Simon "Ghost" Riley / F! OC Gabrielle "Halo" Knocks
Book 1 of the Chords of Courage Series
"Cause I'm fearless
I'll jump off the ledges
Burn all the bridges, walk on the edges
I'm fearless
I don't mind the shadows
Take all the arrows, ride in the echoes
And I don't mind the night
I don't mind the fight, even if I lose
I've got thick skin, I'll dive in, I'm fearless
Except when it comes to you."
Summery: To many, she’s an angel in the chaos of war—
but even angels have scars.
1st Lieutenant Gabrielle “Halo” Knocks is a sniper, a spy, and a symbol of hope in the darkest corners of the battlefield. Working for both the U.S. Army and the CIA, she’s earned her callsign by being exactly what others need when the world is burning—precise, unshakable, and untouchable.
But when she’s reassigned to Task Force 141, her carefully built armor begins to crack. No longer a lone wolf, Gabby must navigate the complexities of a new team—and confront the shadows of her past. At the center of it all is Lieutenant Simon “Ghost” Riley, the most enigmatic man she’s ever met. Cold, silent, and deadly, he’s a mystery few dare to approach.
But Gabby isn’t afraid of ghosts.
As danger mounts and secrets unravel, the line between survival and surrender begins to blur. And in the fire of war, two broken souls may find something worth fighting for—each other.
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Set before, during, and after Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022)
Original characters and plot belong to the author. All CoD characters and lore belong to their rightful creators. The story expands on the in-game timeline for deeper character and plot development. (Soap lives in this universe, you are welcome.)
⚠️ Content Warning: Contains depictions of war, combat violence, character death, PTSD, childhood trauma, explicit sexual content (18+), alcohol use, strong language, and emotionally triggering material. Please read responsibly.
SLOW BURN | ANGST | MILITARY ROMANCE | FOUND FAMILY | ACTION
In collaboration with @ajqwrites and her Under Series.
Clad in a black long sleeve shirt, her green military tactical vest, and black cargo pants with her thigh holsters strapped tight, her rifle clipped to her vest, knife after knife shoved in every available spot, Gabby was ready. There was a factory at the edge of town, maybe a mile or so outside the city. Far enough away that nothing else was burning, but close enough that the smoke was choking out the people. This factory housed over 100 workers, the four story building offering jobs to even low class citizens. It wasn't something the city could really afford to lose. And yet they just did.
Snugged between Ghost and Soap once more in the back seat of the jeep, Alejandro and Rudy up front, they tore through the chaos to get to the factory. Graves had sent Sergeant Willis in with a few Shadows in another jeep. Willis, as Gabby learned, was the soldier standing guard of Valeria when she went to talk to her. Graves was up in the air once more, supplying air support.
“So we know what happened?” Gabby asked, breaking the thick silence that hung in the air. Smoke began to flood the streets, like fog on a fall morning. Alejandro turned around in his seat to better see her.
“The Narcos aren't happy we took their leader.” She noticed he didn't say Valeria’s name. Not that she blamed him. The day had started to bleed into evening, shadows dancing across roads and the sky turning more golden then blue. The air was still, allowing the smoke to fall over the city like a blanket, too warm and too thick to be comfortable under. It made the skin itch and the lung sputter, like chewing on rubber.
The jeep rumbled to a stop, the blazing building in front of them. Fire engulfed the left side of the first floor, a large hold ripped out of the wall. A bomb. The evidence was clear even from where she sat. El Sin Nombre's people were willing to kill their own in the city to prove a point over their leader’s capture. It made her stomach twist. The fire twisted and leaped through the windows and the hole on the wall, its orange and rose colored sparks twirling through the air. Some would call it beautiful, the colors mixing and dancing around each other, the flames kicking high into the air to paint a light colored trail. The heat that came off the flames could keep people warm, cook their food, and provide something for people. Had the flames been born of purpose they would have been beautiful. But these flames, in the orange and rose and yellow misery tore through the wood and brick on its path. It ate all it touched like a wolf in its kill. It wasn't beautiful, it was deadly. It was hell reaching up from the depths to show you a taste of what it felt like.
Getting out of the jeep Gabby watched the flames like prey watching the predator- wondering what its next move would be, and if she was its next target. The grip on the stock of her rifle was crushing, the heat blasting the skin of her face even from a distance. The smoke coated the inside of her lungs, burning the inside of her nose with each gasp of breath she struggled to take.
“We set up a perimeter,” Alejandro's voice cut through the smoke and flames. “We go in as teams with overwatch. Check for wounded, hostiles and more expensives.” Gabby watched as he looked around at the group of soldiers, picking his teams.
“Ghost, you'll take overwatch. Go over to the next building and get as much sight as you can. Check fire, but if they are unfriendly, take them down.” Ghost nodded his head, gripping his Barrett MRAD 300 PRC sniper rifle a little tighter. Gabby gripped her own .50 Cal rifle, letting the weight of the weapon calm her. Alejandro then turned to her.
“Halo, Soap. You'll pair up. Take the 3rd and 4th floors. Check for more bombs. I'll take Cheddar, sweep the 2nd and 1st floors. Rodolfo will tap into all cameras and files to see what he can find regarding this.” He then turned to Sergeant Willis. “Take your men and set up a perimeter. No one but friendlies get by. Get wounded out of the way as well.”
They all let out a collective ‘yes sir’ before pairing up and grabbing what they needed. Gabby had her hair in a tight braid that she pulled up and wrapped around itself to form a bun at the nip of her neck. Pulling on an air mask, the small tank that filtered the air strapped to her belt. The thin air tub went up and under her vest so it didn't snag on her gun or arms. Soap, Alejandro and Cheddar followed suit. Gabby then pulled out one of her many daggers strapped to her body and held it in her left hand, the arm going under the barrel of the gun right in front of the trigger. The knife was parallel to the barrel, pointed away from her body. Her right hand held the stock, her finger sitting alongside the trigger. It was a bitch of a hold but very effective when a firefight became a close quarters fight and she needed to drop the rifle to its strap without disarming herself.
Once the others were ready they moved forward, Gabby taking point as Soap took the rear behind her, Alejandro leading Cheddar in. The two teams moved quickly up the stairs inside the door, breaking off at the 2nd floor. Gabby and Soap went up while Alejandro and Cheddar went to the left off the landing of the stairs. Gabby and Johnny were quick, clean, moving from room to room in the factory. The upper levels were more offices and storage than anything, with a few larger rooms for making smaller parts of products. Gabby switched with Soap, letting him lead. He cleaned the rooms faster than she did, and she was able to look around more closely for signs of more explosives. The 3rd floor was clean as they moved through the large factory. Smoke still filtered through the crakes in the walls and the stairwell. Even with the air mask on, it choked them out.
Gabby felt like her nose was burned through, the harsh smell of melting metals and chemicals coming through the filter of her pack. Johnny gave a gun nod at the staircase, which Gabby returned before they both went up the metal stairs to the 4th floor. Soap led, his steps quick and silent as they made their way up the steps. Their rifles were at the ready, moving smoothly up the stairs to the 4th floor. The door was open, smoke barely filtering through. It looked more like mist. Gabby felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. A shiver pulled through her body. Something was up. She felt it in her bones. It made her nervous.
“Eyes up Soap.” She whispered over their comms, the Sergeant nodding as he pushed forward, clearing the long hallway as she cleared the smaller rooms near the stairs. As they got to the larger rooms, they both went in, clearing one side each, looking for anything that could set off more explosives. Gabby moved slowly, watching her steps as she moved through a large office like room, Soap checking the far side. She saw some blood on the floor and held her rifle steady as she rounded the desk and saw that the older looking man had been shot in the chest. She looked around his desk, checking for anything that would show why he had been targeted. She came up empty handed and sighed, pushing forward before she saw a framed picture hanging on the wall. The building plans. The flood layouts. It was all right there. And she saw that the door to the left of the office room they were in held the exit to the roof.
“Soap.” She called out, nodding her head towards the frame. The scott made his way over and studied the map, before looking over at Gabby.
“Let's check the roof, Lieutenant.” He said with a jerk of his thumb towards the doorway. Gabby nodded and followed him out, the muzzle of rifle just over his shoulder as they moved in sync with each other. Soap stopped at the exit to the roof and the door had been bashed in, the wood split and hanging half off its hinges. They shared a look before Soap pulled away the splintered wood so they could walk through the doorway. Soap moved slowly up the stairwell, his rifle steady as he led them through the dimly lit, smoke filled hall. His steps were silent, his body tight but not stiff. Gabby copied him, making her their backs were covered as she let him lead, making sure there were no traps in their path before they got to the roof.
Gabby heard Soap push against the door as they reached the top of the stairs, and the evening light filtered into the stairwell. Soap pushed through, Gabby right behind as she shut the door behind them. The far corner of the roof has some smoke billowing up around it, a crack in the roof showing a thin line of smoke pushing through. It made her skin crawl. The roof was large and flat with some AC units on the top. It has a small shed-like building on the top, most like a maintenance shed for the units. Pulling off her air mask she clipped it to her belt and Soap followed in kind. They looked around, before splitting up, Soap going left to check the side closer to the smoke, Gabby going right to check near the AC units. She moved slowly, her rifle at the ready, her hand just hovering over the trigger. Her dagger still in her grip running along the barrel of the rifle.
She looked over the ledge of the roof, seeing the parking garage roof from where she stood. It was clear, nothing on top of it to make her feel concerned. She kept her steps light, moving forward as she checked around each unit for anything out of the ordinary.
“Halo. Soap. We got something.” Cheddar’s voice cut through the comms, sparking Gabby's attention.
“Oi, you're not the only ones.” Soap called back, making Gabby's head snap in his direction. Only she didn't see him. She felt her skin tingle, her heart thumping a beat faster in her chest.
“Soap, Sitrep.” She called over the comms, moving forward slowly towards the shed.
“I got a bomb.”
Fuck.
Gabby spirited across the roof, only to find Soap kneeling in front of a large, hybrid style pressure cooker bomb. Wires stuck out at all areas, a thin green cylinder sitting alongside the timer. Glowing green gas like smoke moved in the cylinder, and a thin clear tub ran from the bomb to the floor and a small hole had been cut, the tub disappearing into the building.
“Alejandro, what are you looking at?” Soap asked as he studied wires, trying to figure out the best way to turn off the timer of the bomb.
“It's a clear box, filled with some kind of liquid. A tub is connected to it but I don't want to cut it because I'm not sure what kind of chemicals are inside of this thing. I don't see any timer though, or switch or anything to trigger it to open or go off.” Cheddar replied, his voice sounded a bit strained and Gabby was wondering what he was doing to sound like he was over stretching his body.
Gabby looked over the bomb, the clock not even moving. It was just sitting there. The green gas in the cylinder moved like a lava lamp, flowing up and down as it shimmered slightly in the fading sunlight. Soap was messing with some of the wires, trying to see what was connected to what, and how the tubbing through the roof was connected to the bomb and if he had a Killswitch on it. Gabby walked around slowly, eyes never leaving the mess in front of her. This was familiar, the setup, the design, she had seen this before. The green gas mocked her, dancing in its tub as if to laugh at its own joke. And she was the punch line.
Then it hit her.
But before she could say anything Soap reached up and tugged on a yellow wire, and the clock sprung to life. Gabby gasped, yanking Soap back as he let out a frustrated howl.
“Get out! Everyone get out now! Run!” Gabby all but screamed through the comms, her hand on Soap's vest strap deathly as she pulled him away from the bomb. “It's going to go, get out of the building NOW!” Soap was on his feet then and began to run alongside her, heading for the door to the stairwell. Gabby grabbed his arm and tugged him, shaking her head.
“No, we can't go that way. It will blow before we reach the 2nd floor. We have to jump to the parking garage roof.” She told him as she began to run to the far side of the roof. But before they even made it half way, the beeping of the timer went silent and in the next breath a loud bang filled the air. Gabby went flying through the air a few feet, the heat from the explosion warming her back as she landed on her stomach and rolled. She began to choke on the smoke, the fire already spreading up the walls of the factory.
“Halo! Soap! Come in!” Cheddar called out over the comms.
“Sergeant. Lieutenant. Sitrep.” Ghost. That voice in her ear belonged to Ghost. Gabby sat up, watching as the flames raced high through the crakes forming in the roof, not far from her feet.
“Shit. Johnny we have to go!” She yelled out before smacking the button on her comms to set it to 2 way, so she could go hands free. “We are still on the roof!” She yelled into her throat mic, Soap getting up from where he was thrown.
“Blood hell the roof is cracking!” Soap bellowed, watching as the paper thin crakes began to form all around them.
“Run Johnny! Don't stop!” She threw off her air mask, ditching the tank to lighten her load. She knew she could make the jump from the factory roof to the parking garage with ease, parkour coming naturally to her. It was Johnny she was worried about. His body wasn't used to making such a large jump, his legs not used to making such a harsh landing. She prayed to God he would follow her lead and make the jump in one piece. She rather him buried a bit then dead.
“Holy shit!” Soap yelled as the roof began to crack more, sending flame that seemed hotter and brighter into the air.
“Jump Soap!” Gabby leaped over the edge of the 2 foot tall wall around the roof of the factory, letting her body soar through the air towards the parking garage roof. The roof she was aiming for was only 2 stories high and while only a 2 cars width from the factory, it was still a long jump and a far distance to drop. Her rifle was strapped to her back, her knees close to her chest, her arms out to help her balance as she moved through the air. Her feet touched the lip of the roof below her and she went into a roll, protecting her head before popping up.
Turning quickly she saw Johnny flying through the air, but he was losing momentum fast. His height was definitely to an advantage, but Gabby was a good 30 if not 40 pounds lighter than him, and was able to have more air time due to that fact. His body weight, plus the weight of his gear was dragging him down. She raced to the edge as his arms and legs began to flail, trying to reach out for the ledge. His fingers brushed the edge and Gabby punched forward, grabbing his arms as his body smacked against the side of the parking garage. Fire filled the space between the parking garage and the facility, the sickly orange flames leaping and snapping as they followed the green tinted smoke on the ground.
“Hold on!” She cried out, the concrete edge digging into her stomach as she tried to get a better grip on Soap's arms. She looked down, and all the sudden the man below her wasn't Johnny. Blue eyes turned emerald green and dark brown hair became midnight black. The fire danced below his body, the pain in her arms from holding his weight shot down her spine. But Gabby became frozen, staring into the eyes of a ghost, the feeling of blood on her hands and the smell of smoke overcoming her mind. The air in her lungs became non-existent, her mind a haze. She was no longer in Las Almas, but back in Berlin watching someone dangling above the flames. It wasn't a sunset in the background, it was the ugly print of wallpaper on walls and the thick smoke that filled the air. It wasn't a man in a blue shirt and green military vest looking up at her, but one in a black shirt and black vest with blood dripping from his mouth. She was no longer in the present but fully in the past. And that fear roared through her, filling her ears with white noise, making her heart stop beating, making her limbs feeling like they weighed a thousand pounds. She snapped her eyes shut as she held onto the ghost below her, begging God not to take him away from her again.
“-on Lass, pull!” That wasn't Marsh’s voice. Gabby blinked, her ears ringing so loudly the voice sounded murky, far away. “Gabby, help me up!” There, it was deeper, gruffed sounding then Marsh. There was an accent to the tone of the voice. Shaking her head Gabby felt her eyes focus and suddenly it was Johnny's bright blue eyes looking at her, not the green of her dead partner. It was his voice speaking to her, not the smooth tone she had once loved.
