Undeniable || Simon "Ghost" Riley ||

Chapter 7

Tension unleashed

We got him, we finally did it. That's what everybody was thinking the moment they put Hassan in the back of their exfil car. But what confused Hattie, was the fact that the whole situation turned on itself when Laswell told their team to turn him loose, and get more intel. Her mind was wandering every which way. Why would we turn him loose, only to be on a wild goose chase again trying to find him? But then, holding him hostage was not in their rights. They didn't have enough proof, so he had to be released.

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Settled in the desolate landscape of Mexico nestled within the rugged terrain, Ajelandro's base served as a sanctuary for task force 141 and the rest of Alejandro's team. Although most of them lived close enough that they went home to their families. They arrived in the night, stars littering the sky like fireflies, flickering upon the earth below.

They all grabbed their gear, itching for a warm shower to rid them of the humid and foul-smelling clothing from the day's work. Like a little kid fighting her brothers over who got the first shower, Hattie grabbed her things and ran as fast as her legs could take her to the rooms they were staying in.

She walked into the room, taking in the rather large place, with bunk beds lining the wall, and two desks on either side of the door she had just closed. She hurriedly unpacked her clothes for the night, taking out shorts and a sports bra, taking in the fact that the Mexican air does not let up on being hot as hell. Even at night. She exhaled, sitting on the edge of the bed taking off her combat boots that were still drenched with water.

After taking a towel from one of the closets next to the bathroom, she closed the door and started stripping off her clothes one by one until stepping into the highly pressurized shower. This shower felt like nothing she's ever felt before, slowly washing away the grime and dirt from the river. The steam rising throughout the bathroom created a therapeutic atmosphere, soothing her body and forgetting about anything in the moment.

Lathering up the liquid soap that she was given, she wasted no time in scrubbing her whole body, washing the burdens of the day away. The aroma of lavender and white tea filled the air, carrying a calming air as she scrubbed her hair until it was normal again. She turned around in the shower, water splashing her face as she tilted her head back, never wanting to leave the place she was in.

She turned off the water, droplets falling from the showerhead in a continuous beat. She dried off her body, flipping her hair to get most of the water out with the strands of hair gripping onto the midline of her back. She put on her shorts, almost being a little too short, but it didn't matter, she was alone in her room after all. Placing the sports bra over her head, she adjusted it to fit correctly over her chest, and walked out to her room.

Looking back at her were two wide-eyes and a slightly agape mouth staring back at her. It seemed like a Mexican stand off between her and Soap. Not one member of the room wanted to make a move. Just cold, hard staring. Well, Hattie was staring at him. His eyes would occasionally look down at her body, then back up again. He had never seen her other than her combat gear, and the one time where her tank top lifted up when they were sparring, but nothing like this.

"Johnny, have you heard anything from the C-" Ghost came from around from the bunk beds, stopping as he looked up and saw the silhouette of Hattie's physique, with the light from the bathroom casting a light from behind her.

She noticed Ghost staring too, but couldn't tell what was under his mask. Just his eyes. But his eyes told her more than if his mask was off. From her point of view, they held a small amount of shock, but something else she couldn't quite put her finger on. She didn't know, but he was looking at her with desire. Maybe she was gaslighting herself into wanting him to look at her as more than just a comrade. Hell, she hadn't had any interesting action with the guys until now. Maybe they were just trying to be respectful.