Fighter (Simon Ghost Riley!)

Rescue

Roach came round first, the pain as whatever moved him seemed to wake him, his whole body was numb as his eyes slowly focused, two shadow company soldiers, one holding under his arms the other holding his ankles. He didn't have the energy to move, to even blink, he stayed motionless as they carried him.

They threw him roughly into a ditch, his head fell to the side and he watched slowly as they threw ghosts body in next to him.

He wanted to scream, to fight, to jump up and kill Shepard. But he couldn't move. He was trapped inside his own body, to weak to move a muscle.

One of the soldiers walked over holding a red Jerry can. He poured the liquid on and around the pair. Roach couldn't miss the strong smell of petrol that filled his nose, it turned his stomach making him want to vomit as he realised what was coming.

"Yeah I don't suppose burning to death would be great"

At least ghost wouldnt feel it. He wouldn't know. Shepard stood over roach, staring into the young sargents eyes, a cigar between his lips.

Roach stared back, watching. He didn't know if Shepard knew he was alive or not, the smirk Shepard gave roach told roach, the general did know the Sargent was alive, but he simply didn't care.

Shepard shot a wink towards roach before flicking his cigar to the ground at their feet, The Sargent felt the heat as the petrol surrounding them erupted in flames, It climbed around him beginning to burn his legs, even through his heavy trousers. Shepard waved his hand before disappearing into a pave low.

Roach laid motionless watching as flames burned between him and ghost, consuming them entirely, the intense heat, the pain shredding through his legs as the fabric of his trousers melted and moulded with his skin.

He thought of his family. How they would probably never find out what happened. He wondered if they would mourn him? Or if Shepard would tarnish his reputation. Something in him snapped. The thought of his mother staying up late countless nights or crying herself to sleep while sat in his childhood room.

His legs began to bend almost of their own accord, he glanced at his legs unable to tell now what was the fabric of his burnt trousers or his flesh. He used what little strength he had to push him self onto his front, somehow unknown to roach he managed to push himself onto shaky feet, he stumbled a few steps towards ghost. Ghost groaned as his arm caught fire the flames quickly dancing towards his chest.

Roach grabbed the back of ghosts collar with all his strength and dragged the lieutenant from the flames, he used his hands to pat out the fire on ghost and then himself.

Ghost groaned at the sensation burning through his body. Everytime something touched his arm excruciating pain fired through his veins. He slowly began to come round, his body ached and hurt. He opened his eyes and watched as roach laid back on the floor next to him.

"Roach?" Ghost spoke, his voice horse and broken. Roach turned his head slightly looking towards the lieutenant.

"Yeah?" Roach answered.

"Are we dead?" Simon questioned, he almost didn't want to hear roaches answer. He didn't want the Sargent to confirm his worst thought.

"Not yet" was all Gary managed to say before coughing and groaning in pain. They heard the crackle of the fire in the ditch they had once laid in. If it wasn't for roach... Simon would be gone.

"Your a bloody jinx ya know" Roach let out a small pained chuckle.

"Yeah I know" was all Simon could say, he weakly lifted his arm that wasn't hurting and pulling his mask from his face, he wiped the blood from his hands on the mask before pressing it to the wound on his chest hoping to ease the bleeding.

The wind picked up as the sound of an engine drew near, ghost turned his head slightly and saw a dark truck driving up towards the pair, a small groan leaving his lips.

"Well at least we got an extra five minutes" ghost tried to make like of their impending doom. He figured shepard had sent a clean up crew, ready to destroy any evidence of the fire.

"Yeah... there is that" roach grumbled, he could feel his body already giving up. With any luck he would pass out and die before the truck got to them.

The truck skidded to a stop and four men jumped out carrying AK's. three took defensive positions around the car while one man jogged over towards the pair.

He had a clean shaven head, and wore tactical gear. His face was dirty as he gently wiped it on the back of his hand.

He said something in Russian calling one of the men over, the man jogged over and began helping roach to his feet.

"My friend your lucky we found you!" He spoke pulling ghost to his feet, ghost wrapped his arm around the stranger.

"W-who-" Ghost began but he was to weak to speak.

"Your friend... adder sent us." When he mentioned her name, ghost knew they were safe. The first man helped roach into the car.

"Adder?" Ghost questioned. Was this the secret she had been keeping. All those months?

"I'm yuri... a friend of Nikolais." He spoke introducing himself. He helped ghost into the car. As ghost finally relaxed into the seat, one of the men began tending to his wounds as best they could in the cramped conditions.

The ringing of a phone woke ghost slightly, he didn't know if he'd passed out or willingly fallen asleep.

"Hello?" Yuri spoke as he answered the phone, he rested it between his shoulder and his ear. Ghost didn't say anything. He barely opened his eyes, his body too weak as he lent against the window of the car heading to an unknown destination.

"Da...they are in bad shape but they should make it" with that the conversation ended. Ghost didn't know who yuri was talking to and he didn't really care. He just hoped that wherever he was being taken addy would be there.