Specter's Redemption |Ghost x Reader|

Retribution

(Y/n) slipped through the side door, her steps light and her breathing steady. The corridor beyond was dimly lit, the walls lined with old wiring and flickering lights. She could hear the faint echo of boots ahead—Graves moving quickly but not running. He thought he had the advantage.

"Not this time," (Y/n) muttered under her breath, grabbing a pistol from her boot.

The room was silent, save for the faint hum of an overhead light and the steady rhythm of (Y/n) 's boots against the cold concrete floor. Her hands pulled her pistol out of her holster; she was prepared for anything.

Graves stood in the center of the abandoned command center, his smug grin illuminated by the faint glow of a monitor. He turned slowly, his gaze locking onto her as if he'd been expecting her all along.

"You came all this way for me, huh, sweetcheeks?" he said, his voice dripping with mockery. "I should be flattered. Heard you've been running with Price and his merry little band of misfits. How's that working out for you?"

(Y/n) didn't answer immediately. Instead, she stepped forward, her eyes narrowing as she took in the man who had once been her lover.

(Y/n) stepped closer, her pistol trained on him, her finger hovering over the trigger.

"You left me in the desert to die," she hissed, her voice low and deadly. "You don't get to act smug about this."

"I did what I had to. You were a loose end. Nothing personal—just business." Graves chuckled darkly.

"Nothing personal?" (Y/n) 's grip on her pistol tightened. "You betrayed me, betrayed all of us, and you have the nerve to act like it was just another day at the office?"

"Oh, come on now. Don't act like you're so innocent. You knew what it was about. The missions we ran, the lines we crossed—don't pretend you didn't benefit from it." Graves chuckled, spreading his arms wide.

"I followed orders," (Y/n) shot back, her voice sharp. "I trusted you. We all did. You didn't just betray the Task Force—you betrayed the Shadows. You betrayed me."

"You think this is about betrayal? This is about survival. You're either the hunter or the prey, and I chose not to be prey. You should've done the same." Graves' expression hardened, his smile fading as he stepped closer.

"That's the difference between us, Graves. I don't see people as expendable. I don't use loyalty as a weapon." (Y/n) shook her head, her jaw tightening.

The room was tense for a moment, thick with unspoken words. Graves tilted his head, studying her with irritation and amusement.

"You're still clinging to that idealistic nonsense. It's gonna get you killed one day." Graves shrugged, stepping forward slightly, his hands held out in mock surrender. "You're angry. I get it. But you're not gonna pull that trigger. You're better than that, (Y/n)."

(Y/n) didn't waver, the barrel of her pistol steady as she tracked his every movement. "I should kill you right here, right now."

"But you won't," Graves interrupted, his tone taunting. "Because you're too scared to face me like a real soldier. Or is it 'cause deep down, you know you're still in love with me. Put the gun down. Let's settle this the old-fashioned way. Or are you afraid you'll lose?"

(Y/n)' s jaw tightened. She wanted nothing more than to end him here and now, but his words clawed at her pride. With a deep breath, she lowered her pistol and tossed it to the side, her glare never leaving his face.

"You want a fight?" she said, her voice cold and sharp. "Fine. Let's finish this."

"I knew you'd come around. Let's see if you've still got it, babe." Graves grinned, stepping forward and cracking his knuckles.

He lunged at her first, throwing a wild punch aimed at her jaw. (Y/n) sidestepped easily, her training kicking in. She countered with a sharp jab to his ribs, making him grunt in pain.

The fight escalated quickly, fists flying and bodies clashing as they circled the room. Graves managed to land a punch across her cheek, the force making her stumble back slightly.

"You're out of your league, (Y/n) !" Graves taunted, his confidence growing.

"You talk too much." (Y/n) wiped the blood from her lip and smirked.

She ducked under his next punch and came up with an uppercut that connected with his nose. The sickening crunch of cartilage echoed through the room, followed by Graves' howl of pain as blood poured from his nose.

"Damn you!" he spat, clutching his face.

(Y/n) didn't give him a moment to recover. She shoved him backward, slamming him into a crate. Graves staggered but managed to glare at her through the blood dripping down his face.

"You can't do it," he said, his voice nasally and full of venom. "You can beat me to a pulp, but you don't have the guts to kill me. You're weak, (Y/n). Always have been."

(Y/n) stepped forward, fury burning in her eyes. "Weak?" she repeated, her voice low and dangerous.

She moved faster than Graves could react, sweeping his legs out from under him and pinning him to the ground. In one fluid motion, she drew her knife and plunged it into his shoulder, earning a guttural scream from him.

"You think I'm weak?" she hissed, leaning close as she twisted the blade slightly. "You don't get to decide what I am, Graves. Not anymore ."

Graves writhed beneath her, his breathing ragged and pained. "You'll regret this, Specter," he gasped.

(Y/n) pulled the blade out with a sharp tug, blood pooling beneath him. She stood, her breathing heavy as she wiped the blade clean on her thigh.

"You're not worth the bullet. Too easy of a way out for you." She said coldly, turning her back on him and walking toward the door.

Graves coughed behind her, laughter bubbling through his pain. "You think letting me live makes you strong? You'll never be rid of me."

(Y/n) paused at the doorway, pulling a grenade from her vest. She held it up, letting Graves see it before pulling the pin.

"I want you to feel every ounce of your death." she said, tossing the grenade back into the room.

She ran down the hallway, the explosion roaring behind her. The force of the blast shook the ground, and when she turned back, she saw the room collapse in on itself. Rubble piled high, and smoke billowed out from the wreckage.

(Y/n) stood for a moment, catching her breath and watching the debris settle. Then, without another glance, she turned and headed back to the hangar, her steps steady and unyielding.

Graves was done.