Hotel Six: A Call of Duty Fanfiction

Chapter 32: Shepherd

"Hey"

Jessica shifted her focus from the book she was reading to her phone. Her brows set "... The hell?" she muttered to herself before texting back. "It's been a while, Vladimir."

"I know... Two weeks turned into two months kind of quick, didn't it?" he replied.

She smiled. Too, quickly, in fact. "Yeah... It did..."

A beat of silence passed. "... Can I call you?"

Jess hesitated and glanced out the window. Well, it was an opportunity to get information from him again. "I don't see why not."

The phone rang and she answered. "Hey, Sash," he said.

"Hey," she replied. "Where did you go? I was worried you weren't coming back..."

"No, no." He sighed. "I'm sorry... Work got a little out of hand, something came up and it took a long time to recover."

She plugged in her headphones and picked up her book again. "I see..."

Vladimir took a long, uncomfortable pause. "Look, I want to see you again. Maybe we can get away for a few weeks? Just you and me?"

"Oh? Just us? No staff?"

"Yeah. I've missed you, and I feel horrible that I haven't been able to talk to or see you, so I thought I'd make it up to you."

"Charming," she thought. "You don't have to make up to me... But let me check my schedule at work and see if I can't sneak away for a little while," she said.

He made a relieved chuckle. "Okay. Let me know."

"I will, baby... Bye."

MacTavish ruffled his hair. "Does he have any more intel?"

"Dunno," she replied. "But if he wants to get away with me, maybe he'll say something. I can't pass up an opportunity to get something out of him."

"Fair." He took a swig of his coffee and sighed. "When did you want to head out?"

"As soon as possible."

He thought for a moment. "Well, Shepherd is flyin' in today and I wanted him to meet Bravo Team. Do ya mind stayin' long enough to say hi before you take off?"

She nodded. "I can do that."

"How long do you need to be gone?" he asked.

"I don't know... Maybe we can do like last time, stay until I find a good time to come home?"

MacTavish nodded slowly, seemingly hesitant, but unopposing nonetheless. "Alright. But if somethin' comes up and I need you back, you need to have an exit strategy. You hear?"

"Understood, sir."

The blades on the helicopter had finally stopped whirring, and the door opened. Four soldiers stepped out and the Lieutenant General showed his face. As he came out of the craft, he saluted the Captain. "MacTavish, good to see you again."

"Likewise, sir." MacTavish led him toward the team, who were all chatting and laughing until they noticed the higher ranks approaching them, and they all stood at attention. "Bravo Team, you've heard of General Shepherd before, but now you finally get to meet him. Shepherd," he said, turning his attention. "This is my Lieutenant, Simon Riley, Sergeant Jessica Repp, Corporal Walcroft, Lance Corporal Gary Sanderson, and Privates..."