The helicopter ride was fairly quiet, only the whirring of the blades filling the sound of the metal compartment. The helo swayed slightly every now and then with the weight of the missile suspended below. It made you nervous. Such a deadly weapon only held up by metal ropes and hooks.
Gaz sat opposite you, and you swear you saw him looking at you when he thought you didn't notice. But then again, you felt eyes on you constantly while in that helo. From everyone. Price was sat up at the front with Nik, you couldn't hear what either of them were saying, but you wished someone would say anything back here. It was eerily silent.
The plan was set. There was an old rig out at sea that Hassan had used a few months ago when he transported the missile between his men. They used it as a safe house of sorts, nobody able to track him out there or see what he was doing. It was the perfect place to detonate the missile safely and out of the way of innocents.
Out of the corner of your eye you saw Ghost kick Gaz in the ankle, and you were growing tired of whatever secrets they were keeping. "Got something on your mind, Gaz?" You asked, quirking an eyebrow at him, seeing him look at you like a deer in headlights.
"Nah, no. Nothing," he shrugged off, looking to the ground. But you saw Ghost's mask twitch upwards in a grin. Something was going on here. But pressing him on it wasn't going to help the mission at all. You had to stay focused.
-
"I'll keep her down here until you guys are done," Nik shouted over the helicopter blades. He'd set the helo down on shore back on land after dropping both you guys and the missile on the rig. Soap had managed to rig a time-lapsed detonation, accessible from the control room at the rear end of the rig. Ten minutes was the maximum it could give you. Ten minutes to get off the rig, onto the boats still tethered to the lowest level, and as far away as possible.
You and Soap were in the control room, you observed as he sorted out the detonation. You didn't really know how he did it, but it was fascinating to watch him excel at something besides being a fucking idiot. Price was pacing, his phone ringing constantly. It was Shepherd. It had been Shepherd blowing up his phone for the past few hours, but he had been ignored, which enraged him even more.
"For fuck's sake," Price growled, pulling the phone from his pocket and answering it. Finally. Putting it on speaker, you all gathered around the cell, listening in closely. You could have been in a different room and still have heard him. His bellows could have shattered glass.
"Price where the fuck are you?! My missile is gone. The Shadow Company is gone. And you left Graves handcuffed to a fucking pipe like a stray dog." Soap chuckled quietly at that last one. That was his idea.
"You're lucky we didn't kill him, General," Price spoke lowly, his tone dangerous. "It's not your missile. It never was. You're not using this to weaponise your army, to wipe out a whole fucking country."
"You've got no authority here, Captain. You'd do well to remember that."
"You act as though you've got a say in this, Shepherd. You're not starting a war, not while we're breathing."
"You're going to regret this, Price. I'll have your command, your task force. Everything."
Price grinned, but you could tell he was furious. You all were. "Once we've done this, we're coming for you, Shepherds. You'd do well to remember that." Not really the time to be having these thoughts, but it was so attractive the way Price held himself through that conversation. So commanding. Authoritative. Jesus, you needed to pick a time and place and this certainly was not it. Hanging up on the General, Price motioned for Ghost and Gaz to follow him, leaving you and Soap alone. You stood by the door, clutching your weapon tightly in your hands, eyes peering out into the darkness. The others had gone to check on the lifeboats, doing a sweep of the rig as they went. You were stationed in the control deck while Soap finished up. The waves lapped at the sides of the metal structure, and it sounded as though the rig swayed with violent waves crashing up on it.
"So," Soap cast you a wavering glance. "How long you been fucking the Captain, Nix?" If your finger was on the trigger, you probably would have pulled it accidentally. Your head whipped round so fast it almost detached from your neck.
"What?! The fuck are you talking about?" You glared at him, but he had this mischievous smirk on his face, as though your facial expressions had confirmed it for him. Only he would feel so confident asking such an out of pocket question.
"Don't play dumb with me, Phoenix," he rolled his eyes. "I've had my suspicions for a while now. Just answer the question."
You sighed, your face showing a nonchalant expression, but inside, your heart was erratically racing in your chest. "You don't know what you're talking about, Soap. Where did you even get that idea from? It's so ridiculous that I'd be sleeping with my-"
"Gaz caught you both when we were all waiting for Nik to show up in the helo." Well that stopped you dead in your fucking tracks. You side eyed him, and he noticed, causing him to laugh. A proper belly laugh erupted from his throat at your 'caught red-handed' expression.