“J- Johnny?” Her voice cracked and she groaned as he pushed his legs up against the wall, pulling her slightly before he was able to put his boots against the concrete.
“Aye, come on!”
Gabby huffed and pulled with all her strength, helping him walk up the side of the building until he could throw a knee over the ledge and pull himself up. She fell to her back after letting go of his arms, her shoulders screaming in protest. “I'm really getting tired of blowing up.” She let out a dramatic sigh to which Soap answered with a slight chuckle.
“Aye, not a fan at the moment Bonnie.” He leaned up on one elbow and looked over at her. They laid there for another beat, before their comms started to explode.
“Soap. Halo. Come in.”
“Halo, Soap, are you okay?”
“Gabby, Soap, answer the comms!”
“Johnny. Gabrielle. I got eyes on. You broken?”
The last one made Johnny snort, and Gabby pushed up so she was sitting up right. “We are okay. On the parking garage roof.”
“Any injuries?” Alejandro’s voice barked over the line.
Gabby knew she had some new bruises blooming across her body and probably a cut or two somewhere but she was too exhausted to really check. Soap sat up and rolled his neck, before clicking on his comms. “No, a few scrapes but nothing bad that I can tell.” He answered Alejandro. Gabby pushed up and stood, feeling her legs shake a bit and her head hurt slightly on the side. But she knew it wasn't anything bad, or Johnny would have clocked it. So she ignored it for now and walked towards the edge of the roof, looking down. Firefighters were fighting the fire below, the flames a neon orange as they danced in the air. It sent a shiver down her spine before she followed Soap down the stairs of the parking garage, moving slowly to make sure they didn't hit any traps that could have been laid. Once they reached the ground floor and went out the main door, they found Alejandro, Hudson, and Willis standing there waiting for them. Ghost was nowhere to be seen but Gabby figured he had to make his way down from his overwatch spot.
“Ayhh! I thought you said you weren't injured?” Alejandro snarled, pointing at Gabby. She stopped in her tracks and cocked her head. She reached up, feeling warm stickiness on the side of her face and pulled her hand away. Her hand came away covered in red, the blood mixing with the ash and dirt on her skin. It made a paste-like thickness on her fingers, and she felt her vision start to tunnel.
Blood.
Ash.
Thickness that stuck to her skin like a glove. She tried wiping it off with her other hand, but it only smeared more, making it cover her other hand and some of her shirt sleeve. Her breathing started to race, her heart thundered in her ears. The air became hard to breathe.
“Get it off. Get it off. GET IT OFF!” She chanted like a prayer, rubbing and scraping at her hands trying to pull away the thickness that coated her skin. It felt hot and suffocating, like it was seeping into her bones. Tears began to slip down her cheeks, mixing with the blood making it drip down her chin letting it splatter against her vest. She started to hyperventilate, her eyes snapping up but she didn't really see what was in front of her. She heard the sound of water and bolted towards it, voices calling out but they sounded so far away, so far under water she couldn't hear them. So she ran, she ran for the source of the water and found a hose on the ground. Flipping the switch on the water poured from the nozzle, the coldness hitting her like a brick wall. She let the water run over her hands and arms, soaking through the sleeves of her shirt as she watched the ash, dirt and blood swirl and mix together as it ran down the skin of her fingers to a puddle on the ground.
Gabby felt like she was in a river of syrup, thick and slow, pulling her under with each breath she pulled into her lungs. She felt floaty, like her mind wasn't truly hers. She saw the water, she saw the puddle forming at her feet, she felt the coldness on her skin, but it felt so far away. Like a dream world she truly wasn't a part of. Her knees gave out and she dropped to the ground, sobs tearing through her chest as she slumped against the wall of the parking garage, blood, ash and dirt smudged across her face and arms, the hose running cold water across her boots but she didn't feel the cold, her arms around her drawn up knees as her body shook. The fire casted a glow to the sunset, painting her in orange and red lighting, the shadows dancing around her like long lost friends wanting to take her hand and pull her into their depths.
Voices called out to her, but they sounded so far away, so deep under water. Her eyes stayed closed, too afraid to open them and see the phantoms of her mind in the light of day. Tears slipped past her eyelashes, making the pasted stuck to her cheek drop down her jaw. It was hard to breathe, the air stuck like a thick fog in her lungs, choking her. The sound of a beam falling into the flames rang through the air like gunfire, making her jump, slamming her back against the wall of the parking garage. Her eyes wide and wild, unseeing what was really before her. The pained gasp that slipped past her lips filled her ringing ears. Her body trembled and her mind raced.
Gentle hands touched her arm and she yelled, throwing herself away from the touch, as if it had burned her skin. She pulled out the knife from her vest and held it between her and the ghost that wouldn't leave her mind's eye. She snapped her teeth shut and tried to make out the shape before her, trying to figure out who it was that kneeled at her feet.
“-by. Please. Come on, it's just me. You're safe.” She knew that voice. She had to know that voice. It wasn't the ghost that haunted her mind. No, it was softer, younger. She knew it. Why couldn't she see who it was that was speaking?
“Gabs, take my hand. Let me take you home, yeah?” God she knew that voice. It was one that she knew all her life. It felt like home. It washed over her like warm summer rain. It was soft like honey, a kind. “Déjame ayudarte, por favor, hermana.” (Let me help you, please Sis.)
Her eyes came into focus, the sound of the language of her youth filling her ears, making the ringing dim as she looked up at the owner of the gentle hands. “C-chedz?” Her voice broke, thick and heavy as she spoke the name.
“Yeah, it's me.”
Her eyes met his hazel ones and sob crocked from her dry throat as she launched herself into his open arms and buried her face into the crook of his neck. “Quiero ir a casa.” (I want to go home.) She whispered into his collarbone and she felt his arms wrap around her before she became weightless as her brother picked her up and held her tight to his chest.
“Lo sé. Lo sé. Voy a cuidar de ti.” (I know. I know. I'm going to take care of you.) He whispered into her hair as he began to move. A soft hand touched her arm and more whispered words floated on the air but her mind was too heavy and syrup-like to process what was being said around her before her eyes drooped shut and her mind shut off, sending her into the warmth of darkness.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
She felt like she was floating. But the air was thick and soft under her back. It didn't make sense. Her eyes felt heavy and her limbs felt stiff. She moved slightly, feeling soft clouds touching her skin. Trying to force her eyes open, she ran a stiff hand down her face, her mouth filled with cotton. Her eyes cracked open, the space outside of her eyelids fuzzy and dimly out of focus. With a groan she sat up some, feeling the softness shift under her skin, and she realized she was on a mattress.
Gabby blinked again and her eyes registered that she was in her room, the sun had all but gone down. She could still feel the grime and ash on her body, her hair matted to her neck. She was stiff, her head hurting slightly. Pushing off the blanket she threw her legs over the edge of the bed and saw that she had been put in shorts and a T-shirt, the dirt haphazardly washed off the exposed skin. Gabby stood up on wobbly legs and made her way slowly to the bathroom, flipping on the light switch. She blinked harshly at the sharp light that hit her eyes, trying to let them adjust to the brightness.
The face in the mirror that greeted her was not one she enjoyed seeing. A thin cut lined her hairline along the left side of her face, the blood had been washed away but her hair was still matted down. Her eyes were hollow, dull looking. Her skin was pale and still had splatches of ash and dirt. She shivered before looking away, grabbing towels and a wash cloth and moved to the shower. She turned on the water and waited till the water started to run warm before stripping down and stepping into the spray. Gabby groaned as the hot water prickled against her abused body, working into the stiff muscles. The water ran cloudy as it poured down her body, swirling down the drain. She hung her head, letting the spray wash over her and watched the water drip from her nose and chin, meeting the water looking at her feet.
Gabby felt the memories of what happened come back to her. The emotions gripped at her heart again and it made her clench at her chest, as if she could grab her own heart and hold it as it broke all over again. The water hit like needles again her sore skin, making her feel that she was in the present, but her mind was still in the past. The flashes of memories both from two years ago and 2 hours ago mixed together, forming their own new torturous movie in her mind's eye. It forced a sob into her throat but it didn't come any farther. It sat there, choking her as she continued to watch the water, now running clear race down her skin to the porcelain tub floor.
Her skin felt too tight across her bones, her lungs too small to truly breathe. Her mind was like a thick pool of honey. She felt trapped in her own body and she balled her fingers and let it pound against the shower wall, the dull ache that raced up her arm forcing her back to reality. Tears she didn't realize she had been crying dropped from her chin, mixing with the almost too hot water to disappear down the drain of the tub. A small cry slipped from her lips and she closed her eyes, tilting her head back to let the water wash over her face, letting it wash away the last bit of memory from her skin.
It felt like years had slipped past, but it had only been minutes, but Gabby dragged herself from the shower and grabbed the towel waiting on the skin. She wrapped the fluffy blue towel around her body and grabbed the green one to wrap her hair into. She ignored the mirror on the wall and went back out into her room and went for her dresser, grabbing a large black band T-shirt, a pair of red mid thigh spandex shorts, a sports bra and underwear. She tossed the items on her bed and began to dry off her body, running the soft fabric of the towel over the sore muscles. Once she felt dry enough she pulled over her underwear and bra, snapping the little snap over the front zipper into place. She then grabbed her shorts and shoved her legs through the holes, forcing the fabric up and over the thick muscles of her thighs. Once that was done she grabbed the shirt and shoved it over her head, letting the soft cotton fall down her torso.
She sat on the edge of the bed, her hair still wrapped in the towel, her back slumped as she looked down at her bare feet. The soft glint of something on her nightstand caught her eyes and she glanced sideways to find that her daggers and switchblade had been placed there. Reaching out she picked up the matte black handle of the knife, letting the weight settle into her palm. She flicked open the blade and stared at its shine in the dying sunlight coming through the window. The smooth black blade gleamed in the last raise of sunshine and the light from the bathroom. It was sharp with crisp lines and promises of deadly power. The shine spoke of care, the point at the end spoke of hours crafting the sharp edge of the blade. It spoke of freedom.
Freedom from the pain, from the memories, from the haunting weight that tore at her mind. Freedom from the string that tightened around her heart with each beat, the sand that filled her lungs with each breath. Gabby stared at the knife, begging for it to give her the answers she needed. She held the blade up higher, watching the light catch on the sharpness and she knew it would take one quick blow and it would be over. She would find peace. A tear slipped past her eyelashes and slid down her cheek, landing on the black shirt below her chin. One move and she could find freedom from the torment she has been in for the last two years.
But then the two small letters engraved into the black metal caught her eyes. Two small, perfectly placed, perfectly shaped letters pulled her from her thoughts. S.R.
Simon Riley.
Gabby was no fool. You didn't wear a mask and hide your body, shield yourself with fabric and resin for fun. You did it to protect your mind, your soul. You did it to hide from the darkness that followed you around like a dog. She heard the stories, she listened to the whispers of the man who survived fuck all and walked away nothing more then a ghost. She knew the damage that came from being the last one standing, the one that walked away but the rest didn't. She didn't wear a physical mask like armor, but she still hid who she was to protect herself.
Gabby knew enough. After she joined the 141 she wanted to learn more about her teammates she'd still to meet. To know who they were not just as a soldier. Ghost’s folder was literally no more than just white pages with black bar lines across it. Barely any words visible it was so classified. Much like her own folder. But she did enough digging, using all her CIA training to know about his Mexico mission, the betrayal he went through. She knew it was why he wore the mask, as a way to suppress the trauma. Much like how she hid most of her life from the outside world, Ghost did the same. Her own folder was mostly black lines on paper. Only two people saw the whole thing completely: Laswell and her old Captain.
Even Shepherd, with all his clearance, couldn't read all her past mission reports before she went solo and took his offer to be his private assassin. They were so top secret their black lines had black lines. Though Gabby had no doubt that Price saw more of her folder then she'd cared for, thanks to Laswell. She knew it was important he knew what kind of skills she brought to the table, and really it was better he knew more about her past then the rest of the team, but it still made her skin crawl slightly. The things she had done,the things she had seen, was not meant for the eyes and ears of others. Most people in the military or government didn't even know the nature of 97% of the missions her old team has gone on. They simply woke up one day and their problems had been solved in some sort of bloody manner. And it was better that way. The less people that knew what she was capable of, what she had been a part of kept her and her old team safe.
Giving the shining black blade on last look, letting a finger trace over the engraved letters, she snapped the blade shut, holding the weight of it for a moment in her palm before carefully laying it back down on the nightstand. She then pulled the towel from her head, patting dry her long wavy hair until it was only slightly damp and then she began to braid it, weaving the thick strands together down her back and tying it off with a simple black hair tie. She stood and tossed the towel over the chair in the corner of her room. Her brain still felt like pudding, her body sore and unhappy with the day's events. But she moved forward, making her way to her door and opened it silently. The hallway was quiet but light filtered up the stairs. She made her way barefoot down the hall and took the stairs without a sound. Voices begin to float up to meet her, tickling against her ears as she got closer.
“- nothing I've seen before.” Hudson's voice greeted her first as she reached the bottom of the stairs, keeping hidden still from the group in the kitchen.
“Aye, I've seen a lot of bombs in the work, but nothing as weird as that one.” Johnny joined in. “The thing was so damn touchy.”
Graves hummed, running a hand through his hair. “Ive heard about bombs like that but never seen one. It's not by a normal player I'm used to dealing with.”
“Damien.”
The whole table went silent, all eyes snapping to the doorway where Gabby leaned against the doorframe. Her arms were crossed and her braid laid over her shoulder.
“Hey, you're awake.” Hudson stood, walking over to her with a concerned look on his face. Johnny was sitting with a heating pad on his knee at the table. He flashed her a half smile when she met his eyes.
“His name is Damien Tretiak.” She spoke again, her voice still slightly hoarse for not being used. “He is a German born Russian biochemist that makes fancy pressure cooker bombs turned into science experiments.”
“How do you know this?” Alejandro asked, the look in his eyes hard.
Gabby took a long deep breath before explaining more. “Because I've been on the receiving end of his toys before.” Her right hand reached for her left arm on reflex, rubbing the scar there with her thumb.
“Germany.” Graves spoke the one word but it sent a shiver down Gabby's spine nevertheless.
“Yeah, Germany.” She softly replied, feeling the ache in her chest squeeze slightly. Hudson placed a hand on her shoulder and rubbed it gently, his eyes never leaving his older sister's face.
“How sure are you that it's this… Damien?” Graves questioned, leaning back in his seat.
Gabby narrowed her eyes at him and stepped forward off the wall, walking closer to the table. “His calling card is the green mist in the cylinders attached to the bombs. My old team had a few run-ins with them, we never were able to get a sample of the stuff, but we know it makes fire burn hotter, faster, and is able to burn through metal more than normal fire.” She explained, trying to keep her tone level.
“What would a German biochemist have to do with the Mexican Cartel?” Rudy spoke up, leaning his elbows into the table.
“Whatever it is, it's not good. Damien is not known for running in the large circles, he sells parts to larger buyers but never actually works with or places bombs for them. Normally it's the smaller outfits, ones where he has a better chance of escaping.” Gabby rubbed her jaw, trying to piece it together in her mind. “Though I lost his trail about a year back. If he's getting more cocky, he'll start working for the bigger players if the money and the risk was worth it.”
