Roach

Chapter 18

"Wait, we're going where now?" I question, following Soap to the gear. He glances to me, tossing me a heavy coat.

"To Kazakhstan. We'll be gone for a few hours or so." He replies, giving me a thicker mask than I'm used to and a few ice picks.

"Sir-"

"You can't talk your way out of this one, Roach."

"But-"

"Ghost and the others are heading out too, so therefore-"

I groan, then go to get the rest of my gear. Soap chuckles and makes sure that I have everything that I need. He then tosses me a heartbeat sensor.

"I thought these things were broken."

"Were broken. Though we had new ones brought in. You should notice that one doesn't have the dust like the other ones."

"Okay but it'll work right...?"

"Yes, it'll work. It won't be like Iran."

"Good, because that was awful."

"Half the experiences you've had are awful. Everyday you're still alive is a blessing... and gives me more reason to understand why you got the name Roach."

We both laugh a bit then finish gearing up.

- 11th August 2016 -

- Tian Shan Mountain Range, Kazakhstan -

After we got dropped off, Soap had started to lead the way up the mountains. The man has started to scare me more and more, especially since he's been blindly climbing up the icy mountain. I've climbed a few mountains in the past, and I've always been pretty careful, but this man has no apparent fear.

As we get up higher and higher, Soap slips here and there but always seems to catch himself. I feel myself slip too, even when I avoid the scarier parts that I watch Soap slip on. When he finds a good spot to stop, he crouches down and checks his watch.

"0725... not bad time..." He comments, moving to take something out of his pockets.

"Not bad time?" I question. "We got here at what... 0500?"

"Yeah, and now its 0725. We've made pretty good time."

"Pretty good time..." I mutter under my breath.

Soap chuckles a bit then pulls out a cigar and a lighter. He lights it, having to cover it and try several times before it finally catches a light. I move to sit as best I can, though I'm really only able to crouch. My eyes fixate a bit on how far we are, and how if I were to fall there would be little to no recovery. The drop is steep, the fall would be fatal, and I'm wishing more and more that it wasn't so damn cold.

"View's not too bad, aye Roach?"

"Hm?" I glance up to see the sun starting to properly come up over the range. I smile a little then fumble with my pockets. "Think it'd be better if I didn't lose feeling in my fingers." 

"Better warm up then, we won't be here much longer."

"Understood sir." 

I manage to take out my phone. I nearly drop it due to the wind, but hold onto it long enough to snap a picture of the range. The view is nice, despite the general cold and altitude, but nice none the less. I'm sure Cal and mum would like the picture and maybe the story that'll undoubtedly come with it. A jet passes over us, nearly making me drop my phone. Soap laughs a bit at me, then checks his watch.

"Hm.. 0735..." He tosses what's left of his cigar off the cliff. "Break's over, Roach. Let's go." He stands up, then starts to shimmy along the wall.

I stand myself, readjusting my stance a little, then start to follow him. As I walk, I can't help but stare at the imminent death below me. The cliff itself goes in on itself, making my fears of falling greater. Soap stops then pulls up his ice picks.

"Stay here and spot me. Wait for my go." 

Before I can say anything to him, he jams a pick into the cliff then pulls himself up. "Spot you" I mutter, rolling my eyes. He gets a meter or so off the ground then glances back to me.

"All right, the ice is good. Follow me."

"Yes, sir." I take a breath, feeling the cold air take my lungs. Following behind the captain, I pick up my ice picks again and jam one into the side. The ice cracks a little, though the pick stays in place. I pull myself closer then force my boot to stick to it. I'm grateful that we have spikes on our boots too, because I've climbed in the past without them--which made that climb extremely difficult.

Swinging my left pick up, I start to make my ascent. Soap is maybe two meters above me and nearly at the top of this section of mountain. A jet suddenly passes over us, making me slip a little as ice falls down past me. Soap slips, one of his picks coming off the wall completely. It looks as if he sits there for a second before continuing.

"You okay sir?"

"Yeah, just keep going!"

I nod to myself then follow him. When I meet him on a small plateaued part, he stretches a little then glances over to me. I can almost make out a smile, though his iced over beard looks like it's hard to smile with. He takes a few steps back then starts to run.

"Good luck, mate. I'll see you on the far side."

"Wait- Far side- Sir?!"

Soap jumps off the plateau we're on and seems to disappear in the fog. I watch in horror, thinking that he just fell to his death. Focusing a bit longer, I can just barely make out another cliff side out on and the captain. A wave of relief washes over me as I step back. 

"This mans just trying to get me killed..." I mutter as I run and jump across like he did.

My picks make it into the mountain but I start to slide down.

"Hold on!" Soap yells as he watches me. I can just barely see him moving down after me. "Don't let go!"

"Well, I wasn't planning on it!" One of my picks loses grip, leading me to hang on with my left hand. The pick finally catches on rock or something, leading me to stop. As I do, ice slips and falls under me, revealing more of the already terrifying drop.

I shift my gaze back up, moving my right hand to hold onto the left pick as well. It's all I really have at the moment. Soap slide down and seemingly appears from nowhere. His movement makes my pick give way but he grabs me wrist before I fall. He then swings me a little and manages to toss me up to a better position. I quickly grab hold of the ice again with one of my picks. I feel my heart racing as I move faster than I have been to get to the top of this section.

My mad scramble gets me to step away from the edge and steady myself on the side of the cliff to try and catch my breath. Soap soon gets up and pats my shoulder.

"My god, I don't want to do that ever again..."

"It'll be alright, it's technically all downhill from here." Soap chuckles then walks past me. He climbs up a smaller portion of the mountain then draws his weapon. I follow suit. "Roach," He looks back to me, "Check your heartbeat sensor."

I nod, then adjust my gun. The attachment was laying flat against the side of it, but after my adjustment, it's displaying two little beats. They're a light blue color, signifying Soap and I.

"See me?"

"Yes sir."

"White dots are-"

"Enemies. I know."

Soap smirks then nods. He starts to lead the way towards the enemies base.