"Ummm...so...right okay. Yeah, I can't defend myself here," you admitted, shaking your head defeatedly.
He chuckled again. "Nope, you can't. So answer my question. How long?"
You huffed, turning towards him.
"Since Chicago, when we were hiding from Shadow Company," you admitted, it felt a lifetime ago that you were in that motel room.
Soap's eyes widened. "Jesus, that long? I'm surprised you kept it hidden so long. Cap wasn't nearly as subtle about it as you though."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You didn't see him after you got kidnapped by Hassan, Nix," he looked over. "He was scary. Protective. Never seen him like that before."
You smiled a little, casting a glance outside the door. "Huh. Never knew that."
You waited in silence until Soap finished off, grabbing the receiver and following you outside, the two of you descending down the rig to the bottom level where the guys were waiting for you.
"Feel like I'm gonna have to apologise to Gaz," you giggled, walking down the steps hurriedly, Soap following close behind.
"Yeah, probably."
-
The heat from the blast burned at the back of your necks as the boat drifted away from the rig. The missile was gone, as was General Shepherd's leverage. He was going to be on all of your tails now, figuring out your every move. All you had to do was stay one step ahead.
"Laswell is meeting us tomorrow evening so we can plan our next move against Shepherd," Price said as you boarded Nik's helo.
"Our next move?" Gaz asked, looking puzzled as he took a seat beside you. "I thought that explosion was our last." Price just shook his head, speaking through comms since it was the only way to hear him over the blades.
"Shepherd's going to do everything to find us after he finds out what we did. That's why Laswell is coming to us. She has ideas for a plan. But nothing she could discuss over the phone. Too risky."
The ride was quiet. Price was no doubt thinking of what to do next, and it looked like Ghost was doing the same, from what you could see as he sat across the helo from you. His eyes were like pin fires, darting around the floor as the cogs turned in his head.
Soap was asleep. Completely flat out. His head lolled to the side and he nearly whacked it on the metal walls behind his skull until Ghost noticed. He gently laid his palm on the side of Soap's head, and guided it to his shoulder. Soap didn't wake up once as he slept against Ghost's broad shoulder.
You smiled at Ghost and he caught your eye, pupils piercing into yours as his head tilted to the side in a warning. We never speak of this. It was as though he said it directly into your ear. You nodded once and turned to look at Gaz.
Gaz kept his eyes down, his hands fiddling with one another. "Oi," you nudged him gently. Your comms were cut off. Nobody could hear eachother anymore. But Gaz could hear you. He turned his gaze to you slowly.
"What's up, Nix?" He smiled, nudging you back.
You sighed, leaning your head on his shoulder. He sat half a head taller than you, so it wasn't uncomfortable on your neck to lean against him. "Feel like I have to apologise to you." You felt his shoulder shift as he looked down at you. Gaz poked your arm gently with his finger.
"What have you got to apologise for?"
You tilted your head up. He knew exactly what you were talking about. Your eyebrows raised in that 'really?' sort of way and he looked away quickly. "Don't know what you're on about."
"Liar," you smiled. "You know exactly what I'm on about. You just don't want to talk about it."
He laughed gently, his shoulders shaking and rocking your neck back and forth. "Talk about what? How I got a full view of your ass in broad daylight and our Captain fucking you? Get why I wouldn't want to talk about it?"
Your eyes widened and you couldn't stifle your chuckle. "You saw my arse?!"
He nodded between laughs. "Yep. And then some. Can't lie though, it's not a bad arse you've got there, Nix. Not as good as mine, but pretty damn good." You both laughed with one another, happy to have that whole memory and scarring experience for Gaz behind you.
-
Alejandro and Rudy had departed you, but left behind the keys to the Mexico safehouse if you were ever in need of it. They had their vaqueros to take care of, and you didn't blame them for parting with the 141 when they did. They had done their part, this wasn't their fight. Not anymore.