“How long have you been hunting him?” Ghost spoke up for the first time, drawing Gabby's eyes to him. He was in a plain fabric balaclava, the white skull print pattern faded slightly. His honeyed blue eyes bore into hers, as if he could just read the information he needed right from her mind.
She licked her lips, suddenly feeling like her throat was dry. “Four years. I lost his trail last year but have kept up the search. But then Hassan became target number one for Shepherd so Damien got pushed to the back burner for me.”
“Got a bit of a vendetta there Princess?” Graves smirked, his hands coming up behind his head as he leaned back in his chair. If Gabby could growl like a dog bearing its teeth she would have. She kicked out, her heel slamming into his shin making him yelp.
“Be glad his is bigger than the one I have for you, Phillip. And don't ever call me Princess again.” Gabby sneered at him as he rubbed his leg, shooting daggers from his eyes at her. She looked at the team around the table but her eyes went back to Ghost. Locking onto the eyes behind the black paint. “Look, the skeletons are dancing in my closet but there's nothing that won't fix itself by morning. I'll be right as rain tomorrow. That was…. Things with Damien hit too close to home for me. For my old team. It's a sore spot and tonight felt like deja vu of a mission I had been on. I got it under control.” She told everyone, but especially Ghost. She felt like she needed to prove to him that she wasn't one marble short of the whole bag being scattered across the floor. She saw his eyes soften just the tiniest bit, and his chin dip in a nod.
“No one here is questioning your readiness for this mission Gabrielle. Rest, and then tomorrow we take on Valeria again.” Alejandro spoke softly, his eyes soft and caring.
“Aye lassie, you save m’ fat arse tonight. I'm grateful.” Johnny smiled warmly at her, patting her elbow from his seat. Gabby smiled at the Scot and patted his shoulder before nodding to the team and taking her leave. Hudson gave her a look and she just shook her head, knowing he'd check on her before he went to sleep. She made her way to the stairs when a hand grabbed her elbow, halting her.
“You need to get a grip on whatever this is Gabby. Soldiers die all the time.” Graves spoke harshly, his voice low so the others didn't hear their conversation.
“So having human emotions is wrong?” She asked, glaring over her shoulder at him.
“No, but having an over dramatic freak out over something as dumb as fire isn't a good look. You're better than this, a decorated war hero. Grow up and act like it.” His words had bite, meant to dig deep into her mind. Gabby just held his gaze, a smile pulling at her lips.
“Sure, I'll grow up when you learn how to.” She ripped her arm free from his grip, stepping up onto the step so she was taller than him. “Just remember Graves, we are both Shepherds hunting dogs. But he likes me better than he does you.” She added before making her way up the stairs, leaving him stunned at the base of the staircase. She walked down the hall to her room and stepped inside, leaning back at the door with a sigh. Her head slumped forward, her chin to her chest, her arms leaning back against the door. After a beat she pushed off and walked to her bed, grabbing her phone from her nightstand and dropped onto the soft mattress. She scrolled through her social media for a bit, seeing her friends lives through the screen. Weddings, babies, engagements, vacations all scrolled by as each picture started to blend together.
A knock on her door pulled her from her doom scrolling. Standing up she walked over and opened the door, to find her brother standing there with snacks, a pillow and a projector in his hands.
“What's all this?” She asked, stepping aside to let him in. Hudson smiled and walked into the room, dropping the pillow and the snacks on the bed before he moved around setting up the projector to aim at the wall.
“Give me your laptop please.” He asked, waving a cable in his hand. Gabby shook her head with a smile, going for her desk to grab her laptop. Powering it on, she handed it off to her brother who plugged the cable into it. Once he did that he set up Disney onto the screen, pulling up Tangled. “Movie time!” He sang out, jumping onto the bed like a five year old. Gabby laughed, watching the playful look on his face as he propped up their pillows and blankets.
“What brought this on?” She asked as she climbed into the pillow fort he was making, setting in and grabbing a package of gummy bears.
“I want to spend time with my big sister, is that a crime?”
Gabby just chuckled. “Of course not.” Hudson clicked play on the movie, grabbing his own snack of peach rings and settled in. The movie started playing, the only light in the room after Gabby flipped off the overhead light. She settled into the pillows, leaning against her brother as Flynn Rider came onto the screen. She needed this. A sense of normal. Movie nights in bed had been a weekly thing growing up, spent in one or the others bed in a half made pillow fort with snacks shared between them as they watched their favorite movies. Even after joining up, if they were home at the same time movie night still made an appearance. It soothed her, bringing peace to her wounded mind. Laying her head into his shoulder she let out a sigh as Rapunzel sang and danced about.
“Thank you for this.” She whispered as Hudson hummed along to the song. His arm came up and wrapped around her, rubbing up and down her arm.
“You always took care of me as a kid. I like returning the favor now and again.” He replied, before he went back to humming along to the song, his toes wiggling back and forth under the blanket draped across their legs. Gabby closed her eyes and listened to his deep hum, and the sound of the music playing from the movie. All the dark thoughts from earlier didn't stand a change against the warmth and love she felt in that moment. Safe and wanted.
Warnings: injury, blood, fighting, swearing, Graves being a dick.
Word count: 8.1K (oops)
A/N: I suck at action scenes and this part of the game was not my favorite arc. I did my best to make it as Canon as possible but I changed what I had to, to make Gabby fit into the story. Not proof read. Enjoy!
Masterlist | Last Chapter
"Be advised, it's possible Hassan is hiding out two kicks north of your position.”
Gabby reached the jeep the same time that Alejandro did. She watched as the older man went to grab the handle of the driver side door and she quickly jumped around the front and stopped him.
“Yeah no, I'm driving.” She deadpanned as she placed her hand overtop of his, trying to pull his fingers free from the door handle.
“Oh come on, Halo!” His deep laugh pulled a smile from her lips, but not before she hip checked him, pushing him away from the door.
“I don't have a death wish when it comes to your driving. Aléjate del coche.” She laughed as she opened the car door to get in. (Step away from the car). Alejandro only laughed harder, before throwing his hands up in mock surrender and walked to the passenger side.
“Should we trust your driving, Melliza?” Soap asked from the backseat, grinning like a fool. Gabby flipped him off as she turned the key to start up the jeep.
“Just for that, I'm goin’ to hit every fuckin’ pothole I can find, ‘till your balls turn black and blue, Estúpido.” (Asshole) She looked him dead in the eyes through the rearview mirror, watching his eyes grow wide. Alejandro choked on a laugh, looking back at the Scottsmen with wide eyes.
“Rude, Lass, rude.” Soap crossed his arms over his chest with a pout on his lips, making Gabby laugh. She stepped on the gas, the jeep launching forward as she found the dirt path from the river up to the road.
“¿Te llamó su gemelo allí atrás?” (Did he call you his twin back there?) Alejandro leaned across the center console to mutter in her ear. Gabby only smiled, looking back at the still pouting man before nodding her head.
“Tenemos la misma edad, compartimos el mismo cumpleaños y yo soy solo 20 minutos mayor. Nuestro capitán nos llamó sus gemelos. Honestamente, es como si fuéramos gemelos de verdad.” (We are the same age, share the same birthday, and I'm only 20 minutes older. Our Captain called us his twins. Honestly it's like we were real twins) Gabby answered him in a soft voice. It felt good to her to speak Spanish again, with her Southern accent in full swing. To finally sound like herself after all these years of trying to soften the accent in her voice, learn to pronunciate fully and cleanly, and not slip into Spanish throughout a sentence. She has been told when she first joined the military and began to climb the ranks, that it was hard enough as a woman to be taken seriously in Special Ops, but with her thick Texan accent, it would be even harder. So she started to soften it to a slight Southern accent, not fully losing her twang, but enough that no one ever questioned what she said.
Now here, in Las Almas, she could fully let her accent free, slipping back into the thick draw of her tone, and talk in a language that had been second nature to her growing up. It was freeing.
“Does this mean now I have gained another child into the fold?” Alejandro asked in English, looking back at Soap with a teasing smile on his lips. The blue eyed man laughed, throwing his head back as he did, before shaking his head. The glimmer in his eyes made Gabby smile, and she saw the corners of Ghost's eyes crinkle under his mask, making her believe he was also smiling.
“Aye, it's true! Gabs is my long lost twin.”
“They definitely act like it.” Ghost deadpanned, crossing his arms over his chest. Gabby was surprised he joined in, thinking he would keep to himself but she felt a smile tag at her lips knowing he was comfortable enough to join the banter. Once the band of soldiers hit the smooth road Gabby got the jeep up to a faster speed and headed north towards the farming land.
“You guys ready to roll up Hassan with some fire from the sky?” Graves' voice cut threw the comms, bursting the small bubble joy around Gabby. Hearing his voice, the cocky tone he always carried, the way he sounded as if he was better than everyone else just made her roll her eyes so hard she was amazed she didn't run them off the road. Her fingers gripped the steering wheel a bit tighter, the leather squeaking under her fingers.
“Let's wrap this fucker up, Graves!” Soap answered back enthusiastically, a devilish smile on his lips.
It made Gabby want to throw up.
Her foot hit the gas a little harder, speeding up the drive until they got to the compound that Hassan was holding up in. Letting the tired slide to a stop as her foot slammed on the break, Gabby turned off the key and grabbed her rifle that was laying between her seat and the door. Swinging the door open she jumped out, gun ready with Soap right behind her.
“How do we find Hassan?” Soap questions as he looked around the grassy area through the scope of his rifle.
“He will have an armored guard. Cartel protection.” Alejandro informs them, leading the charge forward.
“Shadow-1, we will mark our position with IR laser.” Ghost told Graves as they made their way to some cover, each looking in a different direction so they wouldn't be ambushed.
“There's a lot of places to hide.” Muttered Soap, leaning back against a crate stacked against the broken fence line. Gabby was a few feet ahead of him, the shrubbery and broken fencing hiding her frame.
“Graves will cover us with close air cover.” Replied Ghost, the large man ducking behind a small wagon.
“Copy that LT.”
They all looked at each other for a split second, the four soldiers communicating with nothing but their eyes. With a soft nod, Ghost looked at Soap. “Mark us.” He told the Sergeant before lifting his rifle to his shoulder, looking the opposite way. Soap reached into his vest and pulled out a small, smooth cylinder, clicking on a button with a barely noticeable sound. Lifting his hand into the air, he started making a circular motion as he pointed the laser into the sky to mark their position.
“Shadow-1, position is marked.” Gabby all but grumbled into her throat mic, her voice professional but not quite friendly.
“Well now, if it ain't Alpha 0-1. Hi darlin’.” Graves said in a sickening sweet voice over the comms, making Gabby's skin crawl. That man pushed all her buttons in the wrong kinda way and she wasn't in the mood to be dealing with him when she was so close to finishing a mission she had started down a year ago.
“Keep it tactical, Shadow-1.” The gravel that came from her lips made the three men around her all turn to face her. Gabby only shrugged her shoulders, not in the mood to dig into all of that at the moment.
“Shadow-1, be advised, Hassan is traveling with an armored personnel. You provide cover from the skies and we'll clear the buildings.” Ghost broke the tension, his gruff raspy voice more soothing to Gabby's ears than the monotone accent of Graves' rough voice. Gabby pulled her rifle up to sit against her shoulder, her arms relaxed as she looked through the scope. She brought her right hand up, moving the scope lightly, to zoom in some to look towards the greenhouse slightly towards her right. She watched as some people begin to walk out, moving around as they went about their work day, completely unaware of the soldiers lurking around the bend of the fence and the plane above their heads ready to drop a payload into their lives without a second thought.
“Shadow-1, there is a truck moving from the stables.” Informed Ghost, his own rifle trained onto the building to their left. Gabby didn't move though, keeping her gaze locked into those moving around the greenhouse. Watching, waiting, wanting to find the man she had been hunting for a year. A man that held the key to the next step of what she wanted most: revenge.
Ignoring what Graves and his men had to say over the comms, she kept her eyes on target, waiting for Ghost to make a call if he felt it was something to move on. But the truck didn't yield a target.
“Ghost, the greenhouse.” She whispered into her mic, her finger twitching over the trigger of her rifle as she watched more men walk around the greenhouse with rifles strapped to their bodies.
“Shadow-1, we got targets at the greenhouse to our northwest. Roping now.”
Soap quickly grabbed the IR laser again and began waving the invisible beam over Gabby's back, so that it fell on the men at the greenhouse. He kept waving it around and around until Graves and his men called out that they saw the enemy soldiers below.
“0-7, no visual on the target, what's the call?” Graves asked.
“That army convoy is gaining ground.” Warned Alejandro as he checked his watch, then looked back towards the group.
“We go in, guns blazin, hope he squirts, lock him up from there.” Soap offered up his idea. Gabby could tell the sitting and waiting around wasn't his strong suit, even though the man was a trained sniper. While Gabby loved a good close quarters, hand to hand combat, she thrived in waiting out the target. She was good at keeping herself small, hidden, waiting for the right moment to strike. She could also stand her ground, waiting, watching, making the enemy uncomfortable to the point of breaking during an interrogation. She was an all around soldier, ready for whatever the warzone through her way.
“Shadow-1, you are cleared hot to engage the building. We'll clear it once you clean it out.”
“Copy that 0-7. Keep your heads down.”
Gabby rolled her eyes, pushing herself tighter against the fence post she was leaning against. “Hijo de puta engreído.” (Cocky motherfucker) She spat out, watching the plane in the sky as it began to rain down bullets of hellfire onto the soldiers below. Screams filled the air, the ground shaking as the large ammo penetrated into the soil, chucks of wood and earth flying through the air as the gunners above took out the enemies below. Gabby waited until the gunfire stopped before she darted to meet up with Ghost, jumping so that her legs would get tucked underneath herself so she could slide on her knees pads the last seven feet or so until she stopped right next to him, her rifle still against her shoulder, pointed at the greenhouse the whole time.
“Show off.” Soap called to her over the comms, making her flash him a smile.
“0-7, all viable targets are done.”
“Shadow-1, copy that.” Ghost said, flicking in his mic, “we'll be clearing the stables building first, roping now.” He gave Soap a pointed look, the younger man grabbing the IR laser and aimed it for the stables.
“0-7, tally your mark, you are cleared to proceed.”
“Shadow-1, moving now. If the target squirts, let us know.” Ghost told Graves before looking at Soap. “Soap, freeze down the right side with Alejandro.”
“Aye.”
Gabby popped up the same time Ghost did, sprinting across the open space to reach the stables. Her rifle was up, her eyes trained on the barn doors as Soap and Alejandro broke off to the right, getting behind a wagon that was parked outside of the side door. Gabby put her back to the side of the wooden slats that made up the stables, nodding to Ghost to open the door. He held up his hand, and then spoke over the comms.
“Breaching now.” And then he stopped back, raising his right foot and slamming it into the wooden door, busting it open. Gabby rushed in, seeing people running around, the sound of a child screaming filled her ears.
“¡Abajo! ¡Al suelo, quiero ver manos en el aire!” (Get down! Get on the floor, I want to see hands in the air!) Gabby barked in Spanish, watching as a mother and child were grabbed by an armored man and pushed towards the side door. Movement to her left made her swing her rifle around, seeing another soldier in the hay loft, aiming at her. She quickly fired off a round, watching his body fall. More gunshots filled the air, Ghost dropping another cartel soldier, to her right. Soap and Alejandro started yelling outside, making Gabby believe they found the soldier with the mother and child. Gabby and Ghost chased more soldiers out of the stables, as they ducked behind some of the woodwork to fire at them as the cartel members ran outside.
