Flew Too Close To The Sun

Chapter Four

Words: 1004

 Icarus huffed as he sat in the back of the helicopter. Usually he would be landing by himself, but seeing as everyone has seen his face by now, he just decided to land with the others. Saves money that way as well.

Across from his sat Ghost, who stared blankly at him. Icarus stared back before finally speaking, "What?"

More staring.

"I won't get captured again."

More staring...

"Promise."

"Good." Ghost finally spoke back and Icarus gave a thumbs up.

Price huffed out a soft chuckle at the pair's interaction, causing Gaz to look at him, "Sir? What's funny?"

"Hm?" Price looked at Gaz, "Oh, nothing."

Meanwhile, Soap looked between Ghost and Icarus, slightly confused, "Did you just... read what he was going to say to you through his eyes?" His blue eyes landed on Icarus' dark ones, who looked at him like he was crazy.

"What? You mean you can't do that?" Icarus asked, looking at Soap and leaning forward a bit, "Perhaps he likes me more than you." This caused another chuckle from Price, another question from Gaz and a look of mock hurt from Soap. Icarus turned his gaze to Ghost, who stared daggers at him. The long haired man stared back, not blinking. Staring contest started!

The helicopter began to land, causing Icarus to finally look away from Ghost, "We'll have to resume that sometime. Let's get our mission on." The slight thump of the helicopter landing caused Icarus to wince slightly, his hand reaching to his gut. He looked up to see Ghost standing over him with his hand extended, which Icarus took at stood up.

Task Force 141 left the helo, Price dipping his head to the group, "Alpha team, me and Gaz, will approach from the left tower. Beta team, Ghost, Soap and Icarus, will approach from the right one. Once it's cleared, Icarus will take on Overwatch and lead Beta team behind enemy lines stealthily while Alpha team wipes them out from the fight." He looked at everyone as they said copy, gaze lingering on Icarus as he put his hair up instead, "Copy?"

Icarus set the bun to the base of his head, throwing on his sniper's hood. His eyes hardened, narrowing ever so slightly, "Copy, sir." Price dipped his head before giving the signal for the teams to move.

Beta team moved smoothly through the outskirts of the compound that once held Icarus for more than a week. Icarus stared at it through narrowed eyes, following Ghost's commands to a T. They found themselves at the base of the tower, Ghost and Soap clearing it before giving Icarus the sign to move up. Settling at the top of the tower, the long haired man looked through his scope and spotted his two teammates, "The way is clear until the building. When you go in, I'll be blind."

"Copy." Ghost's voice responded through the headset as Icarus watched them enter the building. Nothing was said for a moment, and Icarus wondered if they had gotten killed. But Ghost's brief, "Clear." caused Icarus to look down his scope again.

"Up ahead from the exit. Five feet, two. Nine feet, one. You take the closest ones on my signal." Nothing was said but Icarus knew they listened as they got close, but not too close. He lined up the shot, adjusted for the distance and the slight wind.

Three.

Ghost looked ready.

Two.

Soap gripped the knife in his hand.

One.

Icarus pulled the trigger, the bullet flying through the enemy's head and causing him to fall to the ground. He watched as his teammate's executed the other two, dragging all three bodies back into the building, "Clear to the next building. Is this the one?"

"Yes." Ghost responded through the headset, "Make your way down silently." The apparent roughness in his voice translated into something else. Icarus knew from many missions of working with him that when Ghost was seeming mean, it was just because he was worried.

"Yessir." Icarus grinned, pulling away from his sniper before packing it away onto his back. He fitted a familiar pistol in his hand, "Hah!" He cackled quietly, "Ghost, why'd you pack me one of yours?"

Ghost didn't need elaboration as he spoke back, "It's lucky." With that, Icarus made his way down the tower and to the rest of his team. He met Soap with a fist bump, and Ghost with a stare.

Beta team made their way into the building, and almost instantly Icarus felt his stomach drop. This was the exact hallway that he covered Ghost's six in, and where he could have died. Icarus was brought back to the presence when Price sounded from the headset, "Taking heavy fire! Meet you halfway!" Icarus blinked his eyes a couple times before looking up from the ground, meeting Ghost's eyes.

The masked man's eyes seemed to gleam with worry, but Icarus grinned at him, causing Ghost to turn away and lead the team down the hall.

Icarus was on high alert the whole time, walking past the 'water room' as he called it, and then the other room. He stopped and looked into it, staring at the chair remains and the dried blood. Icarus shook his head, grinning underneath his sniper hood. He wasn't grinning because he was entertained or happy to see it, he was grinning because that's what he did when he felt this way. Uncomfortable, scared, mortified.

The team kept making their way through the building before they came to a door. "This will lead behind the enemies. Notify Price that we'll be out there too." Ghost spoke.

"Alright." Icarus turned on his headset again to speak, "Price, lighten your fire. We'll be out there in a jiffy." Oh and," Icarus stared at Soap and Ghost and spoke once more, "If Graves is there, he's mine."

"We need him alive, Icarus." Price's voice sounded through the headset, and Icarus simply took off his sniper hood.

"Then let's hope I don't get to him first."