Nik dropped you and the boys off just at the cusp of the Mexican border. Price had arranged with Javier and Manuel to leave a truck by the drop point so they didn't have to walk the six hours to the safehouse. It was ready and waiting with a full tank of gas. You took the passenger seat beside Price, who took seat as driver. Soap and Gaz took the two back seats and Ghost opted to ride in the truck bed. You didn't question why. He needed the time alone. All of you had been through so much these past weeks. These past months. Time alone would do you all some good.
"All good, love?" Price asked you, his voice quiet. He patted your thigh gently, squeezing once before releasing his grip and moving his hand back over to his own lap. But you caught it before he could move it too far away, taking his hand in your own, your fingers tickling along his calloused, bruised knuckles.
You smiled at him, turning your head towards him. "Home stretch, John. We're nearly there," you grinned, squeezing his hand in yours. He returned your smile, turning back to face the road, his fingers still intertwined with your own.
The barn was quiet when you arrived. Eerily quiet.
"I'll check around back," Soap said as you all clambered out of the truck. He nodded in your direction and you followed him around the back of the barn, clearing the small sheds on your way. It was clear. The place was empty. You were safe here. For now.
After eating, filling your stomachs after what felt like the longest time, you all sat around the meeting table in the centre of the open space. Laswell was meeting you across the border in a Texan bar the next night, so all you needed to do was to wait until then. From what Price had said, she was to help take down Shepherd, stop his plans and his deceptive ways. To take out Graves and the Shadow Company so that they could never find another way to leverage their army. With Graves and Shepherd gone, there would be no war. No death. No genocide.
"So this is it. Our final job," Price was the first to break the silence. Ghost sat opposite Price, with Soap on his right. Gaz stood by the door entrance, keeping a wary eye through the window for any signs of...well, anyone. "We meet with Laswell. Secure the plan. Then we'll be well on our way to take out Shepherd."
Ghost leaned forward, resting his hand on Soap's knee. "And what comes after that? We take out Shepherd, then what are we?" It was a fair question. One that Price couldn't answer right now.
"We focus on the task at hand right now, Ghost. What comes after, we'll figure that out later," Price said.
"We can figure that out over the drinks that Cap promised us," Gaz smiled from his place in the doorframe. You smiled with him.
Price huffed a chuckle, leaning back in his chair. "But right now, we should sleep. Rest before tomorrow. It's going to be a long day ahead of us."
And that was that. There was nothing else to do but sleep. But to wait for the morning that was to come. Tomorrow would bring you some comfort, knowing how to take out Shepherd and his pawns. You'd find comfort in the plan that would be made. You'd find comfort in the whiskey you would drink, and the men you'd drink it beside.
Gaz retired to his bed first, a passing comment about being able to sleep in a room alone since he knew who'd be doubling up now. It only made you laugh as you turned your attention to Ghost, who's eyes almost popped out of his head.
"Sure...Ghost and I have no issue with it," Soap smiled, oblivious to the knife-cut tension in the room. "Right?" He turned to Ghost, who only stared at him in return.
Ghost rolled his eyes, ignoring your faint giggle stifled by your palm. "Shut up, Johnny," he whispered.
"Well, while you two have a little lovers quarrel," you managed to say, holding back a smile. "I'm going to search for a shower. There has to be one here. This palace is fucking huge."
Gaz was already asleep by the time you'd walked past his room. His snores filled the hallway and you swear you saw the doorknob shake from the vibrations. He and Soap were in serious contest here, you couldn't tell who was louder. Eventually you found the shower. It was the room next to the bedroom no doubt for yourself and Price, since Soap had already dumped his and Ghost's things in the bedroom at the other end of the hall.
Stripping yourself of your clothing, you didn't even let the water warm before stepping under its cold embrace. Goosebumps appeared on your arms and chest, your nipples hardening under the cold water. You let it run down your body, into your hair until your head felt heavy with the weight of it.
Eventually, the water warmed, and you sighed peacefully. You were thankful that you'd picked up some bathing supplies. Mango was your favourite scent, so when applied to your body it soaked the air in that scent you loved so much. Your eyes drifted closed under the water as it beat against your skin, your face, your hair.
You might have been in there for too long, but at this moment you didn't care. This was your selfish moment of calm before the storm. In the trance of the shower air clouding your vision, the scent filling your senses, and the warm feeling that the water calmed you with, you didn't hear the bathroom door click as it opened. Or hear clothes fall to the floor behind you.