“Hassan is not here. It's a dry hole!” Proclaimed Gabby as she ducked as a bullet whizzed over her head.
“Soap, did you see Hassan?” Ghost asked.
“No, LT.”
“Ghost, we got multiple hostiles inbound, I need you guys out of that building, move north right now!” Graves shouted to them through the comms, the tone of his voice leaving no room for discussion. Gabby stole a glance at Ghost, catching his eyes as he heard the command from Graves. Shit was about to get far more heated up. The two lieutenants took off for the side door where Alejandro and Soap were waiting and booked it north. Their legs pumped as they outran the hellfire from the plane above, getting out of the sun as they stopped running once they hit the base of a large tree. The four soldiers looked up, seeing the gray plane still raining down fire as it took out the stables and all the enemies around it.
“Bloody hell…” Soap let out a low whistle, shaking his head in amazement. Gabby turned her head to look at him over her shoulder, giving the blue eyed soldier a wink.
“You could have made a prettier explosion, Hermano.” This got the Scottsmen to laugh, shaking his head as he shot her a smile.
“Let's focus up.” Alejandro stepped up next to Gabby, watching the compound in front of them for retaliation. “Good shots, Shadow-1.”
Gabby saw movement to the west, towards the greenhouse and raised up her rifle to get a better look. “Contact at the greenhouse!”
“Check fire.” Soap added quickly, “Hassan could be inside!”
“Copy, checking.” Graves called back in a clipped voice, before the comms went silent for a moment. Gabby kept her gaze in the greenhouse, when gunfire filled her ears, making her drop to the ground.
“Shit, contact!” She pulled the trigger, taking down the cartel soldier. The four of them fired on the soldiers as they filed out of the greenhouse, ducking behind trucks as they rained down bullets on the four of them.
“Ghost, keep your soldiers clear. We're about to engage that greenhouse.”
“Solid Copy.”
Gabby and Alejandro moved back to join Soap and Ghost against the tree, keeping their bodies low to the ground. The air whistle as large grenades began to fall from the sky, the impact to the ground making the earth beneath their feet shake. Gabby placed her hand onto the rough bark of the tree to steady herself. She felt a hand on her lower back, looking to see Alejandro was pushing her tighter to the tree trunk, his arms shielding her from the blowback of the impact.
The air around them felt hot and staticky. It was heavy to breathe as if the humidity had been turned up around them. The dust started to settle, and the four of them stepped out from behind the large tree.
“Solid hits Shadow-1. We are moving up.” Ghost told Graves as he led the other three forward. They walked through the damaged greenhouse, seeing the blown apart wood and glass. What was left of the people that had been hiding out inside would make most people's stomachs turn, but the four of them had seen so much worse. Gabby only wrinkled her nose, looking away from the mangled bodies as she stepped through the debris.
“These guys are fucked.” Soap muttered, his eyebrows drawn together as he looked at the mess before them.
“Dusted ‘em.” Ghost said in a cold, dark tone, making Gabby shiver at how ruthless he sounded in that moment.
“Where is this fucker?” Soap was growing impatient, that much was evident. Gabby shook her head, taking a step to her left to avoid stepping in a puddle of blood. She narrows her eyes and scrunched her nose, looking away from the fucked body of the dead cartel member.
“Ugh.”
“He must be inside of the compound.” Alejandro pushed forward, stepping outside of the destroyed greenhouse.
“Shadow-1, what's that ETA on the convoy?” Gabby asked as she looked over her shoulder towards the road, looking for signs of movement to indicate if they were close.
“Alpha-1, convoy is six klicks out. I suggest you step it up and secure exfil.” Graves answered, his tone almost sounding bored.
“No shit.” Gabby grumbled under her breath, stepping up beside Ghost as they made their way forward, guns at the ready.
“I’ll contact Rodolfo.”
“Do it.” Ghost nodded to the Colonel, “Graves, we are working on exfil now. Be advised the last building we'll hit is the compound. How copy?” His hand released his radio, looking back at Gabby and Soap as Alejandro spoke softly on a different line to Rudy to call for backup so they had a ride out of this mess.
“Copy that, keep your men clear until we clear the area.”
“Good copy.”
Gabby gasped as bullets hit the ground near her feet, sending up dirt into the air, making her jump to the side, slamming her body into Soap, who reached out to steady both of them. She quickly turned around and fired into the fence line behind them. “Troops in contact!” She yelled over the loud roar of gunfire that now filled every inch of air around them. Her heart was racing, her adrenaline pumping through the veins in her body. She was so close to the man that she had been chasing for a year now, the man that would get her one step closer to her personal target.
“RPG!” Alejandro’s cry carried through the comms, making Gabby swing her rifle to the right to try and find the handler of the RPG.
“Move left now!” Commanded Ghost, as he started to run. “Shadow-1, X-rays at the water tower!”
“Shit, sniper!” Gabby yelled as she fired into the water tower, the sniper and the RPG in the same nest. She did her best to hit the target while running but the bullets flying around her kept her from getting the best aim.
“Graves, take out that water tower now or we are done for!” Ghost growled, grabbing Gabby's arm as he pulled her along to safety. They dove behind a pickup truck, Ghost pushing her between him and the truck, his hand still on her arm as he pressed his body to hers, leaning forward to take a few shorts before ducking behind the vehicle again. Gabby’s breath came out in short puffs. Her hair now dried, and was frizzing from the heat and sticking to her sweat clad neck. She felt wisps of her hair sticking to her face, so she reached up to push it off her cheek. Looking up she locked eyes with Ghost for a split second. The warmth of his gloves hand still burned into her bare arm, making Gabby squirm under his gaze. She felt his fingers flex on her arm, the look in his eyes softening for a split second before he looked towards the tower again.
Just then Ghost launched backwards, his grip on her arm fading as he fell to his back. It was like it was happening in slow motion, watching his body fall backwards into the dirt, her own hand reaching out to try and grab his vest as he went down.
“Ghost is hit!” Gabby yelled, reaching out to pull his large frame behind the truck. She grunted with the effort, his body much larger and heavier than her own as she pulled him to safety. Reaching down she felt around his chest, looking for a wound. Her hands pushed against his vest, running down his sides as he gasped for air, coughing as he tried to sit up.
“TV I want a wall of fire around our soldiers, rain down hellfire!” Graves could be heard over the comms, making Gabby flinch at the sound. Finding no blood or open wounds she leaned forward to look Ghost in the eyes. His hazel Iris fluttered open as a long groan slipped past his lips. His eyes found hers, his body gasping for air that had been knocking out of his lungs from the impact.
“Oh God, Ghost, are you okay?” She asked, still prodding his body to try and find any injuries.
“Hit m-my vest. I'm f-fine Brown E-Eye-s.” Ghost kept chough, trying to sit up as he reached out his hand and placed it on her arm again. Gabby let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding and let her head slump so her chin hit the top of her own vest. She felt his fingers squeezing on her arm, making her look up through her eyelashes at the skull mask only a foot or so from her own face. His eyes were soft, the only thank you she knew she would get from his as he lightly tipped his chin.
“Keep those shots coming Graves, Send ‘em!” Soap urged over the comms. “Ghost and Gabby are by the truck.” Soap and Alejandro came flying around the corner, sliding to a stop and dropping beside Gabby and Ghost. She helped the brute of a man sit up, keeping a steady hand on his back as he drew in a long slow breath of air. The ground shook and rolled as the water tower was blown to hell, the yells of fallen soldiers filling the air along with the sound of large bullets falling from the sky.
“Ghost, no movement is detected. What is your status?” Graves asked in a slightly worried tone.
“He'll be alright. Round hit the plate.” Gabby answered, handing Ghost his rifle back that he had dropped when he was hit.
“Affirm, proper air-support mate.” Ghost spoke, his voice slightly out of breath.
Graves chuckled over the comms, seeming to find Ghost’s praise funny. “Roger 0-7. Be advised, you are cleared up to the compound, but the gate is blocked at this time.”
“Oh fucking wonderful.” Huffed Gabby as she stood up, reaching out her hand to help Ghost to his own feet.
“Give us a way in, yeah?”
“Oh we'll open the way for you. Stand by.” The cocky tone was once again evident as Graves spoke. Gabby looked back at Ghost, letting her eyes look him over once more to make sure no blood was blooming across his clothes. She watched as he rubbed his hand under his vest, trying to soothe the sting from the metal plate being forced into his ribcage.
“I'm fine, Halo.” He wasn't even looking at her and yet he knew her eyes were on him. A blush creeped up her neck, making her look away but not before she caught his eyes looking towards her from the corner of his mask. Gabby only hopes she could call the blush on her neck sunburn. A single burst shot through the air, hitting the large gate and destroying it.
“Boom.” Graves said so casually yet with an air of arrogance. Gabby groaned, rolling her eyes as she stepped out from behind the truck.
“Do you always have to be so douchy?” She quizzed the man in the plane, knowing he was probably smiling knowing he was getting under her skin.
“Come now Halo, is that anyways to treat your fellow Texan?”
“Don't make me hate MY state, Graves.” She made sure to emphasize the word ‘my’ as she spoke. The male soldier laughed at her reply, but Gabby refused to acknowledge him.
“Ghost, the door is open. You are clear to proceed.” Graves told the masked soldier after he stopped laughing.
“Solid copy. Moving now.” His voice was still slightly winded, making him sound rasper. Gabby followed right behind him, tapping Soap on the shoulder as she passed him. They fell into a line, moving quickly towards the compound walls and the large hole that has now been blown into it.
Gabby's sharp eyes, the honeyed bronze of her Irises stayed looking through the crosshairs of her rifle, the silencer at the tip leading the way forward as she stayed a step behind Ghost, his massive frame blocking the sun's harsh glare for a moment. Her skin was warm, her softly tanned skin already turning a shade darker with sunburn, something that was not easily done to a person who was used to being in the sun's rays most days.
“Shadow-1, we are moving interior.” Ghost said to Graves as the four soldiers raced across the courtyard.
“Copy, we see ya.” Graves answered, “Be advised, the convoy is three klicks out, you need to haul ass.”
“Solid copy.”
They got to the door of the main building and they broke into pairs. Soap and Gabby stood to one side, Alejandro and Ghost on the other. Soap looked over at Alejandro and asked the question they were all wondering. “Alejandro, where's that exfil?”
“Five minutes out.”
“Going to cut it close.” Gabby tsked with her tongue. Looking up she saw the lip of the roof was at the perfect angle for her to grab if she had a boost up. “Soap, give me a boost, yeah?”
The Scott smiled as let his rifle hang by his side, cupping his hands together as he bent down slightly to let her place her boot into the palms of his hands. Once she placed her hand on his shoulder and her other hand reaching up, he tossed her upwards, letting her foot leave his hands as her own hands gripped the roof and pulled herself up. She disappeared for a second before her head popped over the rim, looking down at the three men.
“I'll cover from up here in case he runs.”
Alejandro stepped forward at step, looking up at her with a hint of worry in his eyes. “Be careful. Don't do anything stupid.” Gabby only chuckled, giving him a two finger salute before standing up and disappearing. She ran across the rooftop, jumping over the peak and leaning on the other side. She heard Ghost and the gang breach and make their way inside, the sound of gunfire filling the air once more. She made her way to the end of the roof and crouched down on the slightly slanted tile, her rifle ready.
“Hassan is making a break for it on the 2nd floor!” Soap's voice cut through the comms, just as the door below her slammed open shaking the wall. Gabby fired a shot at the guard that was with Hassan, but he ducked in time. Gabby swore, before jumping from the roof and leaning on the smooth concrete wall below. She took off running after Hassan and his guard, letting her rifle fall to her side as she switched to her pistol. Her fired off a few shots before picking up speed to try and catch up to the men in front of her.
“Alpha-1, wait for your team!” Graves barked in her ear, making her grit her teeth as she dove to her knees, sliding to miss a bullet aimed at her head letting the metal fly over her head.
“Shut it Graves.” She hissed back, jumping back up as she resumed her chase. She saw Hassan and his guard head to the other building on the other end of the wall and she raised her pistol, hitting the guard with the shot she fired off, watching his body drop with a thud. Hassan pushed his way inside, Gabby hot on his heels as she jumped through the open door, slamming her body into his.
“Shadow-1 Hassan went internal. Alpha-1 is with him.”
“Copy, we see you.”
Gabby ignored the conversation in her ear, slamming her knee into the back of the man below her, pushing him to the floor. “Stay down!” She growled, as he thrashed about. He grabbed her leg with an iron grip and yanked it, making her lose her balance.
“Who the hell are you?!” He thundered. He twisted, getting his upper body more leverage as he turned to swing his fist at her, slamming it into her stomach, making her lose her balance more as she fell to the side, her legs still locked around his hips.
“Halo!” The thunderous boom coming from the deep British accent sent a cold chill down Gabby's spine, as she watched the bone clad gloves grab the collar of the man below her. She let her legs drop their hold, Hassan being ripped out from under her grip as the tall shadow of a man, the image of death himself, hauled him to his feet before slamming him against the wall. Gabby should have been grateful for the help. She should have been happy her team had her back. She should have been happy that she didn't have to do this alone. But after spending a year chasing Hassan…
“What the hell Ghost?!” She roared, jumping to her feet before she rammed her way between the tall, thick built man and his prey, grabbing Hassan and pushing his face tighter to the wall with her own hand. “I had this under control.”
“Oi, it looked it.” The sarcasm in his deep tone wasn't hard to miss. Ghost stepped closer to her before grabbing the man from her grip once more and shoving Hassan into Alejandro and Soap's waiting hands.
“Mexican Special Forces. You're coming with us!” The Latino told the terrorist, as he used zip cuffs to bond his hands behind his back.
“You're reckless.” Ghost sneered at Gabby, his face only inches from her own before he tapped on his comms. “Shadow-1, we got Hassan. Jackpot. I say again. Target secure. Jackpot.” He glared at her through the bone mask before taking a step away, ready to follow Soap and Alejandro with Hassan out of the small building.
Gabby grabbed his arm, yanking him backwards and stared him in the eyes. “I was doing my job.”
“You went in blind and alone.”
Gabby sarcastically laughed, a dangerous sound coming from her lips. “Don't be a hypocrite. You'd do the very same thing.”
Ghost pushed closer, their tactical vests almost touching. “Not when I know my team is there. What were you thinking?”
“I was thinking of the mission! It's been a year of hunting this bastard down. You honestly think I was going to let him get away? I've been doing this on my own for 2 years now. You of all people should know what it's like to work alone.” Gabby jabs pushing past Ghost, letting her arm slam into his as she went past. She forced him out of her way, she followed Soap and Alejandro to the small balcony, looking out over the road.
“What's the status of your exfil?” Graves asked Alejandro.
“This is Victor 1-1. Exfil is two minutes out.”
“Copy that. All stations be advised, the convoy is closing in hot on the target.”
“Copy Shadow, good eye.” Soap praised the man, making Gabby's already hot blood burn hotter. Looking out towards the road she saw trucks moving in at a breakneck pace.
“What's the call?” Asked Graves.
