Black Swan | Ghost & König [I] ✓

chapter 10

It was still late at night when Task Force 141 and Los Vaqueros made it back to Alejandro's safe house. After rubbing the sleep out of your eyes and getting a good stretch, you sauntered into the building and leaned up against a nearby wall, soaking in the warm, calm low lighting as Captain Price communed with Kate Laswell over a laptop.

Apparently, to make a long story short, Shepherd and Graves had more to do with the missiles than you originally thought. Russia had something to do with it as well. Hassan stole four missiles and Shepherd and Graves covered it all up, and when Task Force 141 and Los Vaqueros got too close to the truth, they turned. At least now everything was explained.

So far, you have gotten rid of two of four missiles. The third was in Austria — you've all known this for a while now — but the fourth was still a mystery. Not that you really cared. Your commander never specified that you had to see the entire thing through. He just needed you to work with Task Force 141 to help your country from being destroyed. Hopefully that was all he needed.

You yawned, your eyelids heavy and your gaze slightly blurry. You hadn't slept in a day or two. You barely even paid attention to Laswell and Price's conversation.

It wasn't long before Price hung up on Laswell and begun to speak with Shepherd. This made you attentive and alert. Your ears perked up and your eyebrows were raised.

"You hid this— why?" said Price.

"We all keep secrets, Captain."

"Why the hell wasn't I informed?"

"Consider yourself well-informed now, John."

"Oh, that's really fuckin' helpful General, thank you," Price said sarcastically. "But you're a day late and a missile short. We've found three of them, and we're disarming the third tomorrow but where the hell is the fourth?"

"Then point yourself in that direction and fix it," said Shepherd sternly.

Price's tone became deadly, sharp, and even a little wild. "And who fixes you, eh?"

Shepherd was silent for a moment. You watched him on the laptop, his mouth agape, his eyes constantly diverting upon his sunken, wrinkled white face as he readjusted in his swivel chair. "I don't need fixing. I'm a patriot protecting my country."

Price breathed heavily and aggressively, yet subtly, forced himself up out of his chair, frustration lacing his words as he paced. "You're protecting your own ass."

"I do what needs to be done and no one holds me down with a roll of red tape. I know what's best for the cause."

You quirked a brow, wishing you had some popcorn as Captain Price licked his lips and chuckled humorlessly. "You've lost your mind, General."

"And you've forgotten what you're fighting for John!" Shepherd stood from his chair on the pixelated screen, and paced next to a window showcasing a city similarly to how Price was doing. "To do some good, you've gotta do some bad." He turned around, his arm swinging as his voice slowly raised. "When we shit we bury it, that's how it works!"

"Yeah..." said Price. He pointed his finger at the screen, his brows slanted in muted fury. "But we don't bury each other with it, do we?"

Shepherd got closer to the camera, his pacing ceasing. "You need to turn of that side o' your head and face down the real enemy."

Captain Price stormed to the laptop. "You need to call of your Shadow."

"Graves...?"

"Yeah."