But you felt a hand touch your stomach and you panicked, only for a second. Until you recognised the familiar touch.
"Easy, love," Price whispered in your ear, stepping behind you. "It's only me." A sweet smell invaded his nose, and he smiled at it. "Mango?"
You nodded, turning your head, pulling your hair away from your face and behind your ear. "What are you doing in here?"
He smiled, kissing your shoulder, his arms wrapped around your waist. "Can't I enjoy a shower with you? Before shit hits the fan?"
"Of course you can, John. Showering alone is not nearly as fun." Your head tilted back as his lips met your neck, kissing your wet skin softly. His beard brushed against your skin and you couldn't help but giggle at the ticklish sensation. "Didn't think you'd be so bold though, while your men are sleeping down the hall."
"Darling, when have you ever known me to be someone who isn't bold, hmm? Besides, it's not like its a secret anymore. They practically forced us into the same room together," Price smiled as you gasped, feeling his hand drift lower. "I think it's best to relieve a little tension before tomorrow. Clear our heads."
You turned to face him, his hands gently kneading at the flesh of your ass. Your hands came up to the sides of his neck, his wet beard now soft under your fingertips. "Is that all this is? Clearing our heads?"
He smiled, dipping his head to kiss your lips softly, passionately. "Not to me. To me, this is all I need. It means more to me than that." You cupped the back of his head, tangling your fingers in his hair. Your kiss grew deeper, his tongue parting your lips and licking into your mouth. Price pushed you up against the tiled wall, the cold feeling soothing your burning skin from his touch. With your bodies pressed against eachother, not a breath of air between them, you could feel everything. How he hardened with each waking moment of kissing you, how his wandering hands grew more firm with each inch of skin he explored.
His hands gripped the backs of your thighs, hoisting you up, wrapping your legs around his waist before focusing his touch back on your arse, holding you up. Your weight was resting between his body and the tiled wall, secured in place as he gripped and groped your skin, kissed and bit at your lips gently, pulling your bottom lip between his teeth.
"Please," you whispered, almost pleading. He loved when you begged for him. It only egged him on further. "John, please."
His lips kissed your neck, your collarbone, before devoting its attention to your tits. He pushed you up, higher against the tile. Sucking on the soft flesh around your nipples, his teeth left marks and his lips left red bruises. You covered your mouth as you moaned softly into your palm. The enclosed space of the bathroom would only amplify the noises you would make, and you really didn't want them hearing you from their rooms.
"What do you want from me, love?" He muttered against your skin, his eyes tilting to look up at you. "Tell me." He sank you down lower, slowly. You felt the tip of his cock tap your clit as he lowered you down the tile to meet his eyes head on.
"I-" You cut yourself off with a soft gasp as he teased the entrance of your cunt with his cock. "John, please."
He just smiled, grabbing his cock at the base with one hand while holding you up with the other. "Use your words."
God, you loved it. This side of him. The way he pulled words from your throat with such little effort. "Fuck me. John, please fuck me."
That was all it took. He sank you onto his cock without a further word. He groaned quietly, feeling you tighten around him, gripping him with force until you finally adjusted to his size. You bit your lip, stopping your moans from filling the air. "Atta girl," John praised, kissing your neck, sliding his cock in and out at an easy going pace, the sounds of skin on skin being the only thing you heard. "You got it, baby."
His thrusts became more forceful, pushing into you harshly. His hand on your ass guided your body above him, bouncing you on his cock. You couldn't keep quiet anymore, wrapping your arm around his neck to keep steady, the other digging your fingernails into his shoulder painfully deep.
But he was quick with it, his free hand covering your mouth the second your own hand left it. His little finger rested just under your nose, and you breathed heavily with each thrust, feeling your own breath blow warmly back into your face.
The water hit his back harshly, the temperature you had set the shower for burning sharply into his skin. How you could even shower in these temperatures was something he'd never understand. But he'd learn to get used to it.
Your eyes rolled, head pushing back against the tile with heavy pressure to the point you thought you were going to crack the tile. "Come on. Come on, darling. I know you're close." He knew your tells by now. Your thighs tightened around his waist, your ankles interlocking at his lower back, caging him against you. Your orgasm was powerful, violent as it hit you. Your walls clamped around his cock, unrelenting as you came. Moaning into his hand, your head lolled forward, your muscles squeezing around bone as your high overtook you.
