Undeniable || Simon "Ghost" Riley ||

Chapter 1

Crossroads of Fate

Guns, family, and ranching. That was a significant part of who I was. In fact, it's practically become my entire identity by now. While both of my parents encouraged me to pursue my passions, my mother never anticipated that I would enlist to become a medic and fighter when I completed my training.

My mom raised me on the ranch, teaching me everything from grooming and bathing the horses, to accompanying her to the sale barns. My dad, on the other hand, helped me understand everything I needed to know about guns and beginning my career as a medic.

It was a perfect life, I had a wonderful family, a huge support group, and loving parents. It was everything anyone could have wanted living on a ranch in Montana.

But that got turned around the second I received that text from my dad a couple of days ago.

Dad: Hattie, I am so sorry you are receiving my text like this. Mom passed away in a car accident this afternoon. We did everything we could to save her. I'm so sorry baby.

Days after that text I had done nothing but lay in bed and ponder those thoughts in my mind and go over what happened to my mother.

If only I could have saved her.

I was a medic, the best this unit has seen and I couldn't save her. Yes, she is hundreds of miles away, yet it continues to bury into my mind, haunting every moment of every day.

I didn't know how to react, didn't know what to do. I decided to finally get out of bed, knowing that today was the day I had to pack my bags to head back to Montana and see the dreadful look on my father and see the lifeless being I used to call my mother just gone. Never to be spoken to again. This was too much. My heart couldn't take it.

Putting my essentials in my duffel bag, I threw it over my shoulder and walked over to the car that was going to take me to the airport so I could finally see my father again.

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I exited the airport and headed towards the unmistakable black super duty awaiting my arrival. My father jumps out of the car and immediately grabs my bag and greets me with teary eyes and a welcoming hug.

"I missed you dad, I wish we didn't have to be meeting like this." Amidst my tears, I managed to speak. "Why did this have to happen?" I said, tears now streaming down my face. I hated being this vulnerable in front of people. I never liked showing my emotions. But this was a different situation. This was the woman who raised me the past 24 years. Dead. I cannot imagine a life without her in it. It felt fake.

"I know Hattie, I wish this was different." He said, gently rubbing my back.

We drove down the road to the funeral we held at our ranch. Memories start flooding my mind of the times my mother and I had. From the moment I could remember, she was my cheerleader, showing me what life had to offer and never taking anything for granted, and being by my side every step of the way. She taught me how to train my first horse, the one I still have to this day. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

We pulled up to the house, people's cars were parked along the gravel road, flowers lining the wooden fence and music playing in the background. This was a remembrance of life, a small look into the life my mother had and gave to others. My dad and I hop out of the truck and are immediately embraced by our friends, family, and others who knew of her and wanted to support us in this very hard time.

Drinks were passed around as I sat down by a table, taking a sip of my bourbon. It was a bad habit to drink on an occasion like this, but I needed it. Slideshows were playing of the pictures of my mother, on occasion seeing the both of us on our horses looking as happy as can be. I wish I could turn back time and relive the moments we have with each other.

I wish I could have told her I loved her one last time.

I sat alone, watching people talk to my father and giving their condolences, some offering their help and love to me as they passed by. Swirling the ice in my cup, I took one last sip before I heard a familiar voice behind me.

"Didn't know you would pick up on my bad habits, guess I'm rubbing off on you." The man chuckled. He had a very distinctive British accent that I recognized the second he spoke.

I turned around and locked eyes with the team leader of task force 141. "Captain!" I expressed, immediately getting up to offer a hand to him. He furrowed his brows and shook his head slowly embracing me in a warm hug.

"No need for the formality, Sloan. I'm here for ya. Anything you need, I'm here." He said, placing both of his hands on my shoulders, sensing the pain and agony I endured.

I smiled, and offered for him to sit down next to me. He enthusiastically accepted, and we began to drink together. For a split moment, Price had taken my mind off of everything with his presence. "Thank you for being here for me," I said while taking another sip of my drink, him following my actions. "I never expected you to come out here."

Price set down his drink and cleared his throat before speaking again. "Sloan, I didn't particularly come here for your mother, I wish things were different, with this whole situation," he panned his eyes around the guests. "But I came here for you." He stopped. I tilted my head in confusion, not knowing where he was getting at.

Price put his hand on top of mine before he spoke. "Hattie Sloan, I came here for you. I'm asking you to be a part of task force 141."

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Let me know if I need to fix anything. I'm not a professional at writing whatsoever, so if I need to change some things let me know! This was kind of a slow chapter, but kinda just leading into things. :)

Hope you guys enjoy. Seriously let me know if you want something put in here to make it more interesting. I'm open to things you guys want in this book!