Roach

Chapter 16

After running a few training courses, Price had returned with all of the guys he took except Ghost. Before Soap or I could ask any questions, Price told us to gear up. He looked tired though determined. Soap waved me off, while he tried to get more information out of Price. Something felt off, but oddly in a controlled sort of way.

We gathered a force of ten or so, including Price and Soap, and headed east. Price explained that we were heading to assist Ghost, though not much else was told. Soap gives me a look, as if he'll tell me later though I'm not sure he would. It took hours to finally reach the Ukraine and a few more for us to drive to a grade school in the country.

"Ghost should be in place." Price says, as we study the school. "They have hostages." He looks down to his watch. "Ten minutes... Archer, Meat, Utah. Recon. Find where they're holding everyone without alerting the Russians."

The three of them nod, "Yes sir." They walk off, drudging through the snow as quietly as they can. They radio, saying that there's a classroom fulled with people, that Ghost is in the middle.

Five minutes left. 

"Wait for Ghost's signal." Price commands through comms. He then turns to Soap. "I want you, Roach, and Jester on the roof. Repel up and wait."

"Understood sir," Soap states, motioning for Jester and I to follow. We get to the building then repel up. Soap gets us to follow him as we shuffle, as a collective, towards the room that we were told Ghost and the hostages were in. Soap then glances down to his watch. "It's past three..."

"Toad, are you in place in the chopper?" Price questions through comms.

"Yes sir." Toad replies.

"Soap?"

"In place." Soap immediately responds.

"Then it's on Ghost."

Not long after Price says that, we hear a gun shot. Soap nods and the three of us repel down and crash through the window. There's a handful of bad guys alongside the children and a teacher. Ghost yells at them to take cover as Soap, Jester, and I open fire on the enemy soldiers. One of the soldiers takes a hostage, though it's quickly dealt with from a shot from Toad. I glance out and see that he's sitting in the chopper, ensuring that we can deal with them all. Price storms through the building, clearing out whoever else. 

Ghost watches as we start to escort the kids out, though one of them stop. A blond girl asks Ghost something, which leads him to chuckle a little, then say in English, "True enough for that lot." The girl seems to nod then go off, catching up with the others that we're ushering out into the hall. 

Price tells us that he will sort it out with half of the men that were with us, sending Soap, Ghost, a few others, and myself home. That Soap will get another mission before too long and that we should rest up on the way there. Ghost puts an arm around me when we get outside.

"Never a break, right mate?" He glances over to me, a tired looks in his eyes.

I smile a little, "Never a break."

When we get onto the chopper, Ghost takes his mask off. I get handed a first aid kit, making me roll my eyes. I wipe the blood that's starting to dry on the side of his face, semi by his temple. 

"So..." I start, drawing a little more attention form him. "What was the plan..?"

"Let myself get caught, give 'em a story, then take care of the bad guys. Pretty simple." He responds, closing his left eye a little as I dab the blood by it.

"'Pretty simple'..." I repeat in an almost mocking manner. "Had us worried, since you didn't come back with Price."

"Worried that you'd have to get a new roommate?"

"Oooh, you wanted to room with me?"

He smiles a little, "Thought that was implied."

"'Implied'? You say that as if I like you." I push him a little, putting the bloody rag down and to the side so it can get thrown away.

He laughs a little, "Well maybe I got the impression that you did, bug."

"Then you must be delusional." I say in a joking manner. "You shoulda been there, MacTavish formally asked me to room with him--"

"You're rooming with Mac?"

"Yeah, like I said, he asked."

"Damn, and here I was thinking you read my mind."

"In your dreams, Ghost."

"That a threat, bug?" His smile seems to grow, "You'll room with me one way or another."

I shake my head, "You really are delusional," I chuckle. "Though I'm sure Archer will be hurt that you don't want to room with him."

"You put me with Archer?"

"He was by himself, and you didn't specifically ask to room with me."

He sticks his tongue out a little then laughs, "Okay, okay, fair."

I make sure that he's not bleeding anywhere else but can just about guess that he has a concussion. He shrugs my suggestion to not sleep off and leans back, placing his mask over his face instead of putting it back on again. I hand the first aid kit off then sit next to him, knowing I should wake him after a few hours. As I lean back, I start to wonder what other missions we'll go on and how Ghost acted. I know we're good friends but I didn't think that he would of cared much if we weren't rooming together. He had never really talked about it in the past, so this is kind of a surprise. Then again, we shared an open sleeping arrangement, since the S.A.S. base didn't have mostly private rooms like this.

"Hey, bug." Ghost says, nudging me.

I rub my eyes a little and look up to him.

"No time for a break, we have things to do."

"Really? Never woulda guessed."

He smiles a bit as he pulls his mask back on, "Never a break, remember?"

"Hmm... I seem to recall that now." 

He takes my hand and pulls me to my feet. Soap is waiting for us with bags next to him. He picks them up, handing Ghost and I a new backpack for a new mission.

"Let's get to work boys."