“They are part of the Cartel. You are cleared hot to engage.” Alejandro ordered, his grip on Hassan tightening as the man tried to pull his bond arms free.
“Copy that.” Was all Gabby heard before the air was filled with bullets raining hellfire down onto the convoy of enemy trucks. Grass, dirt, and car parts flew through the air, the ground rolling and rumbling as more ammo poured into it. Yells of fear and the sound of engines exploding lasted for what felt like minutes, but was dealing only a few seconds of time. The ground shook as a mission took out the far side of the compound, sending Gabby to place a hand onto the nearby wall to study herself. She looked around, seeing Alejandro place a hood over Hassan's face, but not before the snake-like eyes of the man found hers, glaring at her with a dark smirk on his lips.
“All stations, you are cleared to proceed to exfil.”
“Copy that, exfil is pulling up now.”
The four soldiers and their captive pushed through the door of the small building they were in, Soap having a death grip on the arm of Hassan as Ghost flanked him. Gabby and Alejandro kept the area clear, for former leading them as Gabby brought up the rear. Rudy came speeding up the driveway, the tires of the jeep screeching as he came to a stop. Soap jumped into the back of the jeep with Hassan in tow, throwing the man around a bit as he got into the back. Gabby and Ghost jumped into the backseat, Alejandro getting up in the front with Rudy.
“Come on, come on!” Rudy yelled as they climbed into their seats.
“Es bueno verte hermano." (Good to see you brother) Alejandro said as he opened the door to the jeep.
“No iba a dejaros el culo atrás.” (I wasn't going to leave your asses behind) Rudy returned, looking back to see the others settling into the jeep. “Tenemos que darnos prisa, vienen más”. (We have to hurry, there are more coming)
“Contamos con apoyo aéreo cercano. ¡Lo lograremos!” (We have close air support, we'll make it!) Gabby tried to settle his nerves. She placed a hand on his shoulder over the back of his seat, giving it a pat. She heard Hassan hissing and bitching about something, and Soap shoving him down roughly before looking up towards the front of the jeep.
“Let's go! All set.” The blue eyed soldier told the group. Rudy nodded before hitting the gas, sending the jeep flying forward.
“Shadow-1, package secure. We are RTB.”
Gabby kept her hand on her rifle as it sat against her leg. Her left foot bounced, the adrenaline still running through her blood. She felt a pair of eyes on her, but she refused to meet his. She didn't want to deal with the look she knew he would be giving her. Gabby knew she was wrong to snap at him, for running in blind after the HTV, but she only saw red at the time. Hassan was the next step towards the bigger mission. Once this was over she would apologize for snapping at him, but right now she needed that adrenaline buzz to finish this.
Rudy cursing drew Gabby’s attention away from her thoughts. The jeep came to a stop as they looked towards the gas station ahead. Gabby leaned forward to get a better look, seeing Alejandro and Rudy looking worried.
“What's going on?” She asked, resting a hand on both of their shoulders.
“Possible Cartel up ahead.” Alejandro answered. “Shadow-1, get a view on that gas station up ahead. Roping now.” Soap handed Gabby the IR laser and she handed it to Alejandro who clicked it on. Once Graves confirmed their lock on the gas station, he handed the laser back to Gabby who shoved it into her vest pocket for the time being. Rudy thumped his fingers against the steering wheel as they waited for Graves and his men to look over the area.
“I got a bad feeling about this.” Gabby muttered. Rudy gave her a glare in the rearview mirror, to which she just answered with a shrug of her shoulders. Her eyes never left the road in front of them, watching people walking about. Something felt off. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end, a shiver running down her spine. She felt a hand tapped her knee and she looked over to find Ghost watching her. His eyes silently asked her what was wrong.
Gabby looked back at Hassan sitting awkwardly next to Soap, and then she looked out the window beside her, eyeing the trees and the town to the left. Her eyes then came back to Ghost’s, seeing a flash of understanding behind the mask. Their previous argument seemed to be forgotten for the moment, the two soldiers understanding the mission in front of them needed their full attention and trust in each other. Gabby looked back through the windshield, her hand having left Alejandro's shoulder and returned to her rifle, but her left hand remained on Rudy’s shoulder.
“You are all cleared to proceed, no hostiles found.” Graves' voice cut through the silence in the jeep, making Rudy grip the steering wheel hard for a second before he stepped into the gas.
“Copy, we are moving on.” Ghost answered, nodding to Rodolfo. Alejandro turned in his seat, giving Gabby a stern look as he met her eyes. Apparently he wasn't about to drop what happened back at the compound.
“You want to explain to me what that was back there?” He jerked his thumb behind him as he kept his eyes locked in hers.
“No, not really.” She answered back quickly, a slight edge to her voice.
“Gabrielle…”
“Don't Alejandro. I've spent the past two years more of an assassin than a soldier, hunting down the world's worst all by myself. I'm still learning how to work with a team again. Forgive me for slipping up, but I don't want to talk about it. Any of it.” The bite in her tone was one that didn't leave room for the conversation to continue. The jeep began to move, the air inside thick with tension. Gabby slumped back against her seat, feeling eyes on her from all angles but she just stared out her window. Rudy got the jeep moving, heading into the small town, the jeep dead silent.
“We got a civilian moving into the street.” Rodolfo spoke up, slowing the jeep down as a man with a food cart moved to the middle of the street before stopping.
“I don't like this.” Ghost grumbled, leaning forward with his hand gripping his pistol. Gabby flexed her fingers around the stock of her rifle, feeling the smooth metal and wood under her hand.
“Go!” Alejandro yelled, when he saw the man draw a gun from the cart. Rudy hit the gas, plowing over the small food cart and started to speed down the road when out of nowhere a truck hit them from the side, sending their jeep flying. Gabby felt herself go airborne, slamming against the frame of the jeep. Pain licked up her spine and her head throbbed before everything went black.
She had no idea how long she had been out cold. It could have been seconds or hours, but her mind had no sense of time. A long deep groan from deep in her chest spilled past her lips, the feeling of something hot and sticky on her forehead made her uncomfortable. She winced as she opened her eyes, feeling pain all over her body. A pair of hands grabbed her around the waist, pulling her from the wrecked and burning jeep. She hissed as the sunlight hit her eyes, making her wish she had her safety glasses on.
“Check fire! Check fire!” She heard Soap yelling over the comms. The sound of gunfire filling the hot smoky air.
“Hijo de puta me duele la cabeza.” (Son of a bitch my head hurts.) She moaned as the pair of hands pulled her farther from the jeep.
“Hung on, I've got you.” A deep, raspy, whiskey filled voice growled in her left ear, making her turn her head slightly to see who was pulling her to safety. Her left cheek brushed against the smooth, surprising cool bone mask, her eyes widening in surprise. “You solid?”
Gabby ran a mental check of her body, not feeling anything broken or extreme pain. Her head hurt, and she felt some blood on her temple running down her cheek, and a bruise blooming on her hip but she felt okay otherwise.
“Yeah, I'm solid. Nothing broken.” She groaned as he came to a stop, letting his hands linger as he supported her in a sitting position.
“Bravo 0-7 give me a sitrep when able.” Graves called out, his voice filling her left ear making her wince with how loud her mic seemed.
“Shadow-1, no casualties. Hassan is secure.” Ghost answered, he pulled his right hand away to grab his pistol, firing at a few soldiers across the road.
“Copy that, Colonel Vargas, what's the word?”
Alejandro fired a few rounds into the growing number of Cartel soldiers before answering. “Shadow-1, we'll hard point in the building behind us. Over!”
Gabby felt Ghost haul her up onto her feet, his hand on her lower back as the 5 of them began to move towards the building behind the crash site. Gabby felt her legs wobble slightly before she got them steady underneath her. Her rifle was clipped to her side, so she reached down to grab it, holding the sturdy weapon in her hands.
“Get to the roof!” Soap yelled, leading the charge as he dragged Hassan behind him, pushing the door open and leading the group into the building as more bullets rain down from the sky and from across the road. Once they pushed inside they raced up the stairs and Ghost slammed open the door to the roof, leading them out. Soap pushed Hassan against an AC unit, slamming his body to a sitting position before crouching down nearby to get a visual of the ground below. Gabby was close as well, Hassan viable out of the corner of her eye.
His sharp eyes met hers, a smirk on his face as he watched her from his seat. It unnerved her, his snake eyes glaring daggers into her soul. She lined up her sight, her rifle resting on the wall around the 2nd floor and took shots at the enemy soldiers as they popped up from behind their covers.
“Rodolfo, call for helicopters!” Alejandro told his 2nd in command. Rudy got on the comms, calling for exfil by helicopter. Gabby kept firing on the targets, her skin burning under the glare of the sun. The building they were on shook with a violent force, making Gabby look over to her right, towards the hills behind the town.
“RPG!” She announced. She grabbed the IR laser from her vest and clicked it on. “Shadow-1, we are taking RPG fire from the east. I'm roping now!”
“Get down!” Soap screamed, throwing himself against the wall, laying flat to the ground as another blast rocked the restaurant.
“Copy Alpha-1. Engaging.” Gabby kept herself as small as possible, still firing at whatever she could. Sweat dropped down her back, the blood from her gash at her hairline now hard and crusty on her temple and cheek. She was panting slightly, watching Soap throw a grenade towards the downed truck and keep, sending three enemy soldiers sky high.
“Their firing from the church!” Exclaimed Alejandro.
“Heli is 5 minutes out!” Rudy told the group, throwing a grenade.
“All stations, exfil is 5 mikes out!” Alejandro called through the comms.
“RPG!” Ghost yelled from the right side of Gabby, the boom of the missiles from the plane above shaking the ground and the buildings.
“Shit RPG!” Rudy warned. He was to the left of Gabby, firing away. Gabby gritted her teeth, biting down on the inside of her cheek. She kept firing, watching new targets walk into her crosshairs before pulling the trigger. The sound of bullets and missiles slicing through the hot stale air was deafening. The team yelling and the team in the air answering had her ears ringing. It had turned into a full blown war zone. The fight kept raging on, Alejandro and Ghost calling out new targets for Graves and his shadows to hit. The gas station was blown to hell, before things started to calm down.
“Sergeant, sitrep!” Ghost called to Soap, looking over his shoulder to find the Scottsmen.
“Copy, Hassan is secure.” A pause, “Still a prick.”
Hassan started to yell at them, threatening them with empty promises, making Gabby huff a laugh.
“Bravo 7-1, you are cleared hot to shut Hassan the hell up.” Graves snapped into the comms, making Soap laugh out loud. Gabby shook her head, before looking through her scope once more, making sure no new targets entered the scene. Movement at the soccer field caught her eye, making her swing her rifle more to the right to get a better look.
“More incoming!” She shouted. She heard Graves make a call, and the field got blown up, chucks of metal from the trucks getting blown into the sky. More yelling, more screaming, more bullets filling the air. It was madness.
“I'm down to my last three mags!”
“I only have two!”
“I have three left.”
“I'm running low!”
“Better get your knives ready.”
“We die with our boots on!”
The comms were filled with chatter, voices overlapping one another as panic began to set in. Gabby felt her adrenaline start to waver, her bones aching, her muscles sore. Her mind was buzzing as she slammed one of her last mags into the barrel of her gun, continuing to fire at enemy targets. The air grew hotter from all the hot metal filling the sky. Gabby's tank top clinged to her skin, sweat dripping down her neck and back. Her arms were heavy and sore from holding up her rifle for so long.
“All stations, this is Hatchet 3-1. We are approaching from the north west. 30 seconds out.”
Gabby let out a sigh of relief, knowing that exfil was soon there. She glanced over at Soap, seeing the same look in his eyes. This fight had turned hot and sharp, way sharper then they had planned for. They started out with twelve soldiers, now they were down to the four of them. It had turned bloody, it had turned into a race for their lives. The finish line was within sight, yet so far away at the same time.
“Exfil is 30 seconds out. Be ready!” Alejandro sounded tired, his voice cracking as he spoke.
“Copy!” The other three soldiers replied.
“Shit, I'm out!” Soap yelled, a hint of panic in his tone as he patted his vest, despite to find a hidden mag. Gabby reached into her vest, pulling out the last mag she had and tossed it into the air.
“Here, take mine!” Soap reached out, catching the mag before it hit the ground and slammed it into his rifle. He nodded his thanks, before returning fire.
“Graves, our exfil is being blocked by enemy fire. Requesting immediate air support!” Ghost shouted, his voice strained and tight. Gabby slipped open her clip, counting the rounds she had left. It was far lower than she thought. Slamming the mag back into the stock she sent another bullet into its new home, before looking around to see where their ride was.
“Check to the north, armored vehicles at the bridge!”
The fight continued on for a few more minutes, before the Hilos landed beside the restaurant. The wind whipped around the soldiers from the propellers of the choppers, cooling down the air a bit.
“All stations, your exfil is ready and waiting. Time to RTB!”
“Copy that. Ghost, Rudy, Soap, Halo, time to go!” Alejandro stood up and began to run for the stairs to head to the 1st floor.
“Thank Christ!” Rudy sighed, getting up and following his leader. Gabby stopped up, same as Soap who grabbed Hassan and dragged him up, pushing him towards the stairs. Ghost waited until Gabby hit the stairs before leaving his post, bringing up the rear. Gabby glanced over her shoulder, seeing him run his chest under his vest, knowing the hit he took was probably starting to bug him, his chest sore from the impact. Her own head was throbbing, the new bruise blooming on her hip making her take her steps a bit more gingerly. But they had Hassan, they got out of the fire fight by the skin of their teeth, and they were finally heading towards the finish line.
It was hard to hold onto your humanity while taking it from others. It was hard to remain a good person when you were made to tell so many lies for your country, when you had to be less human and more of a soldier. Sometimes you forgot where the soldier ended and where you began. Normality was no longer a small house with a white picket fence and kids running around, or going to college and holding a desk job. It became battle fatigues, always looking over your shoulder, calling a new base every few months home. It was becoming family with the men and women around you, from all walks of life, serving in the same uniform. It was watching them walk out of the base knowing that they may never return. It was trying to keep your mind in one piece, never losing who you were deep inside, while you waged war on others.
No, war was not an easy thing. It was complex, and it was dirty.
Lieutenant Gabrielle Knocks, better known as “Halo” was no stranger to this concept of life. She saw it all first hand, how precious life was, and how easily it was taken from you. Her own family was no exception. After she had joined up, following in her father’s footsteps at 17, right after highschool, leaving behind a broken, messed up past. She joined the Army and found she was a skilled and naturally gifted sniper. After two years she found herself in the office of General Shepherd, with Kate Laswell of the CIA. They offered her training and a position in the US Army Rangers, working as a sniper and a spy for her country. At the age of 20, Gabrielle went from a private to a Sergeant, and moved up the ranks as the years went on. Now at 26, she was a 1st Lieutenant and was deemed the best sniper in the US Army Special Forces. Now, Halo was the one they called when they needed the job done. She was an angel in war. Whether that was an angel of mercy or death was up for discussion.
Being in the Army and the CIA for eight years now, Halo was able to modify and make her uniforms her own. She walked through the halls in a green tank top tucked into her camouflage pants. A thigh holster was strapped to her right leg, a thigh pack for ammo and a knife on her left. A belt sling was low around her lips with a back on the backside of her left hip bone for emergency medical supplies and rations. Her long dark brown hair was pulled back into a braid that hung down her spine, her brown eyes keeping straight ahead as she moved silently through the halls. Gabrielle had a slim, feminine nose, with high cheekbones that made her face look more youthful. Full lips that were slightly pink set above a smooth defined chin and jawline. She was not small but not overly large. Gabrielle stood at 5’9, and had built up muscle over the years, filling out her arms and legs, her shoulders wider as it tapered into a smaller waist. She was a force to be reckoned with, and the people around her knew it.
