Where the Ghosts Lie

Chapter Five

"We need to take offensive action." Toby said, staring down at a large map spread across the table that had two red pins placed close together on Greece.

Nolan shook his head. "This is a recon mission. We're just going in to look around."

"Right, but we could still take out a few terrorists while we're there."

"That isn't how it works. We need to take it slow while we can. Once the terrorists know we've found them out, it'll all be downhill from there. We need to take our time to plan an attack, not just pick off a few while we're in town."

"I'm not about to "take it slow" when we have a perfectly good chance at killing a few terrorists now."

"But that's not our job, Toby." Nolan replied.

"Who says it isn't? If I see an opportunity, I'm taking it."

Nolan sighed. "Look, I know you have a problem with me for whatever reason, but we need to work together."

Toby gave a lofty chuckle. "Don't give me the teamwork spill. I'm not three years old."

"Then stop acting like it."

"I'm not!"

Nolan raised his eyebrows. Obviously.

Toby clenched and unclenched his fists. "I didn't ask for this. I didn't ask for an ex-SEAL convict guy who thinks he's better than everyone to be my partner. I could've done this on my own."

Nolan firmed his lips and waited a moment before speaking. "If there's one thing I've learned in life it's that if you go around with that kind of attitude, people get killed. And I'm not here to be better than you; I'm not here to babysit you. I'm doing my job and I hope you're here to do yours. I didn't come looking for friends, but I didn't come here to make enemies of a kid with daddy issues either."

"My father doesn't have anything to do with it, Clay."

Nolan shrugged and took off a ball cap he'd been wearing, tossing it onto the table. "The fact that you even said that kinda proves my point, doesn't it?"

"You want to know why I have a problem with you?" Toby asked, his jaw flexing. He took a step around the table. "People here think you're innocent because you didn't kill Egor. I think you're weak. You should've killed him, or at least tried. The military was wrong for wanting to take him hostage; he should've been eliminated. And you could've been the one to do it." He scoffed. "And look at us now. We're risking our lives because you didn't pull the trigger. We're facing a huge network of terrorists because you failed back in '06."

Every muscle in Nolan's body was tense. "That night, if I'd have killed Egor, it would have made me guilty of the one crime in this entire world that I haven't committed. I don't regret it."

"And that's the thing. You're a coward."

"Watch it, son."

Toby closed the gap between them. "I don't have to listen to you."

"I never said you had to. I'm just trying to prevent you from doing the same stupid things I did, but since stupid seems to be your native language, I'll let you keep going."

Toby gave Nolan a firm shove in which Nolan responded with a solid punch to his face. Toby stumbled backwards, instinctively placing a hand to his bleeding nose, and looking completely shocked.

Nolan hadn't exactly meant to hurt him, but he wasn't sorry either.

"If you were wanting to test my reflexes," Nolan said, "I have to apologize. Not as fast as I used to be."