out of it one day, but some things seemed to never change.

He would have an attitude for the rest of the day, if not until the mission was over and the two of you would part ways once again.

It was tiring.

And you were too old to keep playing this game.

"If you don't want to set this straight, we don't have to waste each others time.", you unlocked the door and got out first. "You should know that I love you. You're my big brother and I will always welcome you with open arms. But you need to accept that I'm not the little kid anymore that comes running once you return after six months of nothing. I don't need your protection anymore but rather your support. And if you don't want to, there's no need for us to keep getting into each others business."

His lips moved.

It was obvious that he wanted to say something but wasn't willing to break his silence.

This was his way of punishing you.

It reminded you so much of your mother.

You hated it.

And you also hated him for it. Even if just a little. Even if it wasn't his fault.

Letting out a deep breath, you pushed the door shut and turned to join Price and the others.

They already seemed to be intrigued in a conversation.

Alejandro's raspy voice cut through the silent night like a knife through butter.

"There's no way we can get in through the front.", he insisted and pointed into the dark, where a huge mansion rose into the pitch black sky. "Machine guns everywhere. Cameras too. Valeria doesn't do half baked work. She won't take risks."

Remaining silent, you leaned against the trunk of a tree and crossed your arms to listen.

"We don't even know if she's still in there.", Gaz explained.

He sounded careful as always, yet there was this fire in his words. He truly had ambitions, something that was easily found in people who hadn't served all that long yet.

He was a good addition to the team to keep the spirit up.

And to add to that he also seemed skilled in quite a few categories.

You hadn't served with him before, so he was fresh wind you needed to remind yourself why you did all this.

"The signal came from this location.", Ghost emerged from the dark.

You hadn't seen him lean against the side of the car.

He was such a silent man that he made his name all honour.

Ghost.

He could only be seen when it was already too late.

Just like death.

Perhaps this name would have been a better fit.

Amused, you had to smirk at the thought.

"100.", his rough voice suddenly called out for you.

Surprised that Ghost had noticed your presence, you glanced up and waited for a more clear sign.

"What are you waiting in the shadows for?", Price asked and took a deep breath of his cigar.

The tip lit up in a fiery orange, so bright, that it could have been mistaken for one of the many fireflies that jumped through the grass.

"Didn't want to disturb.", you said with a smirk and raised your chin. "We got a plan?"

"No.", Gaz walked up to you to show a map of the area. "This is where the signal came from."

You took a quick glance.

"Secure line.", you noted.

"Was pretty hard to get in."

"Did you get anything out of it?"

"We could confirm that El Sin Nombre was present when she received the call.", Ghost looked at you for a moment.

The touch of his eyes almost made you shiver and your knees go weak.

The memories of the shower incident was still as fresh as dawn.

After what he had done to you it was hard to believe you managed to stand up straight let alone fight a battle.

But you had never lacked discipline.

And you wouldn't start now either.

"If she's here, why don't we storm?", you asked Alejandro.

As one of the Mexican forces he must have had more intel, you figured. Since this was his country and kind of his people as well.

With a nod of his head, he walked up to the edge of the safe cover that the trees provided and pointed with two fingers at the large wall that kept the house and gigantic property locked away from the outside world.

"See this?", he asked and specifically kept his fingers pointing at once spot.

You joined him for a better look.

"Not just normal stone.", you hummed. "Double concrete layers, probably some kind of steel wall for enforcement hidden in between as well."

"That's our smallest problem to worry about."

"I don't see guards."

"Which means she has some nasty surprises ready for us.", Alejandro raised his rifle to take a closer look through the visor. "We can't find anything alarming, but there are also no patrols out."

You frowned and leaned forward.

"Not even patrols?", you asked, more to yourself than him. "That seems..."

"Suspicious.", Price said while smoke seeped from his lips.

"Stupid, I wanted to say."

"How come?", the captain gifted you a curious look. "You're one of the best I've ever worked with. What's your opinion on this?"

For a moment, you examined the walls.

"I'd say we go down and check it out before anything goes south."