Making her way towards General Shepherd office, soldiers below her in rank snapped to attention, never looking her in the eyes as she made her way through the halls, silent on her feet like a car on the prowl. Once she reached his office she raised her hand to knock, letting her knuckles rap against the door a few times before stepping back. A few seconds went back before she heard his deep voice calling her inside. Stepping into the office she snapped to attention, saluting the General.
“At ease, Halo.”
She dropped her hand to her side and stood at relaxed attention, watching the General as he moved around his desk.
•••••••••
“Lt. Knocks you know you are the best sniper and operator I have at my disposal. Even above Shadow Company.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
“With that being said, you have been personally selected to join a world renowned Special Ops team by their Captain.”
Gabby faltered for a split second, before her composure snapped right back into place. “Sir?”
Shepherd leaned back in his chair, watching the Lieutenant closely. “Knocks, I'll jump right to the point. As a single operative you are the best I have at my disposal. On a team you are even deadlier. That much has been made clear.” He paused for a second, letting his words sink in, “The Captain of the 141, a SAS Special Forces team in England has requested you as their newest member of the team.”
Gabby kept quiet for a moment, unsure what to do with this information. After a beat she finally spoke up. “Sir, what about my mission?” She took a small step closer to his desk. “I haven't been on a team in two years. I'm not sure-”
“Let me stop you there.” Shepherd stopped her, reaching into his desk and pulling out a folder. He tossed it into the desk and pointed at the folder, looking up at Gabby. “I understand you're reserved about joining another team. But right now members of the 141, Shadow Company and Laswell are on the hunt for General Ghorbrani, the leader of AQ. This won't affect the mission you have been on for the past year. If anything this could help finally bring it to a close.”
Gabby reached for the folder, holding it in her hand as she looked through the paperwork inside. Files of the members of the 141 laid at her disposal to read, so she read the names of each of the men.
John “Soap” MacTavish.
Kyle “Gaz” Garrett.
John Price.
Simon “Ghost” Riley.
The last name in the folder made her pause. While Gabby had made a name for herself as the “Angel of Mercy”, Ghost was the bringer of death. The Grim Reaper of the military. They never crossed paths before, and now the Captain of the 141 was asking her to join the team that was famous for not only the missions they take on and complete, but for their skull bone clad killer that was nothing more than a shadow in the night.
“You have the right to say no, Lieutenant. But know this.” Shepherd leaned forward in his chair, his elbows on the dark wood of his desk as he raised a graying eyebrow at her, “By not joining the 141, not just for this mission, but as a permanent member until I deem otherwise as your superior officer, the deal we struck will stay in limbo until you can get me results. Join this team, and you'll get your answers sooner rather than later.”
Gabby chewed on his words, running it around in her mind. She swore off teams two years ago, wanting nothing to do with them and wanted to be a solo operator. And she was damn good at it. She was feared and respected for the things she has done, the missions she took on single handedly. Sure she wasn't proud of everything she's had to do, but she did it for her country and her family, and that alone helped her sleep at night. Looking back down at the folder, at the list of names staring back at her, she thought about what it meant to do what she did. To keep the secrets she did from people she loved because it kept them safe. To walk the line of good versus evil so the world became a better place each day.
“Should I tell the Captain you need more time to decide?” The General’s deep voice cut through her thoughts, making her eyes snap back to his.
“No Sir.” She said letting the folder fold shut and handed it back to the man before her, “that won't be necessary. You are right, this chase has gone on long enough and even as a solo operator this is bigger than me. Having a team to share the load would prove beneficial.”
Shepherd nodded his head, clearly happy with her answer. “Graves will be pissed you are joining a different team when he's been bugging you for the past six months to join Shadow Company.” The old man chuckled, grabbing the folder and slipping it back into his desk. He ignored the scowl that slipped onto Gabby’ face at the mention of the Shadow Company leader. “You will still be a US Special Forces Operator, and still hold your rank of 1st Lieutenant. But you will be working under SAS and their command, besides myself, from now on.”
Gabby gave him a half smile, nodding her head as she spoke. “When do I leave Sir?”
“How’s tomorrow morning looking for you?”
“Done.”
Shepherd clasped his hands together, standing up from his desk. “I'll have the things you can't take with you in your bags sent over.” he reached out his hand for a handshake, and Gabby took it with a firm grip. “Do the United States proud, Knocks. And show those SAS boys a thing or two while you're at it.” He chuckled with a half smile. Gabby nodded her head, a smile on her lips.
“Will do Sir.”
With that she turned and walked out of his office, heading back down the long stretch of hallway that took her to the back entrance of the Pentagon. She hadn't even left the General’s office for more than two minutes before her phone chimed. Reaching into her pants pocket she pulled out her phone, seeing a text from an unknown number. Six words filled the text bar, six words she then realized were about to change her life.
*Welcome to the 141, Lieutenant Knocks*
Rain.
Of course it was raining, this was England. Gabrielle sighed as she reached out her hand from the ramp of the C-130 that had brought her to England, letting the cold water splatter across the skin. Looking around the tarmac she saw soldiers running around, trying to keep dry as they pulled their raincoats tighter to their bodies. She kept her head on the move, trying to find the Sergeant General Shepherd had told her about.
“You can't miss him. Just look for the Mohawk.” his words rang out in her mind as she watched more soldiers pass by. How was she supposed to find a man with a Mohawk of all things, when it was raining so hard everyone had their heads covered. She was dressed in her army fatigues, her hair pulled back into a thick braid down her back, her hat with her first lieutenant insignia on the front pulled low on her brow. Her tactical vest and gear were strapped to her luggage bags, but her thigh holsters were still strapped to her legs. Her .50 cal Sniper Rifle case was slung over her shoulder, for safekeeping. Even standing there on the ramp of the C-130, she looked fierce, powerful. Troopers that ran or walked by cast her a quick look, before going wide eyed and glanced away. Her eyes roamed the base more, trying to make things out in the distance through the rain. Thankfully it wasn't cold out, the rain itself had a chill to it, but the air and breeze was still warm.
“Lieutenant Knocks!”
A thick deep male accent calling her name pulled her from her thoughts as her eyes whipped to the right to find a tall, thick soldier jogging her way. His blue eyes pierced through the rain, a smile on his face despite the weather. He made his way into the ramp of the C-130, shaking his head like a dog to rid it of water from his hair. The raindrops that soaked him went everywhere, before his smiling eyes found herself once more. Gabrielle couldn't help but smile back, making him smile ever brighter as his mohawk went from flat to standing back up. She choked back a laugh and stuck out her hand for him to shake.
“Sergeant Johnny MacTavish, Ma'am. Welcome to the 141 Lieutenant.” His thick accent filled her ears. It was soothing on the soul, slightly gravely but a smooth ring to it. He was tall, at least 6 foot, and broad as they came. Even without any gear on, only dark blue, jean like pants, a gray shirt and his coat, he was a force to be reckoned with.
“A Scotty!” She laughed before taking his hand, shaking it with a firm grip.
“Aye Ma'am! Born and bred.”
Letting go of his hand she placed her left hand around the strap of her rifle case, holding it on her as her fingers dug into the trap. She flashed him a smile, before cocking her head to the side slightly. “Let's get one thing straight, Sergeant.” She said as he went to grab her gear, but stopped raising an eyebrow at her. “I hate being called by my rank, unless I need to be, like in meetings or such. But in the field, or on base, or something you can call me by my given name or my callsign.”
She watched as the Sergeant cocked his head, before running his hand over his chin with a nod of his head. “I'm sorry ma'am, but they never told me your first name or callsign. But I'll gladly do so once I learn it.” He said with a wink and a sly grin. Gabrielle laughed, really laughed, her eyes going closed for a second as her head tipped backwards.
“Does that pickup line work often for you?”
“Not really but a bloke can try!”
“You and I, Johnny, we are gonna be real good friends.” She poked him in the arm, before grabbing her smaller bag from his outreached hand, his winning smile still on his lips as he let the strap fall into her hand. “Names Gabrielle. But people also call me Gabby or by my callsign…. Halo.”
“Well Gabby, very nice to meet you. Where are you from anyways? Most Americans I've met never had an accent like that.” His thick Scottish accent made his words thicker, like warm whiskey but she enjoyed hearing it. Despite being a large man, of pure muscle mass, the kindness in his eyes and smile made him approachable. He was the type of person that didn't let the horror of war take away the child inside.
“Texas. San Antonio to be exact.” She answered as he grabbed the rest of her things, before leading her across the tarmac to the waiting car. They walked quickly, Johnny shaking his head now and again to whisk the rain from his eyes.
“It’s pishing it doon out here!” He groaned as they reached the car. He grabbed the back door and pushed her gear into the backseat, letting her sit her bag and rifle case on the floor.
“I'm sorry…. What the fuck did you say?” She asked as he grabbed the passenger door for her, letting her get in out of the rain. Once she was in the car he quickly made his way around to the drivers side and jumped in, water dripping down his face.
“Oi, I said ‘its pishing it doon out here”. He answered as if saying it again would make it more clear. Gabrielle raised an eyebrow at him, as she pulled her soaked hat off her head.
“I'm sorry you wanna lick that calf again?” She asked as she tossed the hat into her knee, watching as his eyebrows shot straight up.
“Do I want to do what?!”
They both stared at each other for a few seconds before bursting out laughing in a deep belly laugh. Johnny let his head lean back, smacking against the window with a thud, making his yelp out in surprise as he rubbed the back of his head as Gabrielle started to laugh harder. She held onto her belly as she laughed, the half-ass pout on his lips only making her go harder. His laugh soon joined her again, and after a few more seconds they finally calmed down enough to call.
“And here I thought being an English speaking country there would be no language barrier.” She coughed out, whipping a hand over her hair to smooth down any flyaways. Johnny started to drive, still chuckling as he watched the road in front of them, taking them to the far side of the base.
“What I said was, ‘it's raining fucking hard.’” He finally explained with a playful roll of his eyes.
“Good lord man, why didn't you just say that?”
“I did.”
His straightforward time has her laughing once more, shaking her head. It wasn't often she found a fellow soldier who right off the bat felt like an old friend she hadn't seen in years. It was like being next to her brother, how easily the banter rolled off the tongue.
“Do I even want to know what you said to me?” He asked, trying to keep the laughter out of his voice.
“‘Lick that calf again’. It's a saying where I'm from that means ‘can you repeat yourself.’”
“Bloody hell, why not just say that?”
“I did.”
Johnny tore his eyes from the road for a split second, catching the mischievous glimmer in her eyes before breaking out laughing. He held up his fist to her, letting her bump knuckles with him as he drove on. “Oi, you Bonnie thing, you are bound to be my new best friend.” He chuckled before pulling up to a large building in the backside of the base. The hanger door was open and Johnny pulled into it, before hitting a button on the dashboard of the car letting the hanger doors slide shut. Stepping out of the car, Gabrielle looked around noticing that 2 planes and a helicopter could easily fit in here, along with 5 cars. There was an office to the right of the bay, but the lights were off and one of the planes was gone. Beside the office was another door that was closed, no sign to what was behind it. To the left was a flight of stairs that led to a balcony and door, and another door below the stairs. The team flag hung over the doors, the dagger, skull and angel wings in the center of it. Hearing the car doors open and close behind her, she turned around to help Johnny grab her bags and rifle from the backseat.
“Oh, what do they call you? Do you have a preference on what to be called?” She asked as they started to walk to the ground level door across the hanger. He smiled at her, tipping his head down slightly before shouldering her bag better.
“They call me Soap, but Johnny also works. Though not many around here actually call me by my given name very much.” He went on to explain as he pushed open the door with his boot, stepping aside so she could walk into the living quarters.
“Soap? Really?”
“Aye. That's me!” He said proudly as he walked into the space behind her. His accent was thicker, making her think when he was happy about something it got like that.
“Well I guess if you're going to have a stand out hairstyle, and look corn-fed as get out, you have to have a name to match it.” She spoke with a teasing tone as he turned around to face him. A smile was on his lips, a laugh behind his eyes as he shook his head.
“I'm corn-fed? Sorry Gabby, but do you speak English?” A laugh broke through his question as she placed a hand on her hip, cocking her leg before gesturing with her right hand to his body.
“Si, look at you! Beefy soldier looking like you ate a whole silo of corn. The cows back in Texas are jealous of you.” With that his laugh tore through the living room they were currently standing in. He dropped her bags at his feet, his hands on her knees as his whole body shook with laughter. Gabby watched him with a soft chuckle, shaking her head before pushing his shoulder with her hand, making him tip sideways a bit. His hands flung out, grabbing the back of the sofa to keep himself upright as a gasp mixed with a laugh slipped from his lips, his crystal blue eyes wide. Gabby laughed at him, before reaching for her bags on the floor. Soap quickly reacted, reaching for the dropped bags when their heads cracked together, making them both cry out in pain as they snapped back up to their full heights, rubbing their heads. They both took one look at each other and burst out laughing again, not hearing the door open or close behind them.
“Bloody hell it's like a pack of hyenas in here.” A deep raspy English accent cut through the room, making both Soap and Gabby jump and face the man standing behind them, hands on his hips, a slight grin on his face. Her eyes went wide up on seeing Captain John Price standing there, watching them make asses of themselves.
“Sir!” She snapped to attention, saluting him as she tried to get her breathing under control. Soap gave him a half hearted salute, clearly more comfortable with the older man standing in front of them.
“You're back early.” His Scottish accent said thickly, his voice a bit raw from laughing so much. The Captain gave him a quick look, shaking his head slightly before waving his hand in front of him, signaling Gabby to stop saluting. She dropped her hand and smoothed down her uniform jacket, trying to regain some of her composure.
“Aye, I'm going to join Gaz in Amsterdam tomorrow, so I came back to pack some things and get a decent night's sleep.” He told Soap as he placed his backpack on the floor, stripping off his tactical vest, laying it down on his backpack. “It's good to see you again, Halo.” He smiled at her, making her feel more relaxed under his gaze. Soft blue eyes, with soft lines around the edges looked into her brown ones, a soft smile making his mustache twitch upwards slightly.
“It's good to see you again, Captain.” She smiled politely, trying to keep her town professional. She saw Soap roll his eyes beside her and she pinched his arm, making him growl at her softly as he rubbed his arm. John saw this and chuckled, shaking his head.
“Lord help me, one was bad enough but now there are two.” He teased, shaking his head. Soap and Gabby both blushed, the former of the two trying to hide it by turning his face away from the Captain. “You two are even the same age. Must be long lost twins.” Gabby looked from Soap to John, before looking back at Soap and cocked her head.
“You're 26 also?” Questioned the young Lieutenant.
“Aye, that I am.” Was his answer in a curious tone. “What's your birthday?”
“September 17th.”
“No way!” They both gasped at the same time, giving each other a hard look before yelling “Jinks!” “Double Jinks!” “You owe me a coke!” They kept yelling at each other, John groaned behind them, running a hand down his face as he let out a long sign.
“Heaven above, this will be the death of me.”
