A Ghost Encounter: My Time with Simon "Ghost" Riley

Part Seventy-Two: Getting to Know You

"I am bretty?" König looks up from the shit he's shoveling.

Price, Soap, and I pause to look at each other for a moment and then burst out laughing.

"Vat? Vat is zo funny?" König asks confused.

He's so awkward sometimes it's funny...and adorable. I find it sweet that he struggles a little with social settings and jokes.

"Nothing, König. You're just a funny guy." I smile at him.

"Zank vu, Schatz." I can tell by his eyes he's smiling.

"Schatz?" I tilt my head.

"Ah, right. It means darling," he tells me, his tone soft.

"I'd quit while you're ahead, König. Ghost won't tolerate that," Soap snickers.

I can tell König is embarrassed as he tilts his head down and out of our line of sight.

"Shut up, MacTavish. Finish shoveling your shit," Price reprimands then turns his gaze from Soap and winks at me.

Huh, good to know someone here has my back against Soap's stupidity.

- Two Hours Later -

Mateen meant business.

We just spent the last two hours shoveling shit, sweeping the stalls, and feeding the horses. I'd say we definitely earned our keep.

"Damn, I'm exhausted!" Soap yawns as we make our way inside Mateen's home.

"Keep that information to yourself," Price warns as we enter the kitchen.

"All finished?" Mateen asks with a cheeky grin, knowing damn well we're completely beat.

"All finished? Hah," Soap whispers to me and I can't hold back my tittering, at least not until Price pierces us with a look that says, Shut up.

"Yes, we are," Captain Price responds to Mateen.

"Very well. Thank you." Mateen nods, satisfied.

"Please, sit and eat." Nahal turns to face us from where she is standing by the stove.

"Don't mind if I do," Soap jokes and I nudge him with my elbow.

"Don't be rude," I admonish, trying to keep my voice down.

"Ow..." Soap whispers. "Sorry."

We sit at the table and eat the most delicious food I've had in a while. Nahal prepared mastawa (sticky rice with lamb), bolani (stuffed flatbread), and aushak dumplings (vegetable dumplings).

To avoid revealing his face, König ate in another room.

What is it with Ghost and König hiding behind their masks? I've seen Ghost, and sure he has some scars, but he's beautiful nonetheless.

I wonder if I'll ever be able to catch a glimpse of König's face.

"Zank vu for zee meal," König says politely as he re-enters the kitchen and places his dishes in the sink.

"Yes, thank you. It was delicious." I smile at Nahal.

"It is my pleasure," She says ever so humbly.

Nahal begins taking our dishes to the sink.

I should help.

I get up from my seat at the table and offer my aid to Nahal, which gratefully she accepts.

"My friends, you smell worse than the horse shit," Mateen laughs, adding salt to our wounds.

"Guess you'll have to let us use your shower then," Soap says through gritted teeth.

"Feel free to use the river. It is a little down the way, closer to the hills," he offers an alternative.

Sure, a hot shower would be ideal but beggars can't be choosers.

The guys head down to the river and I finish cleaning up with Nahal.

"Thank you for your help." She clasps my hands softly.

"No, thank you for your hospitality." I smile, release her grip, and make my way to the river.

As I near the body of water I hear the laughter of my teammates.

"Breanna!" Soap calls out my name when he sees me approach.

"Still stink?" I sketch a brow, laughing.

"Come and find out," he giggles, and then Price dumps his head under the water.

Poor König is away from the group with his back turned to us as he washes his face.

"Turn around," I demand.

"Why?" Soap arches a brow.

"So I can undress and get in the water," I scoff in a duh manner.

Soap just looks at me dumbfounded.

"Turn. Around. Now," I say sternly, and annoyed, placing my hands on my hips.

"Fineeee." He and Price simultaneously turn around.

I strip my close off and enter the river. Not before testing the temperature with my toe, though.

God, it's kind of cold.

After we finish washing up we head back to the barn and get ready for the night.

"I'm even more exhausted!" Soap whines as he plops face-down onto his hay bale.

"Then shut the hell up and go to sleep," Price barks, also exhausted.

"Whatever. Good night." Soap covers himself in his blanket and dozes off.

"Kood night," König says before turning in.

I'm not sure why but I'm not too tired. Maybe I'll go for a late-night stroll.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Captain Price stand from his hay bale and exit the barn.

Should I follow him? Not sure...but I'm going to anyway.

"Can't sleep either?" I offer Price a warm smile as I exit the barn and stand next to him.

Price takes a drag and then speaks, "Not really."

I haven't spoken an incredible amount to Price, but I find his wisdom endearing and I'd like to learn more about him.

"Care to chat?" I tilt my head at him.

"Why not." He shrugs his shoulders.

We talked for almost two hours, no feelings of awkwardness, no stress. He was surprisingly really easy to talk to. Price isn't shy at all and he's pretty open about his past.

Here is the list of things I found out about Captain Jonathan "John" Price:

- He joined the infantry at age 16.

- He was promoted to Captain in 2011.

- His call sign is "Bravo Six".

- He's been shot, captured, abandoned, blown up, locked up, tortured, and left for dead.

- The last fact—my favorite fact—is that he loves his team more than anything.

I feel honored, quite lucky even, to have had the opportunity to get to know Captain Price better.