The Bullet's Whistle (Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Fanfiction)

Chapter 21

    "I'm hit! I need assist—" 
    "Ozone is down," Archer shouted into the comms, sounding like he was struggling as our sniper support. 
    "Shit," I threw away my empty and useless weapon. 
    I reached for a second gun out of the array Roach had placed in the center of the mansion. Hostile forces by the front door were quick to fire at my hand. I snapped back behind cover with a groan. 
    Lifting a concussion off my belt, I set and threw the grenade. There was a momentary pause until the object went off and blinded the group of Russians at the door. I reached out and picked up an AK-47. 
    Shooting at the cluster of sidetracked Russians, I hit two out of five. They collapsed to the ground, blood splattering the walls around them. I ducked back behind cover. 
    "They're coming in heavy by the front door Roach!" I called out, hearing the man assigned to cover each of the sections of the mansion whenever help was called take down a few enemies. 
    "I'm a little tied up back here," Roach responded with a grunt. 
    Archer came into the comms. "They're dropping more troops west of the house." 
    "Cover the west approach!" Ghost ordered as he covered the rest of Roach's flank. 
    I moved to glance at the DSM. "We're halfway done!" 
    "Fox, you cover the DSM," Ghost recommended. "One shot and that intel is done for."
    "Roger," I finished off the Russians at the front door and then moved to the office next to it.
    I started picking off the Russians landing at the front yard, hearing more of them make their way into the safehouse from the east. Roach was quick to stabilize the area with a frag grenade. 
    "I'm hit!" Scarecrow cried out in gargled tone. 
    "Fuck," I drew away from the window, determined to hold off every Russian to keep the DSM safe. "Would you hurry up and finish transferring?" 
    Ghost tapped into his handheld device from where he crouched at the back balcony. "The DSM is done. Roach, Fox and I will cover the main approach while you get the DSM!" 
    I swung around to cover the front door as Ghost joined my side. Roach hurried to unplug the device and join our escape. The Russians were pinning us from all sides. 
    "This is Shepherd. We're almost at the LZ. What's your status, over?" 
    "We're on our way," I responded as I scooped up a new rifle from a fallen Russian. 
    "Let's go," Ghost led the way through the forest, splashing through the large pond as we booked it. 
    Roach fired as he twisted his torso at a run. I threw back the rest of my grenades, desperate to make it to the LZ. Ghost wove through the thicker trees and long grass, shooting Russians that attacked from the south. 
    "They're bracketing our position with mortars, keep moving but watch your back! Roach, I got you covered!" 
    Roach took the lead as Ghost backed off to cover his flank. I turned to cover all three of us, crossing over at the ankles as I ran and shot. The Russians weren't giving up the chase one bit. 
    "We've got to get to the LZ," I panted as we made our way down a slope. 
    Ahead, the trees parted into a flat meadow. Shepherd in his Pave Low was approaching, firing off a few shots to cover us. Roach picked up his pace as we all three exited the trees.
    That's when a mortar flew in front of Roach, pummeling the ground not fifteen feet away. Roach flew backwards, landing on his back with a loud grunt of pain. 
    "Roach!" I cried out, ignoring the Pave Low's cover fire. 
    He was barely conscious as he held his abdomen in agony. I knelt by him, lifting his head as he gazed around in a daze. 
    "Roach!" Ghost caught up. "We've got you, hang on." 
    Ghost lifted one side of him as I covered the other. Roach muttered out in pain as we trudged forward through the grass. The Russian bullets whistled by as we moved backwards, toward the LZ. 
    "Thunder Two-One, I've popped red smoke in the tree line! Standby to engage on my mark,"     Ghost nudged me to the side. "I've got him Samantha, cover us." 
    I slid my salvaged AK-47 to Roach and then pulled out my pistol. Roach shook his head as he managed to start picking off a few of the enemies. Ghost continued to drag him backwards, my own legs moving me backwards. 
    "Thunder Two-One, cleared hot!"
    "Roger that," the helicopter flew forwards and began to fire into the red smoke. 
    "Hang in there Roach," Ghost pleaded as we continued to move backwards. 
    I shot a worried glance to the soldier forcing his eyes open. He shot at the enemies like he was nowhere near unconsciousness, holding his arms strong. I picked up firing my secondary once more. 
    "Roach!" Ghost shouted.
    I turned to see the man falling unconscious. "No, no, no." 
    Helping Ghost lift the man into a two-man support carry. Ghost glanced at me through his sunglasses, expression hidden, and I could sense the ultimate worry he had for the younger comrade. I used my free hand to hold up Roach's chin, limp as he slowly came back to. 
    "We're almost there," Ghost reassured Roach. 
    I looked ahead to where the ramp to the Pave Low was lowering, more air weaponry coming into the equation; by now the Russians were scrambling for cover as the birds fired at their position. As the ramp to the Pave Low settled, Shepherd appeared out of the bird. 
    "Gold Eagle's on the ground. Watch for snipers on thermal, over."
    I looked around for the person that belonged to the unknown radio chatter. The voice was unrecognizable from any other person I'd heard. I questioned if it was Price or Soap for moment, but realized they had gone silent for many minutes now. 
