Down To The Bone (Ghost/Simon Riley Fanfic)

Call In A Favor

The rope was cutting into my wrists at this point. I stopped struggling against them a while ago, honestly, they were just fidget toys at this point. The chair I was sitting in creaked underneath me. An old wooden chair sounds as if it would shatter at any moment. 

I looked around the room once more. A single lightbulb suspended only by a wire, flickered as it swayed. Crimson blood covered the floor and walls. Some old dried-up splotches and fresh puddles, and some...mine. 

I had been captured by drug lore in Romania. I'll let you a little hint, he's not kind when it comes to interrogation. I've been getting steadily beaten every 10 minutes on the dot. One person after another. I was bloodied and bruised, but I wasn't hurt. I hadn't finished my mission, I wasn't done. 

I rubbed my face against my shoulder to itch. My black mask was caked with my own blood and it had started to harden to my face. My vest and pants were also covered in blood. Not that  I minded. I liked the color red. 

I waited and shooed away the rats for some time before the next ass-whooping. No, I'm not some masochist sitting here enjoying this. I wanted to piss them off. Show them that they do nothing to me. That there weak, and I am strong. I want to scare them. 

I don't feel it anymore. You get to a point when pain is just numbing and you become almost immune to it. Some would say it's unhealthy but it's all I've ever known.

I felt my ass buzz and chuckled. The guards who shoved me in here took my gun and knife but didn't take my phone. Some security I'll say. My phone was in my back pocket buzzing. I started to laugh a little stronger.

The door creaked open quickly. I looked up expecting it to be another guard ready for a round in the ring, but I was happily surprised to see Sir Andrei, my mission. 

"What the fuck are you laughing at?!" He practically screamed as bum-rushed through the door. 

"Your inability to find a man with the ounce of balls to get to me. It's pathetic, but hilarious to me." I snarked and chuckled. My face burned as his backhand collided with the side of my cheek. I spit out a little blood.

"Awe come on. Let's not start our relationship off like this." I snarled.

"Who are you?" He was screaming.

"First of all, I am right in front of you no need to yell." I looked up at him. He looked exhausted and he hadn't even done anything. "I'm here to kill you." There was a silence in the air as I stared directly into his eyes. He didn't look away. It was his turn to start laughing.

"How are you going to do that tied to a chair, locked away in a cellar!" I rolled my eyes at him. Men really have no imagination. I was going to play into this little fantasy of his.

"Your right, I don't know what I was thinking about getting myself into this position. I'm so stupid." I tried my best to put on a damsel in distress voice. 

"Yes, you are! Now I'm going to be the one to kill you!" Man, I'm really gonna break this guy's heart. My phone started to buzz. It didn't stop. Someone was trying to call me. Not many people have my number. It's need to know. The man in front of me started to die down as he heard my phone buzzing.

"Since you're gonna kill me would you at least let me speak to whomever that is first." Let's hope he takes the bait. He is honestly the stupidest person I've ever met. I really need to start looking into these hits I accept. This is honestly annoying.

 Andrei didn't even hesitate to walk around me and reach into my back pocket to grab my phone. Idiot. Dumbass. I'm in absolute shock over this man's complete obliviousness. With one press of a button, Andrei placed the phone to my ear and I squished it to my shoulder. 

"Hello?"

"It's Price. I need to call in a favor." He sounded out of breath.

"I'm kind of in the middle of an interrogation. This man is giving me everything." I smiled up at Andrei, who wasn't even paying attention. I rolled my eyes.

"They've got Laswell. I need your help." My mouth went dry. 

Laswell. She and I met on one of my hits about 6 years ago. One of her task forces was assigned to the same person. She investigated who I was, privately. She sought me ought in her own interest. That's what piqued my curiosity. Ever since she's been one call away. She's also tried to recruit me for Task 141 for years now, Price and I were introduced in her attempt at recruitment. She may be the only one in the world I trusted. I didn't think twice.

"Send me the coordinates," I spoke.

"I have a chopper on the way to your location now. Go ahead and speed up that interrogation." Click. In a blink, I shifted quickly breaking the front two legs of the chair. I was able to stand up. I spun around flinging my back and the chair straight at Andrei. My quick move and the pure shock allowed me the advantage.

His head smacked the bloodied cement wall.  It was his blood that covered it now. I squatted swiftly and managed to grip my fingers around the swiss knife in my boot.  Pulling it out and cutting my restraints without a view was another task. A task that needed to finish quickly, as the man in front of me started to regain consciousness and reach for his holstered pistol. 

Cutting as quickly as I could, I sent another kick to the side of Andrei's face. With that, the restraints were weak enough for me to pull and break them apart. I rushed and grabbed the man's pistol, plus the extra mag he had. Score!

I inspected the weapon. One in the chamber, safety off. I heard Andrei groan against the ground. Without thinking. The gun was pointed down and the trigger was pulled. Instinct. 

I made my way out of the building. Didn't prove to be much of a challenge. Honestly, criminals need to do better.  I busted out of the door. We were in an abandoned industrial area of Romania's capital city. It was raining slightly, but it was quiet.

As if on cue, the sound of a helo roaring above. I watched as it descended in front of me. I ran and hopped on once it was low enough. I slammed the door shut after me and sat down. The helo made its way to the sky and my phone buzzed once more. I slid it out and displayed the screen.

Price: Reading material for your flight.

*Attachment*

I chuckled and opened the document. All information on the mission that led up to Laswell's capture and plans forward. I read everything and inspected blueprints and pictures as we zoomed through the sky. Her last known location was Al Mazra.

At least it will be a short flight. I closed my eyes and tried to relax and took a deep breath.

I promised myself I wouldn't go back to the military...Especially after what I had already done with my booming business. I chuckled at myself, then quickly stopped thinking of Laswell. How well did I even know her? We didn't talk about our personal stuff that was the beauty of our friendship. What was I getting into?

Exhale. I will help out Price, but he is not my Lt. I will assist in the rescue, but I will not be on the report. I will be off the record. I will be the smoke on the horizon.