Hotel Six: A Call of Duty Fanfiction

Chapter 5: Ghost

"I don't like that man... I must get to know him better." ~Abraham Lincoln

Click. Click. Click...

Price felt a presence in the room with his as he pushed the last round into his magazine. Jessica was leaning in through the window to the covered range.

"Good morning, sir."

A grin of recognition crossed his face. "Good morning, Sergeant Repp. I imagine you slept well last night? I haven't seen you show up this early in-"

"Price, I need to talk to you about last night." She covered her mouth, realizing she had interrupted him, and breathed out a sigh when he waited for her to continue. "Listen, I'm really sorry you saw me break down like that. I've not been myself since Russia, and normally I try not to burden anyone with my problems, but last night I just... couldn't keep myself together? But it made me realize that I need to start pulling my weight again; I want to make it up to you and..."

"You're not a burden." She looked up at him and he stood up, stepping to the window. "I'm glad you'll be taking your job seriously again, but you don't have to make anything up to me. Just show up early like you're supposed to and do your job, and if you need help, ask." He leaned against the wall so that his elbows rested on the window sill across from her. "I'm here when you need me."

Her eyes scrolled him up and down. "You're sure?"

"Of course. We're a team, and teammates look out for each other."

She scoffed, sliding her hand across the rough wooden sill next to his. "I meant you're sure I don't have to make it up to you."

"You make it sound like you want me to reprimand you," he purred.

"No, sir. I just wanted to make sure we're good." 

A tiny spark of electricity bit her fingers as he laid his hand over the top of hers with a chuckle. "Yeah, Jess. We're good." He patted her hand and stepped out the door beside her. "Grab a sniper. We've got the long range to ourselves today."

She watched him go, rubbing her fingertips over the divet in her chest and noticed a warmth radiating from it. Her hand was still tingling from his touch and she felt a mild grin pulling at her mouth. "Yes, sir..."

Griffen grumbled to himself as yet another shot pulled to the right. "Gal, can you take a look at this?" She looked up at him and he adjusted himself. "I feel like I'm sitting perfectly still, but all of my shots are going astray, and I've adjusted this stupid scope a million times."

She knelt beside him and eyes his shoulder, noticing it stiffening as he fired. "Ah, you're jerking your shots. Relax this muscle right here." She poked her finger into the muscle in his back and smiled when his next shot hit the center of the paper. "Perfect!"

"You'd think I'd have the hang of this by now..."

Jess settled back down beside him, gazing down her scope. "No worries, Private. We all do it. Even I jerk shots now and then when I'm not focusing."

He scoffed. "No way in hell, mate, I've seen you shoot. You're damn good."

"I'm still not perfect."

"Really?" He narrowed his eyes. "Prove it."

"Well, I'm not gonna mess up on purpose just to make you feel better." She breathed out half-way and began to squeeze the trigger.

"BOO."

POW!

Jessica bristled as she saw the shot pierce the target far outside of her grouping in the center. Griffen was laughing and she rolled over to see Ghost standing above her. "Really, you dill weed?"