The Hunters

Chapter Fifteen

 Ghost shifted to rest on his elbows, staring down at me while I pretended not to feel his hot gaze on my face. Analyzing every detail of my emotions, my features, while his eyes rove the area wordlessly. After some time, he finally spoke, "I read your history. What is public, anyway. So did König. That's...what first caught our attention to you."

"What info is public?" I asked nervously, peering up at him in anxiety. Did they know...what happened to me?

"Not a whole lot. No missions or anything of that nature," he answered quietly, lowering when a group of soldiers stomped by. He was hiding as well, or at least helping me. Lowering his voice impossibly further, he whispered in my ear, "Your status was a POW. No details of where, how...but presumed KIA."

"They tried to behead me. KIA was a pretty good assumption," I grumbled darkly, glaring straight ahead as the painful memories flashed behind my eyes.

"I don't need the details," he muttered, his gaze on my reaction as he seemed to notice the pain in my expression. "What are you doing to recover?"

"Mandatory six-months of leave," I murmured. "Almost daily therapy sessions. They were a waste of my time."

"Six months was the minimum time," he stated. I didn't have to respond; he knew he was right. "Therapist was no good. What'd they tell you?"

"I'm too controlling." I paused, feeling the irritation build in my chest. "That after losing power and control over myself for months in a cell with daily or hourly beatings, I need to learn to release control."

Ghost fell silent as he mulled over my words, and we sat together without speaking while the snow picked up and coated our backs. I watched my unit return from the woods, Larsen apparently borrowing a boot from someone. She was shouting commands to the others, having heavily analyzed the situation. She knew now that I wasn't in the woods and was closing in.

"Larsen's a super genius," I whispered when he didn't speak. "It won't be long before she finds me."

"I hid your tracks," he responded after a long moment of contemplation. "Thought she'd appreciate the extra challenge."

"Careful. You'll get a boot thrown at your head next."

Despite his lack of sound, I could tell by his exhale that he was humored. I expected him to ask additional questions about me, but he didn't, preferring the silence. My exhaustion built as I was painstakingly reminded of the night's poor rest, shutting my eyes when they burned with fatigue.

"Boot," Ghost ordered, waking me with a start. I handed the boot over without a word, watching him sit upward before hurling the shoe toward the female barracks. Ah; that was smart. She'll think that I circled back around. That would have been a good idea instead of hiding on a freezing roof.

I returned my chin to my fists, drifting off again while Ghost muttered, "You really can sleep anywhere."

I shrugged as I resisted the slumber, whispering, "It's the only way I can stay still. Otherwise, I fidget. Now, shush."

Ghost made the same humored exhale before inching closer, placing his arm around my shoulders as he kept me still in my sleep. I felt his hand reach around me, stroking my wrist through his glove. Feeling warm from his touch, I leaned closer, pressing my side into his as I drifted off once again.

"Kalberg!" Larsen shouted, waking me with a startle. Ghost gestured in the direction of the scream, and I realized she'd found her boot. "When I find you, I'm kicking your pale, freckles ass!"

"I believe her. Time to run," I decided, and Ghost pressed his arm against my back, stopping me.

"Sit still. We're in a good spot." I huffed before admitting that he wasn't wrong. Settling back down, he stroked my braided hair, removing it from the hat as he lulled me back asleep.

I hovered between sleep and awareness, hearing Larsen recruit additional people. She was terrifyingly calm, her shouts only direct orders, with the occasional threat to my life. Groaning as I listened to her approach, I whispered, "I'm seriously tempted to hit her with a snowball."

"But you won't. Cause we're hiding," he responded quietly, and I peeked up at him. He was so close to me that his face, even masked, stole my breath.

"Why are you here with me?" I asked nervously, my anxiety beginning to build as I fidgeted in my spot. Ghost didn't respond and I huffed, pushing away from him in irritation. I hated people ignoring me; I despised my words being disregarded. "Training's over."

I slid off of the roof, jumping to the section below, while he whispered, "Storm! Come back here!"

Ignoring him, I made my way to the ground, spotting Larsen by a nearby building as she pressed her fingers to her gaiter-covered chin. Contemplating her next move. Sighing heavily, I leaned against the nearby wall, calling to her, "Can we have a chat in private?"