Home - COD Simon Ghost Riley X Female OC

Chapter 16

That cut him. The man was right about that. Of all people, he should know not to burden her further by letting himself lean on her.

He might be the one torturing her now, but he wasn't the one that hurt her in the first place.

"And where is Halcon? Huh? You said he was shipping out." Simon kept his tone oh-so even. The back of his neck burned, and this time he knew it was anger.

"He will." Price eyed him like a disappointed father. "She's small, Simon. Minor. To the world, she's dead and it's fair to assume that you don't understand what kind of advantage that gives us. I know she's human and she deserves the same care anyone we have the chance to protect does. But it's not worth being worked up over. You're losing your focus."

"She should be sent home."

"What home?"

Simon laughed in the man's face. "You know what I mean. Google it." He flipped his hand, irreverent.

Price nodded like he'd play along.

Simon frowned. "The states know we've found her, right?"

"They will." He stated in the same unconvincing tone he had used in speaking about Halcon. "Until then, please focus, Simon. I put you on her as interrogation detail, not protection detail. You've done your job well. You've put us in this position. She's intelligent, capable of the choice."

"She's shell-shocked."

Price had the decency to look sympathetic. "Then let's end this quickly."

Simon hadn't had any other words for the captain. His anger cooled in the morning air. It was replaced by something worse.

Johnny stood close by, smoking. Simon didn't know how the man had known where he was, but he fell in step beside him as they went back to their tent.

"Well?"

Simon didn't look at Soap. "Forgot what I told you?"

"Oh. Was that an order?"

Ghost knew the only way to get the man off his back was to give him some information to chew on. He was sinking deeper and deeper into the realization that if he truly wanted to protect Soap, keeping him in the dark may make it impossible. And Price's implications and left a bad taste in his mouth.

"The girl," he sarcastically used Johnny's own words, "you were right. It's about the girl."

"I was right."

"Yes, John."

Soap didn't reply. This was strange. He had to wonder if their leaders had known the girl was there the entire time. They were too easily dancing around the fact that she had been under their noses since they had arrived. Perhaps they had been waiting for a chance to do exactly what they presented now as some crazy happenstance idea. Bait the cartel. With an innocent and traumatized young woman. He shuddered. He saw the value of the proposition, he just didn't feel it was right.

He cut his eyes to Ghost when he spoke again. He hadn't expected him to. He hadn't expected to see him question orders. He hadn't expected to find his room empty when he went to borrow something from him the night before.

The man was entering dangerous territory.

"He gave her a choice."

That obviously wasn't ideal. Both of them knew what Mariana would choose, and why. But her fate wasn't sealed. Setting up a diversion could be successful with a team that knew what they were doing.