Specter's Redemption |Ghost x Reader|

Defiance in Silence

Soap and Gaz crouched over the ominous missile, their hands deftly maneuvering tools in a race against time. Their voices, a blend of urgency and focus, pierced the heavy silence, outlining each painstaking step in their delicate task. Nearby, Price stood like a sentinel, his piercing gaze locked onto Valeria, who was securely handcuffed and slumped against a stack of weathered crates, eyes filled with a mix of defiance and fear.

In the background, Alejandro moved with purpose, his rifle resting casually over his shoulder as he circled the area, his sharp eyes fixed on their captive, watching her every move like a hawk ready to strike. Price stood like a sentinel, his piercing gaze fixed on Valeria, who was securely handcuffed and slumped nearby as the team outlined each painstaking step in their delicate task.

"Keep talking," Price growled, his patience wearing thin. "You're only digging your grave deeper."

Suddenly, a deafening explosion echoed from outside, shaking the very foundations of the hangar. Dust and debris began to rain down from the ceiling, creating a surreal cloud in the dim light. The team instinctively dropped low, their hearts racing, eyes wide with shock and fear. Alejandro, caught in mid-step, stood paralyzed as his face twisted into a mask of concern. He scanned the room, his breath quickening as he processed the urgency of the situation, knowing that whatever had just happened could change everything.

"Where's (Y/n)?" Price snapped, his eyes darting around the room, desperation etched across his face. His voice prompting everyone to freeze mid-action.

"(Y/n), how copy?" Alejandro shouted, the urgency in his tone slicing through the tension as he barked into his comms, his grip tightening around the device.

Silence hung in the air.

"(Y/n), respond!" Price barked again, his authoritative voice tinged with a concern that sent a ripple of anxiety through the group.

"She went after Graves, didn't she?" Soap interjected, glancing up from the missile.

"(Y/n), sit rep!" Alejandro pleaded once more, his voice cracking slightly, revealing the strain of the moment.

A full minute stretched into an eternity, each passing second thick with unspoken fears and dread. Valeria leaned back slightly, the corners of her mouth curling into a smirk, her amusement a sharp contrast to the tension in the room.

"Looks like you lost your little Specter," she taunted, her voice dripping with mocking delight, further fraying their already taut nerves.

Before anyone could voice their concerns, the comms suddenly crackled to life, filling the silence with a familiar voice.

"I'm fine, relax," (Y/n) drawled, her tone deceptively light but tinged with unmistakable exhaustion. "Had to take out the trash."

"Dios mío, (Y/n), you scared the hell out of us!" A wave of relief washed over Alejandro, prompting a grin to blossom.

"You're welcome," (Y/n) shot back cheekily, though the fatigue weighing her down was evident in her voice.

Price's voice chimed in next, firm yet relieved. "(Y/n). Hangar. Now."

"On my way," she confirmed.

.Minutes stretched into what felt like hours, and finally, (Y/n) made her entrance into the cavernous hangar. Her footsteps resonated with a steady rhythm, yet the fatigue etched into her movements told a far more harrowing tale. The tactical vest clung to her frame, its fabric marred by streaks of dirt and thick, acrid black soot—testament to the chaos she had just navigated. A faint bruise was beginning to bloom on her cheek, an unwelcome souvenir from her latest confrontation, the purplish hue contrasting sharply against her skin. As she drew closer to the group, she took a moment to wipe her bloodied knuckles on her combat pants, the coarse fabric eagerly absorbing the remnants of her struggle.

"What did I miss?" she asked, her tone casual as if she hadn't just taken on Graves alone.

"More than we'd like," Soap said, giving her a once-over. "You alright, lass?"

"Been through worse," (Y/n) replied with a shrug, her gaze shifting to Valeria.

Valeria's smirk returned with a flicker of mischief, her lips curving into a sly grin that betrayed a mixture of contempt and amusement.

"Tough as ever, aren't you, Specter?" she taunted, her voice smooth yet laced with venom.

"But you can't outrun your past forever." Her tone shifted, growing darker and more foreboding. "It'll catch up to you faster than you realize."

"You'll rot in a cell." (Y/n) stepped closer, her gaze icy.

"We'll see about that." Valeria leaned in slightly.

"Enough," Price stepped between the two women. He gestured to Valeria. "Get her out of here. Now."

Alejandro and Rudy stood on either side of Valeria, guiding her toward the waiting transport. Valeria strode forward with an air of confidence, her head held high, and a defiant smirk playing at the corners of her lips. Valeria would never face the consequences that the Task Force had promised her, she knew that much.

As the team reconvened, Price's gaze fell on (Y/n), his face a mask of contemplation.

"You didn't need to go after him alone," he stated at last, his voice steady yet laced with concern.

"I didn't have to. But I needed to." (Y/n) admitted, her voice full of vulnerability as she gave a slight shrug.

Price, sensing the depth behind her statement, nodded thoughtfully, but chose not to pry further. He understood that (Y/n)'s silence spoke louder than her words, and there was a message in (Y/n)'s admission that he respected. With a gentle, reassuring pat on her back, he guided her away from the hangar, where the hum of machinery provided a backdrop to their quiet conversation.

"C'mon, it's time to head out," he encouraged his tone firm yet supportive. "Hasaan is waiting."