Call of Duty Ghosts: The Young Soldier

Chapter 3

2 ½ weeks later...

David sat back from the console, running his fingers through his hair. He glanced to the side, then sat up when he saw Trent leaning on the railing of the overlook. Standing up, David walked over, stopping a few feet behind him. 

"Trent?" He said, and Trent tensed, then let out a breath. 

"Hey, Dave." He said softly, and David raised his eyebrow. He walked over next to his friend to see him staring out at the beach. Following his gaze, David saw Logan giving Axel another lesson how to shoot a gun. 

The beach was still riddled with craters and bullet shells, even after these long three years. The scars still remained. 

Then he heard Trent sigh, and he looked back to see that his face was flat and pained. 

David tilted his head. "Trent, what is it? You've been...off." He said, and Trent turned his head away. 

"David, how can you even still talk to me?" He asked forcefully, and David shook his head. 

"What? What do you mean?" He asked with confusion, and Trent spun his gaze back. 

"I mean how can you still even look at me after what I did, David?! I killed Keegan right in front of you! Then I tried to kill you, too! How can you just stand there like it didn't happen?!" He shouted, and David's eyes widened as he stepped back. 

"Trent..." He murmured, but Trent turned his head away again. 

"You can't even imagine the guilt I carry with me every single day. I was also one of the ones who killed Logan's brother if you don't recall. I shot Slate and killed him, I tortured Keegan, I led the Ghosts into a trap, I bombed West Point and killed Keegan Russ. And now, somehow, I'm standing here in an American soldier's uniform with a Ghost mask around my neck. How can any of you even trust me after what happened?!" He yelled, spinning around again with anger and pain in his eyes. 

Down below, Logan and Axel had looked up, and Axel's eyes were wider than the moon. 

"What?.." He said quietly, and Logan's mouth hung open, eyes full of pain and heartbreak. 

David opened his mouth to say something, eyes wide, then closed it upon finding no words. 

Trent nodded slowly. "Yeah. Thought so. When Davis, Ramon, and I were captured here at the fall of the fort, I wish that the Feds had put a bullet in my brain, David. I wish that more than anything now." He muttered, and David's eyes grew huge. 

"Trent, don't say that. You're a soldier with us now. You're a Ghost because Logan gave you a second chance! You're a Ghost because you're strong enough to be one! You're our brother!" He exclaimed, and Trent shook his head. 

"Not anymore. I can't take the guilt anymore. I can't look at you all without the scene of what happened at West Point playing out in my head. I'm done." He said, pulling the Ghost mask off. He glanced up at David, then tossed the mask to the ground.

Turning, he stalked off into the command center, then down the stairs. David stood in shock for a moment, then bent to pick up Trent's mask. He stared at it in his hands, then his head snapped up. 

"TRENT, WAIT!" He shouted, running back into the command center. He sprinted down the stairs, then stopped when he saw the open locker, emptied of its gear, one gun missing from the wall. David's heartbeat quickened, shaking his head. 

"Trent..." 

He then heard footsteps behind him, and he spun to see Logan and Axel running up. Logan met his eyes, then saw the open locker. His gaze slowly trained back, and he sighed. 

"He's gone?" He asked quietly, and David nodded silently, staring at the mask he still grasped tightly in his hand.

Axel raised his eyes to Logan. "Did...did he really mean all those things he said? What...what he did?" He asked, his voice small and afraid. 

Logan stopped, closing his eyes, then let out a long breath. "He...yes. I wish it weren't true. He was a good man. Better than he thinks he is." Logan replied, and Axel shook his head, wide-eyed. 

"But...he killed your brother?! And did all those other things?! He couldn't have...NO!" He shouted, and David grabbed Axel's shoulder. 

"Look, none of us want to think about it any more than you do! But we can't change the past! Trent is awol, and we have to find him-" 

"No." 

David looked up to see Logan's head hung low, fists clenched. 

"No, we don't. As much as I care about him, Trent left. We have bigger things to worry about right now, David! Just accept the fact that he's gone and he's not coming back!" Logan yelled, and both Axel and David went silent. 

Logan's angered eyes burned into David, then he nodded upstairs. "Get back to the console. We're done here." He ordered harshly, and David's eyes met his, the pain in them unbearable. He nodded, then slowly walked past Logan, who watched him go. 

Axel's heart had stopped, then he slowly backed up. 

"Logan...?" He asked fearfully, and the man's gaze turned on the young boy. 

"Axel, you have to accept some things the way they are. Things change, and sometimes you can't do anything about it. That's life. Deal with it." He told him, and Axel's lip quivered, then he shook his head. 

"NO! I WON'T DEAL WITH IT! TRENT WAS MY FRIEND, AND I AM NOT LETTING HIM LEAVE!" He yelled, then spun to grab his pack from his locker, a .45 from the rack, then sprinted past his Captain, who spun around. 

"MONTOYA! GET BACK HERE!" He yelled, but the boy was far gone. 

Logan let out a heavy breath, then closed his eyes, fists clenched. He gritted his teeth, then shook his head. 

"GODDAMMIT!!" He screamed, swinging his fist to connect with the locker, creating a sizeable dent. 

Breathing hard, Logan dropped his hand, then stumbled back against the wall, putting his head in his hands. 

"What am I doing...?" He murmured, then slid down the wall to the floor, squeezing his eyes shut as his chest grew tight.

"What do I do...?"