Price followed not far after, a more shortened version of your own orgasm, but just as powerful. His thrusts halted suddenly and his cock twitched inside you, spurting his seed inside your walls, coating your insides with his release.
He kissed the side of your head, letting his hand fall from your mouth to rest on your hip. "There's my girl," he smiled, resting his forehead against yours. "Told you it's good for clearing your head." You couldn't help but smile, laughing softly.
"As long as this doesn't stop, I think I'll be good," you said softly, a pang in your chest preparing you for any sign of a rejection. For him to tell you that you'd just remain professional after all this was over.
But he smiled, kissing your cheek before letting your feet touch the floor, reaching behind you to switch the shower off, stopping the water in its tracks and allowing for cool air to hit your bodies. "That sounds like a good plan to me, rook."
Drying yourselves, you returned to the bedroom and climbed into the soft bed, covering yourself in the sheets. His body pressed against yours, a warm broad chest hitting your back. That's how you slept, encased in his arms, his breath against the back of your neck as he hummed gently in his sleep, sending you to your own slumber.
-
The bar was quiet, and dark. But that's how you liked it. Nobody questioned your presence in the bar. Everyone went about their time in the bar, finishing their drinks and often ordering a second in replacement. You sat at the corner of the bar, Ghost on your right, Price on your left with his hand resting on your thigh comfortingly.
"Glad to see you all alive, still," Laswell announced her presence from behind you. She watched as you all turned to face her, a smile on yours and Gaz's face.
"Kate," you smiled, standing to embrace her. "Glad to see you made it."
"You too, Nix. Heard it's been pretty rough for you guys recently," Laswell said as you all seated yourselves at the bar once more. She patted John on the back as she sat in the empty stool.
"You've got no idea, Kate," Price responded, smiling at her. "But we're out of the woods for now."
Kate motioned for the bartender to bring her a drink, and he nodded and poured her a glass, sliding it down the bar into her waiting hand. "Not for long. Shepherd is pissed. At all of you. He's going to bring heavy fire down on your heads once he finds you."
"Not if we find him first," Ghost muttered from your right hand side, his fabric mask showing his eyes, and the rage you saw in them even more evident now.
Laswell smiled. "Exactly. So that's what we'll do. But first, a drink. You lot stopped a war. I think that's cause for a celebration, don't you?"
"Well, if we're drinking," Gaz pointed out from the end of the bar. "I heard that drinks were on Price." A low chuckle emanated from the group and Price accepted defeat.
"Yeah, I suppose they are," Price admitted, waving down the bartender and ordering a round for you all.
You were quiet, as you sipped your whiskey, and Ghost noticed. Price had conversation with Laswell about the upcoming ambush you were planning. He nudged your arm, eyes meeting yours filled with concern.
"What's going on in that head of yours, Nix?" He saw your fingers trailed across the deep scars left by Hassan's men all that time ago. Ninety two days worth of suffering that had been forced upon you. Your eyes deep in thought, your face fixed in a brooding glare.
"Nothing, just...thinking."
"About?" He questioned, coaxing a full answer out of you.
You sighed, dropping your hand from your slashed arm. "About whether all of this, the shit we've been through as a team. Hassan, Valeria, Graves. Whether it's all going to be worth it. Whether we can actually beat Shepherd. Or this will have all been for nothing."
"Hey," he said softly, leaning against you gently, little weight on your shoulder. "We'll make it worth it. Scars do heal. I would know," he gestured to his own arms, adorned with his own faded scars. "It all depends on whether you let those scars consume you, or fuel you into getting your own revenge."
You smiled softly. "Is that what you did?"
He looked away momentarily. "Not at first. But I learned. And now I guess I'm teaching you the best way to handle it. We'll finish this. One way or another."
More drinks flowed as your plan came together. Now you just had to enact it. Then you'd be free. You'd all be free of the grip that Shepherd had on your throats. No one singular man could be left to start this war. As a team, you had to make that happen. With the 141 by your side, you felt more confident. You could do this.
This was what the 141 was made to do. Now only one man stood in the way of your freedom from this caged war. But not for much longer.
His time would come soon.