The Abyss Between Us

Chapter 6 - Missing

Ghost couldn't sleep. He knew something was wrong. He opened his eyes, finding his mask slightly askew. He rose as he adjusted up, listening to the house. He could hear the shadows outside talking over coms, though they didn't seem worried about anything. Something was still off, so he pushed himself to his feet and silently cased the house. Soap was asleep in the front room, slumped over an empty glass.
Then he noticed the empty couch, where he expected Pip to be sleeping. He frowned and made his way to the other bedroom, but it was untouched from earlier. He stared at the sheets on the bed that had crumpled under her body earlier, the surprised look in her eyes when he'd pinned her down...

"Focus, Simon," he mumbled to himself as he cased the rest of the house. She was no where to be found. He sighed and sat heavily on the couch, pinching the bridge of his nose. They didn't have to go after her, but as he recalled how broken she was after her torture, and that there were others out there... He roughly pushed Soap's knee.

"The fuck ya want?" Soap's eyes were blurry for a moment before he focused on Ghost's mask. "Mornin' L.T.."

"Soap, we need to go, quietly." Soap's brows crumpled together as his fatigued brain tried to catch up. He pushed himself to his feet and patted his pockets, making sure he had everything. Ghost made his way to the back door, where he noticed a soldier was slumped over at their post. He checked for a pulse, double checking that they were just unconscious.

"Ghost, what's goin' on?"

"Hawthorne's gone." Soap froze mid stretch.

"How the fuck-?"

"Wish I knew. Now c'mon. Looks like she went this way." The two of them quietly stalked through the dark, following a barely visible trail, when they heard it. The engine of the helicopter start up. They shared a look before breaking into a run to where Graves had landed it, but by the time they got there, it was in the air, with Hawthorne looking down at them. She gave them a wave before shutting the door and the chopper took of, headed west.

"Well, now she's gone and done it." Ghost grunted in agreement as he pulled his radio from his pocket.

"Shadow 0-1, how copy?" The radio was silent. "Shadow 0-1 respond." Silence. Soap started investigating the area and spotted smashed equipment on the ground.

"Ghost, I think I found a radio." Ghost looked over to the mangled electronics in Soap's hands and sighed.

"Someone get Watcher on the line. We have at least two MIA." The two hurried back to the safehouse that was now in an uproar. Orders being shouted over the radio, people fanning out to check the surrounding land, and one communications expert diligently working in the kitchen. It took a few minutes, but Laswell finally answered.

"Ghost, what's going on?"

~~~~~~~~

The last few days had been driving Ghost crazy. She'd left such an obvious trail for them to follow to Mexico, but both he and Soap weren't sure how to bring up just how they had known that's where you'd be headed.

"Captain, I need to speak to you, privately." Price raised an eyebrow at Ghost as he glanced around the room they were gathered in. There really wasn't a private place to talk, so Price just stepped really close. Ghost slipped a recorder into his pocket and leaned close to Price's ear.

"I suggest you take a vacation." Price nodded and Ghost stepped away, gathering Soap and heading out. The two of them were headed to meet with Mexican Special Forces in the search for Graves and Hawthorne.

~~~~~~~~

Pip was sitting in the shade of a cabana, dressed in a bikini that showed off her ink and miriad of scars, sipping on what appeared to be a martini. From here, she could see the street and the path down to the sand. She was a bit disappointed that they hadn't managed to find her yet. It'd been four days, but she certainly wasn't trying to hide from them. Although, the obvious trail of crumbs she'd left was bound to be suspicious.

Oh, I suppose they might be looking for Graves first.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sight of a caravan of military vehicles. She smirked and watched them, wondering where they were headed, and if the pups had finally caught her scent. She tapped Graves' shoulder with her silencer.

"Be a good pup and stay here. You're no good to anyone dead." He strained against the rope tying him to the cabana chair, his voice muffled by the gag she'd gifted him when she'd oh so nicely hijacked his chopper and pilot. She stood at the edge of the wooden floor and scanned the beach, looking for her contact. Her phone started buzzing in her hand, and she frowned when she didn't recognize the number. She answered it and held it to her ear, not saying anything.

"Hawthorne, are you there?" A smirk cracked her stoic expression and she turned to face Graves.

"MacTavish, how'd you get this number?" Graves started struggling against his restraints and she casually leveled the gun at his face. He stilled and looked around frantically.

"Nik gave it to us when we told him you ran." Great, he had her on speaker.

"So nice to hear from you too, Ghost. Now, can we make this quick? I've got a nail appoint that I just can't be late for."

"You speaking gibberish again?" Pip laughed at Soap's inability to decode her.

"No." Ghost answered before she could, and a silence fell. She realized they were tracing her call as she watched the trucks slow as they passed the beach. She also spotted her contact's vehicle pulling up next to them.

"Sorry, boys, but my ride's here." She hung up and quickly shoved a bag over Graves' head. She flagged down the white truck and it immediately swung around to the beach front via a wide set of stairs and pulled up to the cabana. She shoved Graves into the vehicle and gathered up her bags. She could hear a commotion behind her and spotted Ghost vaulting the fence nearby. The driver was shouting in Spanish.

"You take him to Valeria. Go!" She slammed the door shut and the truck took off just as she felt the barrel of a gun against her back. She held up her hands, her pistol being ripped from her grasp.

"I thought I said to not to do anything funny, Hawthorne."