The two stopped their banter, looking up at their Captain before chuckling softly. “Sorry Sir.” Said Gabby as she jabbed her elbow into Soap’s ribs, making him growl as he kicked her boot with his foot.
John waves his hand in front of himself, shaking his head as he tossed his hat off his head onto the hook by the door. “No, don't be sorry. This makes me feel better about your transition here. At least now I don't have to worry about you having a hard time making friends. This one” he pointed to Soap with a glint in his eyes, “tends to get on people's nerves so it's good to know he found his match. You two are twins for sure.” He chuckled the last part before making his ways to the long hallways at the end of the living room/ kitchen. Soap and Gabby turned to watch him go, before he called over his shoulder, “Go show Halo her room so she can change into something comfortable and dry. I want to see her in the training room before I leave.” As with that he disappeared behind the first door on the right, letting it shut behind him. Gabby let her shoulders shrug, shaking her head as she rolled it to the side, letting her back pop as she did so.
“Oi, come on then Twin, let's get you to your room.” The tick accent filled her ears as Soap picked up her bags from the floor. Grabbing her rifle case and backpack following the Scottsmen down the hall beside the kitchen. There was a row of doors, 5 on each side. Then there was a door at the very end with a sign that said “laundry” above it. Price had taken the first door on the right, so she knew that room was taken. Soap led her father down the long hall, stopping at door 3rd door on the right. Grabbing the handle he pushed it open, letting it swing as he shouldered his way inside.
“This is you, Lass!” He said as he placed her bags at the foot of the queen bed. That was In the middle of the room. Beside the bed was twin nightstands, a tall dark wood dresser was in the far wall, a window was on the wall opposite of the bed with a desk and chair under it, a soft chair was in the corner next to a small 3 foot high bookcase. Beside the dresser was a door that led to a full bath. The walls were a soft pale green color, the trim was white. The curtains over the window was also white. There was a rug beside the bed, a soft blue, green and beige color in a swirled pattern. Two pillows were on the bed, in a soft blue color with a blue and green blanket on the bed that matched the rug in a way. It felt homey and comfortable. She placed her rifle bag and backpack down beside the other bags, tossing her still damp into the desk before looking back at Soap.
“This is really nice. Thank you.” She smiled softly as the Sergeant, watching his eyes crinkle at the corners with his smile.
“I'm glad you like it! I picked out the rug and the bedding. I wanted to give it a little bit of a… well a home touch, so it wasn't as hard of a transfer for you.” He admitted while running the back of his neck as a sheepish grin cut across his lips. Gabby smiled more at this, at the kindness he was showing her. She pulled the Velcro of her army jacket open, pulling it off and hanging it on the back of the chair, leaving her in her signature olive green tank top.
“Buttering up to the new LT. Smart.” She tested with a wink over her shoulder that got him laughing. Soap leaned against the door frame, watching as she began to pick up her bags and sit them on the bed to start unpacking. “I do appreciate it though. I've only ever called an American base home, so moving and being transferred out of the country was a bit of a shock. A welcomed one, but still a shock nevertheless.” She pushed her Sniper under her bed with her foot, along with her now empty backpack.
“No problem Gabby. We all want you to feel at home here. The 141 is happy to have you. Some of us are barely here, others spend weeks here at a time. Most times we go out in pairs, but now and again we get solo missions. That's where the other Lieutenant is. Gaz must have gone ahead of Price to get things set up. As for me, no missions as of right now, so I'll be your buddy on base till something rolls up.” He spoke in a kind tone, talking fondly of the team and how they work. She could see the pride in his smile as he talked. It made her heart warm, knowing she got sent to a good team.
“Well I hope I can fit in here and be a part of something great. But, Mellizo, you must leave so I can change.” Gabby laughed, pointing to the door. Soap gave her a questioning look, cocking his head to the side.
“Mellizo?” He tested the word on his tongue. It sounded a bit off, and a bit rough with his Scottish accent, but at least he said it right. She chuckles, nodding her head as she grabs some clean clothes from her luggage. “What does that mean? What language is that?”
“Mellizo.” She said again, letting it roll off her lips freely. “It means ‘Twin’ in Spanish.” She watched as his brows creased, trying to process the information.
“But I thought you said you were from Texas?”
Nodding her head she continued to gather her things. “Sí, Hermano. But my mother is Mexican. Plus lots of people speak Spanish or broken Spanish in Texas.”
“That's a wee bit clearer now, Lass.” He finally spoke after a few seconds of silence. “So I call you, Mellizo then as well, when I call you my twin?”
“Well yes, but instead of spelling it with an ‘O’ at the end, you replace it with an ‘A’. It's the feminine version of it. Like this. Melliza. Hear the difference?” Gabby went on to explain as she finished finding all the clothing she needed. She turned to finally face Soap, seeing him trying hard to make sure he learned what she was teaching him.
“Then I will see you in a bit to train…. Melliza.” He over pronounced the word a bit, trying to roll the word the way she had but his Scottish accent didn't let him. She chuckled lightly, nodding her head at him to show he did it right, before he flashed her a smile, giving her a two finger salute before stepping out into the hallway and grabbing her door handle. Right before he closed the door he spoke up once more.
“Happy you joined the team Lieutenant. When you are ready, my room is the 2nd door on the left.” And with that Gabby was alone for the first time since leaving the States. With a quick snap of her wrist her matte black belt buckle popped loose, and the zipper of her pants pulled down so she could shimmy out of her army fatigues. Left in her tank top and compression shorts, she let her shoulders sag as the events of the past few days finally caught up to her. England. She was in England and no longer a solo military mercenary. It had been over a year since she was last part of a unit. Sure she has her “home” base, and saw old friends and teammates from time to time, but when Kate has come to her, with a promotion to Lieutenant and a contract as a Military Mercenary, meaning less red tape and more choices on missions, she took it. Leaving behind a unit she has been with for years. She didn't regret her choice, she knew the dangers of war and some of those people she grew close to never made it home. But now, she has a team once more. Hopefully a new family. She would still get her solo missions from time to time, but to have someone watching your back, it was a different type of peace only a soldier would understand. And she misses it.
A soft knock on her door pulled her from her thoughts, as she stood in the middle of her room lost in her own mind. Shaking her head she made her way to the door, keeping her lower half behind as she slowly opened it. Standing there was Price, some clothes in his hand.
“Sorry to bother you.” His smile lit up the hallway. Gabby smiled back, shaking her head softly.
“No worries Captain.”
He held onto the clothing to her, letting her see what was in his hands. “I figured you probably were used to some kind of uniform, though we don't have a requirement for them here. But if you feel more comfortable where part of or a whole uniform of the 141…” his voice trailed off as she took the clothes from him. Dark blue cargo pants were the first thing she noticed. They weren't loose fitting but not skin tight either. They would allow the wearer to have free movement without snagging on anything or blowing in the wind. Black lace up combat boots were next, and a black short sleeve shirt was on top of the pants. A dark blue sip up jacket with pockets on the sleeves and breast was on the top, a patch with the 141 logo on it. A black belt, with a matte buckle was wrapped neatly on top. Looking back up at Price she smiled brightly at him.
“Thank you Sir.”
“Like I said, we don't actually have a dress code. Wear as much or as little of the uniform as you'd like. Most of the guys stick to the pants to have extra pockets and some wear the jacket. Do what feels right.” He said before nodding his head, grabbing the door handle and shutting it with a soft click. Gabby let her fingers run over the 141 patch on the jacket, a smile on her lips as she walked back across her room to get dressed. Her Army fatigues were hanging over the chair, her new uniform now on her bed. Taking one last look at the uniform that has been her lifeline for 8 years, she turned and grabbed the cargo pants off the bed, ready to start the next chapter of her life.
Warnings: angst, swearing, talk of death and nightmares, soft Ghost
Word count: 5.1K
A/N: I now realize I have a fetish over Ghost's hands and tattoos so now you all will endure it. I'm also sorry in advise for the angst, but you get Soft Ghost so it's a trade off. Also I know this story probably has some spelling errors, I will go back through once the story is complete and edit it.
Masterlist | Last Chapter
"Haha, no, no. Not like that!” Gabby's laugh rang clear through the living room, where she sat on the sofa with Johnny trying to teach him Spanish. “For a Scotty, you can't roll your R’s worth a damn.”
His hand came out, pushing her shoulder hard, shoving her backwards till she was laying on her back holding her belly from laughing so hard. Soap was laughing too, a deep rich sound. “I'm trying Lass!” He said through broken laughter. The two kept laughing, Gabby trying her hardest to show Soap some simple Spanish words. He had picked up a few of them, he could now say “Melliza” with no problems, he could also say things like: hello, thank you, yes, no, my name is Soap, brother, sister, please and how are you. And that was just from a few hours of learning their meanings and how to say the words correctly.
The two remained laughing on the sofa, Gabby now laying down with her head on the armrest, her feet resting on Soap's lap as he sat with his right leg crossed under his left leg, the left foot resting on the floor. The bruises on Gabby's legs were still dark, but now had tings of yellow and green in them. Her knees had cuts and scrapes across them that were scabbing over. Soap gently rubbed her legs below the bruises, trying to ease the ache in her calves that he knew was there, but she was too stubborn to admit.
“You need to let these heal. Workin’ out on all ‘hat fancy equipment ain't helpin’ ya.” He said, his voice slightly winded from all the laughing. Gabby just rolled her eyes playfully, kicking his arm softly with the tips of her toes.
“I'll do what I want, when I want, Culo de unicornio.” She teased, calling him a Unicorn’s Ass, as a jab to his country’s national animal. Who even has a unicorn as their animal was beyond her.
“What did you call me?” Soap narrowed his eyes at her, knowing she said something mean. Gabby only gave him a sly smile, but kept her mouth shut. “Lass, what did you call me?” Soap growled, but a glint in his eyes showed the humor in his tone. The grip on her leg tightened slightly around her ankle, his other hand coming up to the bottom of her foot.
“Johnny MacTavish, don't you dare.” Her eyes grew wide as she watched his hand move to her foot.
“Then tell me what you called me.” He grinned wickedly.
“Culo de unicornio.” She said again, saying it in Spanish to see how far he would take it.
“Gabrielle…” The grip on her foot tightening as his fingers were only a hair away from tickling the bottom of her foot.
“She called you a Unicorn’s Ass.” The gruff voice cut from the kitchen, making Gabby pop up from her spot on the Sofa to look over the back.
“Since when the fuck do you speak Spanish?!” She exclaimed, her eyes wide as she braced her hands under her back to hold herself up. Ghost only shrugged, reaching for a knife from the drawer, and an apple from the fridge, and began to cut it into chunks.
Soap also looked surprised, but turned his attention back to Gabby. “You called me a unicorn’s ass? Was that a Scotland dig?” But Gabby waved him off, getting into her knees on the sofa and resting her arms in the back.
“Not now, I'm more curious to when the fuck he learned Spanish and didn't say anything.” She then looked at Soap and gave him a shit eating grin. “And yes, it's a dig.”
“I wouldn't be a good soldier if I didn't speak at least one different language.” Ghost said as he continued to chop up the apple, before putting the knife in the dishwasher and grabbing some trail mix out of the snack cupboard. His eyes met Gabby's for only a second, but it was enough for her heart to beat a fraction of a beat faster. She watched his hands, free from his gloves, grip the plate and the bottle of water he pulled from the fridge. The way his knuckles, rough with scarred skin, turned white as they grabbed rim. She remembered how those hands had caged her to the desk the night before, the way his arms had pinned her hips to the desk as they flexed under the sleeves of his black shirt, the black ink of his tattoo peaking out. How close his body had been to hers, the way the warm breath that floated from beneath his mask fanned her face.
“Are you drooling over the apple or the man?” Johnny's deep voice broke her train of thought, making her fly to the side as a hand went over her heart with her gasp. Her cheeks flushed red, as she looked into his blue eyes, seeing a mischievous glint spark in them. A sly smile painted his lips, his eyebrow raised in question. She took a quick look to the kitchen to see Ghost had disappeared to his room, and she let her head fall back to the armrest with her arm draped over her eyes.
“Fuck off you Unicorn Ass.” Gabby groaned as she felt him poke her in the ribs, then jabbed her in the armpit making her wiggle away from him and she fell off the sofa with a thud. A loud gasp tore from her lips as her body hit the ground. She looked up to see Johnny looking down at her, his eyes wide as she glared him down. “Johnny…. Run.”
The tall Scottsmen yelped as he flipped off the back of the sofa, taking off into the kitchen. Gabby sprang up, taking off after him, her feet barely making a sound as she moved with speed. Johnny laughed, a true clear sound as he slid over the island in the kitchen, darting around her as she made a grab for him. Her own laugh filled the air, her long braid whipping out behind her as she leaped onto the island, jumping through the air landing in front of Johnny, sending him backwards into the wall. He leaped to the side as she made a pass for him, letting her thunk into the wall as he got away.
“YOUR MOTHER WAS A DONKEY!” Soap yelled as he tore off down the hallway laughing as he went. Gabby chased after him, trying to catch him before he got to his room.
“WELL YOUR FATHER WAS A BABOON, IT'S WHERE YOU GET YOUR FAT ASS FROM!” She hollered right as he slipped through his door, slamming it into her face. Gabby let out a howl of frustration as her fist hit the door. She could hear his laughter on the other side, and she let her forehead rest against his door, chuckling to herself as she caught her breath. She turned so that her back was against the door, still chuckling to herself when her eyes met his.
Golden hazel met cocoa brown eyes as he leaned against his open door frame. He had on a regular black balaclava with the skull print on it, but the bone mask was missing. Eye black still painted across the skin around his eyes. He just stood there and watched her, his large body filling the doorway. Gabby wasn't little by any means, she was tall and built solid of muscle, but Ghost made her feel like she was no bigger than a kid standing next to him. The top of her head came up to the top of his shoulder at best.
Gabby kept her eyes locked in his, unsure of what to do or say. Last night had been a lot, having him judging her, putting his body so close to her own. Filling her every sense with his presence and yet driving her mad with his words. She wanted him to be her teammate, to trust her and respect her the way Soap did. But she wasn't sure she'd ever get that from Ghost. She saw how he was with Johnny when she wasn't close by. They both joked around, trained together, roughing each other up in ways that showed a brotherhood. A team. But when Gabby got close enough, Ghost would shut down, become quieter. It was almost like he didn't want her to see him show his human side. Like he felt she didn't earn it yet.
So there she stood, somehow face to face after telling him off the night before, and not a word was spoken between them. Their eyes never left each other's. They held their gaze, a silent conversation between them that Gabby wasn't even sure was being said. She only knew she couldn't look away. Something about his eyes held her to her spot, her back pressed against Soap's door, her arms across her chest. He still stood in his doorframe, his arms loosely crossed, his foot cocked over the other one as he leaned against the wood frame.
“Lieutenant-” Ghost started to say, making her ears perk at the sound, her body standing a bit straighter when all the sudden the door behind her disappeared. Letting out a high pitched screech, Gabby went flying backwards with her arms flailing around, landing with a hard thud on her back on the ground. Her eyes were closed, a groan left her lips as she rubbed the back of her head with the plan of her hand.
“Oh my God, Gabs! I'm so sorry!” Johnny's voice was now in her ear, making her wince slightly with how loud he was being. His hands went under her shoulders, pushing her into a sitting position, while keeping her back supported. “Ho’ bad did ya hur’ yours’lf lassie?” He asked more softly as he checked her over with his eyes.
