The Bullet's Whistle (Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Fanfiction)

Chapter 5

    I exited the cafeteria area to track down Soap in a timely manner. My feet led me through the halls in silence, the thought of being deep underwater at the back of my head. I'd always hated water because I'd never been a strong swimmer.
    "Sam."
    I stopped and spun around to face General Shepherd. He stood squarely, his greying hair making him look wise and experienced. I dipped my head to him in respect.
    "Soap told me about today."
    My gut lurched.
    "I'm rather proud."
    "Oh," I almost coughed. "Thank you."
    "He said bringing you to the Task Force was an excellent idea. You accomplished the mission. You fit in well."
    I forced my lips to stay in a straight line.
    "We haven't had the best father-daughter reunion," Shepherd stepped forwards, "and I'm sorry for that. Things have been..."
    "Hectic," I completed, nodding. "It's okay."
    "Your mother would be proud of you," my father smiled to the thought. "It's a shame she can't see it."
    "Mom went at the right time," I breathed, lowering my gaze. "She...she couldn't have handled all of this."
    "I regret not being able to be there for you—for both of you," he brought me into a rare hug and I slowly accepted it. "I needed to be more of a father to you."
    I sucked on my lower lip, closing my eyes against his chest. While we weren't in the best place, an embrace from my father was the thing needed at the moment. I tried to enjoy the seconds.
    "Remember that family always comes first," Shepherd released me just enough to look at my face. "No matter what we stick together."
    "I know dad."
    He released me entirely, straightening his uniform top. "Now. Where were you headed?"
    "I," I paused, "I needed to speak with Captain MacTavish actually."
    Shepherd only nodded his head in deep thought. "What for?"
    "I need to apologize for a couple of things I did out there today."
    He studied me for a long moment. "You are very similar to your mother. She also had a soft heart for apologizing and making things right."
    My jaw clenched, joyful mood gone. "I know."
    He paused only a second, as if maybe regretting his comment, before continuing down the hallway past me. I followed his figure with my eyes until I couldn't and then sighed. Shepherd never regretted anything and he never would.
    I continued down a separate hallway, hearing the clanking of weights. I slowed upon reaching the entrance to the smaller workout room, holding the doorframe as I entered. Soap was doing a bench press with his back to the doorway.
    He was up to 230 pounds and I silently made my way closer to watch him. His muscles popped as he did a second rep and my gut burned with an unwanted dose of desire. Sweat burned out of his skin and into his white tee as he came back down, shoulder muscles flexing.
    As he went up for his third rep, his arms were shaking with the effort. I continued forwards, meeting the back of the bench just in time to lift the bar from falling. Soap let out a grunt at seeing me, his eyes narrowing into a glare.
    "You know, it's dangerous to not have a spotter," I mused, barely helping him bring it up the rest of the way.
    "Don't need one."
    "Clearly," I snorted, helping him hook the bar. "That your heaviest?"
    "No," he sat up, taking a swig of water. "I can usually do more."
    I came around, standing diagonally from him. "You're fatigued from today. You should rest."
    Soap only gave a low glare as he took another sip of water. I gazed around at the equipment; it had been a few weeks since working out and my muscles itched to do so. Slowly, I walked around to the pull up bar and jumped up.
    "We didn't get off on the right side of things," I spoke as I pumped out a few pull ups with ease. "It's my fault."
    Soap continually watched me, sweat dripping down the sides of his face. I finally settled at eight reps and then landed on the ground with a sigh.
    "Shepherd told me what you said," I blurted and Soap narrowed his eyes. "Thank you...for telling the truth, I mean."
    "I will admit you're a good addition to the team."
    "Thank you. I'm sorry for doubting earlier," I lowered my gaze once.
    "I'm sorry for calling you what I did."
    "What you said is true though," I walked forwards to sit at the edge of the bench he straddled and gaze at the matted floor. "I've always struggled to be a team player."
    "There are more good things to that than bad."
    "Maybe," I shrugged, raising my gaze to his curious blue one. "I promise I'm trying."
    "I believe you."
    I wanted to bring up the other bother on my mind: our first meeting. However, the subject only brought a level of bitterness for us both. I didn't want to ruin the steps I'd already taken with him.
    "Anything else to say?"
    I shook my head, forcing a smile on my lips.
    "Well," Soap cleared his throat, leaning closer to me on his knee, "since we're getting things off our chests, I want to tell you how much that night has been bothering me." My heart shuddered to his words. "It shouldn't have happened."
    "It shouldn't have."
    "Both of us should've been more careful," Soap sat back, licking his lips. "Asking you who you were—"
    "I didn't know you either," I interrupted. "Either way...we still would have..."
    "We are supposed to be a team," Soap's accented voice hardened. "Are we going to start to be one now?"
    I nodded. "Of course."
    Soap's lips twitched into a tiny smile and he stuck his hand out. I slowly shook his clammy hand, feeling him squeeze firmly. Despite our shared words of disgust for the first night, a jitter still rippled in my chest—a nervous, excitable jitter.
    "I'm holding you to it."
    "Right back at you sir."
    Soap then stood and moved for the door. I stood quicker, fiddling with my fingers.
    "Soap?"
    "Aye?" he turned in the doorway, raising an eyebrow.
    "I will warn you that my smart mouth never goes away."
