The Destiny of Ghost and Me

Chapter 22 Mission: Black Cobra

I managed to get three more hours of sleep before waking up, putting on my uniform, and tidying my hair. As I wandered through the hallway toward the exit to have a smoke, I noticed Rudolfo also taking a break and smoking.

I greeted him with a smile in Spanish, "My friend."

He smiled back and replied, "Oh, Yn, I feel so lonely."

I gazed at the military facility and empathized with him, "I feel lonely too. It's so sad to lose everyone again."

With a sense of pity, he added, "Yes, it's your second time experiencing this."

I took another drag from my cigarette, letting the smoke fill my lungs before responding.
"Yeah..."

I watched from a distance as a car stopped, and a woman stepped out. I turned to Rudolfo with excitement, "Laswell is back!"

I tossed my cigarette away and rushed back inside, knocking on the doors of all my comrades, accidentally even on those of the fallen.

Soap and Price came out of their respective rooms, rubbing their sleepy eyes.
Soap, still half asleep, asked, "Hey, what's going on?"

I replied with seriousness, "Laswell is back."

Both of them instantly became alert and headed to their rooms to get ready.

I proceeded to the meeting room, and Rudolfo joined me, sitting beside me.

I felt nervous, even very much so, as we were finally ready to begin. I couldn't wait to apprehend Makarov and Zion. The others entered the room, and Soap looked somewhat stressed. As they took their seats, Laswell entered triumphantly, holding a file in her hand, and declared, "I've got it!"

I smiled and thanked her. She nodded, and Price spoke up, "It's time for our revenge, guys." He turned to Laswell and asked, "How many men will we have?"

Laswell replied, "Fifty."

Price nodded and said, "Get ready now. We'll discuss the operation outside. Laswell, inform the men to prepare."

She nodded and hurried out of the room. I stood with Soap and Rudolfo, and we made our way to the armory. I donned all black attire: a black bulletproof vest, black jeans, a black helmet, and ballistic goggles. I packed as much ammunition as possible into every available space. I strapped two tactical knives to my hips, two to each thigh, two at the bottom of my legs, and two on my upper arms. Soap carried the grenades, C4, smoke grenades, Nova Gas, and EMP.

I looked at myself in the mirror and realized I had forgotten something-the Ghost mask. I quickly put it on. And yes, we looked like the kind of enemies no one would want to face.

With the additional weapons and Ghost's specially modified M4, the weight was inhuman, around 60 kilograms, burdening me heavily. Yet, the adrenaline pumping through my veins overshadowed any physical discomfort. The anticipation of finally confronting Makarov and Zion fueled my determination.

I stepped outside, feeling the cool air against my skin. I was relieved that it wasn't summer, as the heat would have been unbearable. As I looked around, I noticed unfamiliar faces, men who were joining us for the operation. Laswell spotted us and approached, signaling that it was time to discuss the mission.

"We're heading to Chicago, a city devastated by cartels. Makarov is believed to be hiding there," Laswell explained. "Our priority is to capture him alive if possible."

She assigned 25 men to me. I was taken aback by the responsibility placed upon me. Why was I given a group to lead? Laswell continued, assigning the remaining 25 men to Captain Price.

"Good luck," Laswell concluded, and we made our way to the combat vehicles.

As the convoy roared to life, I glanced at my team. They were relying on me to lead them through the chaos that awaited us in Chicago. Doubt and excitement mingled within me, but I knew I had to stay focused.

The journey to Chicago felt like an eternity, the anticipation building with every passing mile. Thoughts of previous battles and fallen comrades flooded my mind, but I pushed them aside, focusing on the task at hand.

Upon reaching the outskirts of the city, we observed the remnants of its former glory. Buildings stood in ruins, evidence of the violence that had plagued the area. We knew we were entering hostile territory.

I raised my fist, signaling for my team to halt. We disembarked from the vehicles, and I nodded to Price, Soap, and Rudolfo. Soap rushed over to me and bumped his fist against mine, saying, "Come back in one piece."

I smiled and replied, "You too, watch your back."

He grinned back, then hurried back to his group. I turned to my 25 men and called out, "Two snipers, take positions on that building! The rest, follow me."

The designated snipers nodded and moved into position. I slung the RPD machine gun over my shoulder and held Ghost's modified M4 tightly. My team arranged themselves behind me, each member keeping their weapon trained in a different direction.

I gestured forward, and we started our advance. I led the way, with the rest of the team following closely behind. Everyone moved with precision and efficiency, maintaining tactical formation.

As we approached a high-rise building, I contacted Price over the radio and informed him, "Moving to the eastern side, heading for a high-rise building."

"Copy that," came the response from Price.

We entered the building, and I remained vigilant, knowing Makarov's penchant for explosive traps. As we made our way towards the damaged stairs, I proceeded cautiously, weapon drawn. Two of Makarov's men were stationed there, and I swiftly eliminated them with precise shots to their hearts using the suppressor on my weapon.

Moving forward, I pressed myself against the wall, wary of any additional adversaries in the area. The rest of my team positioned themselves on the opposite side. I tossed an EMP grenade into the room, waiting for it to explode before we stormed in.

Inside, Makarov's men blindly fired their weapons, unable to see clearly. I returned fire, taking them down one by one. Unfortunately, two of my men were hit in the chest during the firefight. I rushed to their side, asking if they were alright.

One replied, "The vest held up, but..." The other was gravely wounded, losing blood rapidly. With his final breath, he urged us to continue the mission and emerge victorious. The light in his eyes dimmed, and his life faded away.

I rose to my feet and signaled for the team to move forward. We pressed on, clearing the remaining areas of the building without encountering any more resistance. I radioed Price "The building is secured"

In a grave tone, Price acknowledged the update and instructed us to regroup with his team. It appeared that Makarov was in our vicinity. I gestured to my men, and we swiftly exited the building.