Gabby waved her hand back and forth, shaking her head slightly to try and get him to stop worrying. “Brin’ back yo’r letters Johnny, they miss you when ya drop them so suddenly.” Her own accent was thick as she made the jab at him. She saw a smile beginning to creak across his lips, the twinkle in his eyes once more.
“When you learn how to bring your own back, then I will.” He stuck his tongue out at her, ducking away when she took a swing at him with a chuckle. Gabby pushed herself to her feet, feeling his hand still on her back as she did.
“I'm alright Soap, I promise. Only my ego is hurt at this point.” She joked, giving him the side eye before stepping out of his room and back into the hallway, running her hands down her sides and hips to brush off any dirt that may have stuck to her clothes.
“You good?” The deep, gruff voice behind her almost made her jump out of her skin, but she kept her composure as she turned around to find Ghost still standing in his doorframe, watching her intensely. He had dropped his arms to now hang by his sides, and he was sticking out of his room more into the hallway than he had been.
“Mhm, I'm okay.” She said in a soft tone, meeting his eyes. She nodded her head a bit too, her braid falling over her left shoulder as she did so. It had fallen loose a bit, hanging over her left ear more than her right. The collar of her loose white t-shirt now hung off her shoulder a bit, her black sports bra strap now visible. Her dog tags had slipped out from under her shirt, now visibly resting in the middle of her chest.
The two lieutenants just stared at each other in silence, not sure what to do or say. Their eyes remained locked, Gabby playing with the bracelets on her wrist out of a nervous habit. She wasn't sure why Ghost was watching her so closely, why he suddenly seemed so interested in her, why his eyes seemed less intense and more…. Calming. Gabby felt like she couldn't look away from him, his hazel eyes showing more of the blue in them, the lighting hitting them just so.
“Oi, either kiss or punch each other already and get this thin’ movin’ along will ya?”
Ghost broke eye contact first, giving Soap a look that could kill. But the Sergeant just shrugged, a smirk on his damn lips as he put his hands on his hips. “Got something to say, Johnny?” Ghost barked, his voice deep yet calm.
“Aye, I do. You two have been dancing around each other, acting all pissy one minute and somewhat tolerable the next ever since you LT.” He pointed at Ghost, “had to go and open your mouth like an asshole after Al Mazrah. We are supposed to be a team, so can't we just all get along without having to dance around the others in the room?”
Gabby looked from Soap to Ghost, watching the taller of the two, to see how he would take being talked to by Soap like that. She saw his eyes narrow, his jaw working under the skull print balaclava, like he was chewing on Soap's words. After a moment or two of silence, Ghost turned to Gabby and looked her dead in the eyes as he took a step forward. She held her ground, not sure what was happening until she looked down to see him holding out his hand towards her. She looked down at his hand, the scarring on his knuckles, a long thin scar that ran the length of his pinky finger, another bumpy scar on the outside of the top knuckle on his pointer finger. Scars that mirrored her own in some ways. Hands that had done more than most people would want to know about, all in the name of justice and country. His nails were kept short and clean, a few hangnails here and there but still clean.
She took his hand, his fingers warm and solid against her own, dwarfing her hand in his palm. His hand wasn't as calloused as she had once thought, his gloves helping save the skin from becoming overly rough. No it was just the right amount on his palm and fingertips. He gripped her hand tightly, but didn't squeeze too hard, shaking her hand with a study beat. She matched it, letting her fingers grip his hand, and she saw his eyes look it over quickly before meeting her eyes once more.
“Lieutenant.”
“Lieutenant.” They both said at the same time, before letting their hands drop to their sides. Her hand felt cold almost immediately after letting his go, missing the warmth and size of his hand gripping into hers. She shoved her hands into her back jeans pockets, letting her shoulders raise a bit towards her shoulders, a chill running through her back. Looked away from his eyes, feeling them still on her, but her body felt like it was on fire all the sudden.
Stupid hormones.
Soap cleared his throat, breaking yet another embarrassing trance Gabby found herself in. She quickly turned away from the two men, making her way down the hall back towards the kitchen.
••••••••••••••••••••••••
Gasping for air, Gabby jolted upright in bed, sweat dripping down her face as she panted, trying to breath. The room was pitch black, save for the small sliver of moonlight that came through the blinds on the window. Her heart raced, beating so loudly in her chest she thought it might break free from her ribs. She threw the blankets all the way off, letting her feet hit the floor by her bed. She needed air, the room felt too closed in.
Getting up she slipped on her slides, tugging her T-shirt down over the waistband of her shorts. She pushed her long dark brown hair over her shoulders, she grabbed her phone and made her way to her door. She shoved her phone into her pocket, pulling the door open with more force than was necessary, but her mind was hazy.
Another nightmare. Another dream of those green eyes that seemed to haunt her soul since the day she watched them disappear. Her dog tags laid heavily against her breast bone, the 3rd tag that hung from the chin, his tag, seeming to burn a hole through her shirt and skin. His dog tags, his pistol, and a patch from his tactical vest were all they found once the fire had stopped burning. His brother took one of his tags, and Gabby took the other. She took his American flag patch, it was the one she wore on her tactical vest and his brother took his pistol. They had taken their items of his at the funeral, a rain soaked day that held a chill in the air. It was the last time she saw or spoke to his brother, Maverick.
Two years.
Two years had passed and yet the heat of the fire, the pain in her arm as the wood sliced through it, the weight of his body slipping in her hands still felt so fresh in her mind. Like it has only happened the night before. Getting to the kitchen, Gabby leaned against the island, letting her arms rest on the countertop as her head fell onto the folded limbs. A shaken sigh fell from her chapped lips.
The nightmares didn't happen every night thankfully. But it seemed like after every mission she went on for the past two years now, they would attack her, setting off her PTSD even more whenever a soldier got killed or injured on the mission, making the horrid day come flooding back to the front of her mind. Silky’s death, his sacrifice for her own life, set off her PTSD even more then normal after a mission. Perhaps it was because unlike others whom she had seen pass, he had been so close, spoken to her through blooded lips like Marsh had, and she had to watch the life disappear from his eyes like she did that day as well.
She choked back a sob, feeling the tears slip past her closed eyelashes, hitting her arms in silent splats. The coolness from the countertop did little to soothe her burning skin, the air thick and heavy in the quiet night, bearing down on her like a weighted blanket that offered little comfort.
“Who did you lose?” The smoky rasp came only a few feet firm over her shoulder.
“AHHH FUCK!” Gabby screamed out, jumping straight up into the air before her fist came swinging around, thunking against a solid wall of flesh. Ghost let out a grunt as her fist slammed into his chest, knocking him a step backwards in surprise. “Christ, do you always have to sneak up on me at night?!” Gabby whisper-yelled at Ghost once she regained her composure. He rubbed a hand over his chest, giving her a look through the eye hole of his balaclava.
“I heard you scream, and your door was open. So I came out here to check on you.”
Gabby felt her cheeks grow red. Embarrassment crept up through her body, making her spine grow stiff. She ran her hands through her hair, letting her head fall backwards as she turned to face away from Ghost. “Fuck.” She whimpered softly, hating that he heard her nightmares. She didn't look him in the eyes, keeping her side towards him. She didn't want to see the look of disappointment in his gaze. “I'm sorry I woke you up.” She apologized softly, letting her head fall back to her sides, only for her fingers to graze the scar on her left arm without realizing she was.
“Who did you lose?” He asked the question again, this time softer, with more of a smoky tone than a rasp. His voice remained deep, but it hit her soul like warm whiskey without so much of an afterburn. She turned her gaze to his, finding him watching her closely, but a softness in his eyes that she never saw before. He was calm, sturdy. He didn't move, staying a few feet away, letting her have space to breathe.
Taking a deep breath, trying to avoid the question she asked her own. “What makes you think I lost someone? People get nightmares for all kinds of reasons.”
Ghost scuffed, taking a small step forward as he placed his right hand on his hip. “Because I asked Johnny if you got nightmares each night and he said he only heard you yelling in your sleep since we got back from Al Mazrah.” His tone was flat, but not unfriendly. “Meaning that Sergeant’s death triggered something in you. So you lost someone at some point.”
Gabby grumble under her breath about Soap being a traitor, running a hand down her face and over the back of her neck before looking Ghost in the eyes. “I told you the other night, I lost a teammate some time ago. PTSD likes to come and go.” She shrugged it off, trying to act like the nightmares didn't literally crush her heart and mind when they hit her.
Ghost only shook his head, reaching out with his left hand, and that's when Gabby realized he was in just a T-shirt that fit like it was 2 sizes too small. Every dip, every valley, every bulge of his muscles were on display. His arms, now bared for her to see. His tattoos are on full display. The sleeve tattoo starts at his waist, and goes up to the mid-section of his bicep. The black ink made an intricate map of roses, daggers, skulls, guns, shapes and lines. Everything fitting together like a puzzle. But one tattoo caught her eyes.
At the top of his sleeve of black ink, escaping from the lines that all tied into each other, was a raven. Its wings spread, taking flight with a trail of feathers behind it. The bird was breaking free from the ink below, its head cocked as it watched the lines swirl beneath it as it took flight. A raven, just like the song he had been singing. Was he the Blackbird in the sky, trying to find his way home? The thoughts swirls and danced in her mind as she watched the raven tattoo, sitting only a breath away from the rest of his tattoo sleeve, it's trail of feathers the thing connecting it to the rest of the ink, rippled and dances across his skin as he flexed the muscles of his arm, reaching out towards her.
“Gabrielle, this is more than just a teammate’s death.” His voice was so deep, so soft, so unlike the Ghost she knew. Gabby felt her body tremble. She wanted to open up. She wanted to spin the tail of the pain that plagued her at night. But she didn't know how. She watched his eyes, the hazel looking more brown in the dim lighting. She wasn't sure if she ever heard her name on his lips before, but Gabby knew right then and there she wanted to hear it again.
She crossed her arms over her chest, leaning back against the island as she watched his outreached hand. “Why do you care all of a sudden?” She asked with a raised eyebrow, her head cocked to the side.
Ghost locked eyes with her, his hand still outreached. “You asked me to show you the same respect I show the rest of the team. This is me doing that.”
Well that wasn't the answer she had been expecting. She figured the handshake earlier that day was just to make Soap happy, to get him off Ghost’s back for the time being. She didn't realize that he was actually trying to be civil. Gabby went to speak, but Ghost beat her to it.
“You were three tags around your neck. Whoever you lost, meant something to you. That's why you scream in your sleep. So, I'll ask again.” He stepped forward, his hand still outreached, palm up as an offering. “Who did you lose?”
Gabby let her hand reach up and grab the tag that hung separately from her own on the thin chain. The pad of her right thumb traced the engraved letters of the tag, feeling the grooves under her finger. Tears pricked at her eyes, but she swallowed thickly, trying to keep them at bay. She glanced down at the scar on her arm, the long jagged line that begged for its story to be told. Her head dipped down, her chin resting on her chest, her hair falling around her face. Taking a deep breath to try and calm her mind, squeeze her eyes shut, doing all she could to keep the tears at bay.
“I wasn't lying.” Her voice cracked, and it was thick. She licked her lips before she kept speaking. “I did lose a teammate.” Gabby looked up at him, seeing he had taken another step closer to her. She raised her head up, pushing her hair back over her shoulder as she quickly wiped away a stray tear that slipped down her cheek.
“He was also my partner. I wasn't a true member of his team. I was still a solo operator that worked with him and his men a lot. We grew close over time.”
“You loved him.” He asked in such a quiet and soft tone that it pulled at her heart.
Her head nodded, years now looking at her lower eyelashes. “Yes.” She wiped away another tear, looking away from his hazel eyes before more spilled. “We were on a mission. It went sideways fast. We found hostages and were trying to clear the building with them when it went up in flames.” At this point the tears ran down her cheeks freely. She bit her lower lip, trying to keep it together. Her arms hugged herself tightly, a shiver running through her body.
Ghost stepped in front of her, only a foot away and leaned his hip against the island so he was slouching slightly, more so to her eye level. He didn't say anything, just looked at her. His eyes flickered to the scar on her arm, and her own followed his gaze.
“I wasn't strong enough. Fast enough. He got hit with falling debris, and fell to his fiery grave. I couldn't save him.” She choked out the last part, tears hitting the floor as they fell from her chin. Grabbing the dog tags that hung from her neck she squeezed them, feeling the metal bite into the palm of her hand.
“I got a battlefield promotion. I got a Bronze Star and Purple Heart. I was named a hero after that day.” She looked up, meeting his eyes. Her vision was blurry as the tears filled her eyes, her lower lip trembling as she spoke. “All's Marsh got was a grave made from fire and stone. We only found his tags, his patch and his pistol in the rubble. Now, after a mission where a soldier I'm fighting besides meets their end, I have dreams of that day… so vivid and real. I see and feel it all over again. I see his eyes before he fell into those flames. Two years and I'm still fighting the demons of that day because I walked away from the fire and he didn't.”
Gabby slammed her fist into the stone countertop, feeling the pain shoot up her fist into her arm. She closed her eyes, leaned her body forward so her head was touching the cool surface. Though it hurt to talk about Marsh, to talk about his death, it also felt freeing, telling someone the pain that plagued her soul. Why the nightmares pulled her down so far after a mission it was like she was only a shadow of herself for days.
The silence dropped around them like a blanket. It wasn't an unwelcome feeling. Gabby had laid her soul bare, opening up for the first time in years to someone outside of who knew Marsh about how she felt. It felt freeing.
“You blame yourself for something you can't control, Gabrielle.”
There. Her name on his lips once more. The way his deep, raspy British accent said it, the way it rolled and floating off his tongue like a song, it made her heart sing. She pulled her head up off her arms, letting her back pop as she stood up straight to stare into his tawny colored eyes, the black paint around his eyes only making them stand out more in the dimly lit kitchen. The man before her was a hulking figure. Nothing about how he appeared screamed kind of gentle. Everything about him, from the mask he wore, to his size, to the way he walked, it told a story of how he was a soldier. A killer. That he was good at his job. Yet the man that she saw standing there, wasn't the man that people were used to seeing.
“Thank you…. For listening.” Gabby finally spoke, her voice weak and broken from the tears she shed. She gripped the dog tags that hung around her neck once more, but less aggressively. Her thumb rubbed over the writing once more, feeling a weight off her shoulders lift.
“Get some sleep Gabrielle.” Was all the man dressed in black said, patting her twice on the shoulder before standing up straight, pushing his hip off the countertop and began to make his way towards the hallways to the bedrooms. Just as he stepped into the doorway of the hall he called out over his shoulder “You're Welcome.” And then disappeared behind the wall of the hallway.
Gabby watched his figure disappear, feeling the cool metal of the dog tags in her hand. She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the night air, closing her eyes as her head fell backwards, her hips hitting the countertop as she leaned against it. The nightmares still haunted her mind, still had its cold fingertips peaking through the dark, but talking to Ghost, having someone else know the pain that ate away at her in the night, it helped relieve some of the fear that once pulled her end.
Gabby made her way back to her room, letting the door shut with a soft click behind her, plunging her into darkness as she fell into bed. Pulling the blankets up around her shoulders she let her eyes drift shut as the night took over. And for the first time in two years, the nightmare didn't come back to haunt her sleep.