    He smirked. "I think I can handle that much."
    I smirked as well, watching him disappear from the weight room. Once alone, I let out a sigh and stood. My legs were fatigued from the day of sprinting across favela structures and all over hills, but I could handle the pinch of aching pain. I'd been through worse conditions.
    My feet curiously led me back towards the command room. Shepherd would have answers as to what would happen next and how strategy would play out. Typically strategy was one of the only things we ever agreed on. That, and torture tactics.
    "It must be done quickly and cleanly, no other witnesses."
    I paused to the low hiss of a voice further to the left. Inside the darkened room were two random soldiers who I couldn't place names to. One was holding a file while the other snapped out orders in a nervous manner.
    Before either one of the men could spot me hanging in the doorway, I rolled back into a darkened crevice against the two walls that met by the doorway.
    "Shepherd has ordered ultimate, complete privacy with this task."
    "You got it sir. No one will be any wiser."
    I sucked in a breath as the two exited the room in a burst of silence. One passed my hiding spot without a glance, the other heading the opposite direction. I double-checked my surroundings before entering the small office.
    My hands juggled the papers scattered about on the desk as I searched for a copy of the file; there were always copies. The computer screen was still on, revealing an informational PDF of a soldier by the name of Marcus Williams. I studied his short, strawberry-blonde hair and his almond-shaped green eyes. He was one of the two soldiers by the looks of it, the one walking away with the file currently.
    I hustled around the desk, stumbling over a box of papers, as I tried to catch up to the runaway stranger. At the same time, the older soldier—his embroidered name said "Lt. Lowe"—came into the doorway. I straightened with a gargled clearing of the throat and glared at the man.
    "General Shepherd was asking for your attention in the east wing," I spoke firmly.
    "Shepherd called it a night just a half hour ago," Lowe eyed me cautiously. "Hall...you must be his daughter."
    I ignored the interested rise in his tone. "Well, I just spoke to him. Perhaps it was a misunderstanding. Now if you'll excuse me."
    I pressed past his lanky form, barely escaping his poky aura. Lowe's eyes stayed pressed on my back as I briskly followed after Marcus Williams. If he dared to follow me as well, I'd make him regret it. Comrade or not, I didn't trust what had just happened with him and Williams.
    "Marcus Williams," I called out upon seeing the little snake prance through the hallways.
    He glanced over his shoulder and then rolled his eyes. "As if my night couldn't get worse." He stopped and faced me with a smile, oblivious to me hearing and seeing all. "Samantha Hall, I was told I'd run into you eventually."
    "What's that file you have there?" I looked pointedly towards the thick object underneath his left arm.
    "Oh just a delivery," Williams shrugged. "I'd rather be sleeping."
    "Wouldn't we all," I murmured and then stepped forwards, holding out a palm. "General Shepherd has asked me to review the file before it's shipped off."
    Marcus looked to my hand and then back to my calm hazel gaze. "Truly, it's all prepared. Shepherd reviewed it just before he clocked in for the night."
    "Did he?" I cocked my head, growing more impatient. "I was just told otherwise by him."
    Marcus glanced to something behind me and then shook his head. "This is a very private matter, ma'am. I can't let you see this."
    "All right then," I slapped my hands together. "Let's play that game—"
    As I stepped again to intervene, there was a hard blow to the left side of my head. I stumbled to the side, slamming into the nearby wall with a moan of agony. The person behind me let out a satisfied huff.
    "No one was to stop you, Williams."
    "It's his daughter...I couldn't just keep moving. You know her reputation just as I do."
    "If that's the case then you better leave this sub before she comes back to."
    I wiggled through my dizzy head, shaking at an attempt to come to better. The same two men were exchanging final words as I managed to gain a sense of up and down. Williams darted off again, leaving Lowe to hover over me like a damn bodyguard.
    "Bastard," I groaned, feeling a bit of blood pulse in my eyes from the impact.
    "I didn't mean to hit you that hard."
    "Don't worry, I'll hit you much harder once I can," I growled.
    "Samantha Hall," Lowe chuckled, crouching. "What puny threat."
    "Puny?" I hissed and then launched the toe of my right boot upwards into Lowe's groin. He doubled back in pain, holding the area as he howled in agony. "Fuck you."
    "Sam?"
    I looked over to the voice of Roach. "I thought you went to bed."
    "I heard commotion," he reminded me that his quarters weren't far. "What's going on?"
    I pushed myself up, a little unsteady but ready to go after Williams again. "I have to go. Don't let this bastard out of your sight. You hear me?"
    "Yes ma'am," Roach didn't question a damn thing as I dizzily jogged the way Marcus had gone.
    "Where'd you go, you fucker?" I demanded.
    There was a slam from heavy doors and I spun to face them. Williams was already well on his way through the rest of the submarine, file under his arm. He was headed for an exit and I moved to follow.
    The doors of the second set locked in place when I went for them. I cursed, pushing once more to open them with no luck. Someone had arranged for the pair to lock once Williams got through.
   "Fuck," I growled and moved back through the hallways.
    Roach was still standing above Lowe when I returned with a massive headache. He raised his curious hazel gaze, muscled arms crossed. I panted, wiping at a bit of sweat forming at my temple.
    "What exactly is going on?"
    I raised my gaze to him. "Long story, but all I know is that this bastard is going in a holding cell."