    They will bring a lot of...opportunity. 
    I paused in my movements. Roach draped more weight on me as he fell unconscious again. He panted through his pain, an internal wound kicking his butt. 
    Shepherd had a look in his eyes as he held onto the frame of the helicopter. He scanned over Ghost and then Roach, falling finally to me. I met his dark eyes head-on with distrust. 
    I'd seen that look before. In a man with green eyes instead of dark brown and in a soldier rather than a commander. The gleam told me one thing and one thing only: Shepherd was here for one, little object and nothing else. 
    "Cover them! Move! Move!"
    "Spread out!"
    Everything came crashing into my face like a softball when I heard more of the unknown voices. The files, they weren't about an investment company. If Makarov had them too, it meant they were military based, especially by the uniforms in the photo. It meant that Shepherd had them because he was interested. 
    Hell, he was a part of them. 
    "Do you have the DSM?" Shepherd questioned Ghost as we closed the distance holding up an arm to avoid getting a lot of wind from the Pave Low. 
    I took on fully supporting Roach as Ghost stepped toward his general, nodding. "We have it sir." 
    "Ghost, don't tell him—"
    Shepherd cut me off and I watched his fingers wrap around the handle of his revolver. "Good. That's one less loose end." 
    With those final words, he shot Ghost right in the face with his readied revolver. Blood flew out everywhere as Ghost collapsed onto the ground. I let out a scream, gripping Roach more behind me, as my chest exploded.
    "GHOST!" 
    There was no response and I looked at the pool of blood around his head. A hole was centered right between his eyes and through his mask. His sunglasses had been shattered by the impact. 
    "Move out of the way, Sam," Shepherd pointed the revolver at me. 
    I could only see red at the corners of my vision. My arms braced Roach more behind me. He had come to with the close shot and now glanced over my shoulder at the mess of Ghost. 
    I stood taller, glaring at my father. "If you shoot him, you're shooting me!" 
    Shepherd only gripped the pistol tighter, his power-hungry gaze narrowing. "Samantha." 
    I didn't move, gripping Roach as tightly as I could. Shepherd's thumb came up to the hammer and he cocked it back, preparing for another shot. I knew it would hit my chest. 
    "It's okay Roach," I felt Roach grip my arm to stay steady. 
    Shepherd only continued to aim the revolver in the direction of my own head. I let out a breath, glancing to where Ghost was bleeding out on the grass...completely, utterly lifeless. My heart ached to the sight, my head spun to the smell, and my stomach twisted to the realization. Roach let out a low mumble of pain behind me.
    You can get both of you out of this.
    "Family comes first," I spat out. "Isn't that what you tried to preach all this time?" 
    "I gave you the chance to stay," Shepherd didn't relax his stance. "You didn't listen." 
    "I knew I didn't trust you," I spat.
    Shepherd only shook his head. "You tend to be blind to the obvious, girl." His hold on the revolver relaxed and he finally moved the barrel down. "Get them in the damn Pave Low."
    I breathed heavily, glaring daggers at my father. He moved towards the Pave Low, circling his hand to signal it was time to head out. I returned a steady grip on Roach as men came to herd us up.
    "Come on," I felt tears drip down my cheeks. "Come on Roach."
    "Ghost," Roach whispered, his voice scratchy and absolutely heartbreaking. "No."
    "We have to go," I cried, sucking in a breath that made me wheeze.
    Shepherd lit a cigar as his men picked Ghost up and threw him into a pile with two other Task Force bodies. Another soldier came up and poured gasoline in the ground's divot. I held onto Roach tightly at the ramp of the bird, watching as Shepherd flicked his cigar into the gasoline. 
    I looked away from flaming burst, consistent tears streaming down my face. Roach leaned on me as I forced us to sit. He looked out to the flames, his hand reaching out. 
    "Ghost..." 
    "Give me the DSM," Shepherd held out a palm as he came back into the Pave Low. 
    I reluctantly reached around and pulled it out of Roach's thigh pocket. Shepherd snatched the equipment away from my fingers and then headed closer to the cockpit. I returned to holding onto Roach like he was a child—an arm behind his shoulders, the other clutching his head into my shoulder.
    "It'll be okay Roach."
    "I'm gonna kill the bastard," Roach gritted out, coming to his senses despite his pain. 
    I glared through my tear-blurred vision. "You'll get your chance." 
    I'd grown up looking to the General for comfort and advice. I had began to trust him, confide to him even. I had even, potentially, still processed a love towards him.
     No more. 
    "Ghost! Come in, this is Price! We're under attack by Shepherd's men at the boneyard," Price's voice was mixed with static. "Soap, hold the left flank! Do not trust Shepherd! I say again, do not trust Shepherd! Soap, get down—" 
    Static erupted in my ear and I flinched. Roach reached out toward the closing ramp once more and I followed his gaze. 
    Ghost's shattered sunglasses were just beginning to be engulfed in the flames. 

✧~✧~✧

The song is from the campaign during the time this dreadful situation occurs. Please, take a tissue if you need it (I know I fucking do). 
I really, really didn't want to publish this chapter. </3
~MS~