Contagious || Ghost x Fem

𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐭

  In the hangar, your SAS teammates gathered around for a final farewell. Bullet, being wheeled out by a nurse, had bandages covering his wounds. Despite the injuries, his eyes reflected determination and gratitude. "Y/N," he said, the nurse gently maneuvering him closer to you. "You pulled me out of that mess back there. I owe you one." A small smile played on your lips as you nodded. "We've got each other's backs, Bullet. Always."

Krash, stepped forward, his expression a mix of pride and sadness because you'd be leaving. "You're made for this, Y/N. Remember, no matter where you go, you've got a family back here." He extended his arms for a hug and you returned the gesture. "Take care of yourself out there. And if anyone on the task force gives you trouble, you know where to find me."

Lieutenant Miller, observing the scene, approached with a firm handshake. "Y/N, you've been a fine asset to this team. Task Force 141 is gaining one hell of a soldier." You smiled and shook his hand with the same firmness. "Thank you, Lieutenant. It's been an honor serving with you all," you replied, your voice reflecting both gratitude and the bittersweet nature of farewells.

As you were saying your goodbyes to your team, Price approached to remind you the plane departs in five minutes.  "You take care, Y/N. And kick some ass over there," Bullet said with a determined smile, despite the evident pain. You nodded, a silent promise to carry the resilience and spirit of your SAS family into the covert world of Task Force 141. As you made your way towards the waiting plane, the hum of engines serving as a backdrop, you couldn't help but glance back at the faces of your comrades.

With a final salute to your SAS team, you boarded the plane, marking the end of one chapter and the beginning of another in the intricate tapestry of your military journey. The plane's engines roared as it taxied down the runway, and you found yourself comfortably seated next to Price. He reached into a bag at his side and pulled out a file, its contents marked with the seal of secrecy. "This contains the details of your soon-to-be teammates," Price said, handing you the cream-colored file. As you opened it, the faces of skilled operatives stared back at you, each photograph accompanied by a dossier of their expertise.

You began repeating the names as you read them, flipping through the different papers within the file. "Johnny 'Soap' MacTavish." Price nodded, acknowledging the mention of Soap. "Soap's been around for a while. His specialty is demolitions, and he's reliable under pressure. You'll learn a lot from him." His pride was evident. "Gary 'Roach' Sanderson," you read. "You lost him recently didn't you?" Price's gaze briefly hardened as you mentioned Roach. "Yes, we did. It was a tough loss for all of us. Roach was an exceptional soldier, and his absence hurts, but we carry on in his memory." He pulled the paper from the file, folded it, and put it in his vest pocket. "I remember Kate mentioning Yuri too. What happened on that mission?"

  Price leaned back in his seat, his eyes reflecting the pain of his losses. "Yuri and Roach were on a mission to gather intel from an Iranian base in Al Mazrah. It was a high-stakes operation, and things went sideways. They were more prepared than we anticipated, and the mission turned into a firefight. They fought valiantly, but in the chaos, they were outnumbered. Yuri was killed trying to cover Roach as they made their escape. Roach... he succumbed to his injuries later." The weight of the losses echoed in the conversation, a reminder of the sacrifices made in the pursuit of their shared objectives. "I'm sorry for your losses John. They sounded wonderful." Price nodded solemnly giving a faint smile. "Yuri and Roach were exceptional soldiers. Their sacrifice won't be forgotten." He said taking a deep breath.

  The conversation shifted to the other members, and you continued reading through the file. "Ghost?," you questioned, only to realize there was also no accompanying picture. You looked at Price with a raised eyebrow. "No photo of Ghost?" Price sighed, a touch of gravity in his voice. "Ghost prefers to keep his identity concealed, even from his own teammates. It's part of his mystique, and he's damn good at what he does. Just trust him to have your back when it counts." You nodded, even though you found it a bit strange to wear a mask outside of missions.  "When you see him you might recognize him. He used to be a part of the SAS but he was usually in his office or training recruits when he was on base."

As you turned to the last page, you couldn't help but feel a mix of surprise and nostalgia. There, staring back at you from the paper, was a familiar face – Kyle 'Gaz' Garrick. Memories flooded your mind of the missions you had undertaken together, the friendship forged in the crucible of conflict. A faint smile played on your lips as you traced the lines of his face in the photograph. "He said he was being transferred to a different base. I didn't know he was on the task force?"

"He probably bent the truth a bit, keeping your whereabouts safe is important here. Can't have everyone knowing who's doing what, you know?" He nudged you with his elbow, a half-smile playing on his lips.  "But hey, you'll be working closely with him now. A bit of a reunion, isn't it?" You nodded, closing the file and taking in the information you just learned. "Speaking of keeping your identity safe, you're gonna need a callsign since you'll be on more national security missions," he remarked. Your gaze shifted to the tattoo on your forearm – three intertwining snakes, a symbol that carried personal significance. After a moment of contemplation, you looked back at Price with determination. "Serpent. Call me Serpent." Price, a faint grin appearing on his rugged features, nodded approvingly. "Serpent. It's fitting, and I like it. Just remember, live up to that name out there." You hummed in agreement and laid on his shoulder.

"One more thing." He spoke. "You're in for one hell of a ride, Y/N. Just remember, trust is earned in this unit, and keep in mind some of them are still mourning. Losing their teammates hit them hard, and they might be a bit reserved. But you've proven yourself before, and I believe you'll find your place among them. Just give it time and respect their space."

"I'll keep that in mind." The rhythmic hum of the plane's engines and the steady motion lulled you into a state of quiet reflection. Resting against Price's shoulder, you let the weariness of recent events fade away, and you fell asleep.

1147 words