Nova 141

Chapter 16

The safe house was in a frenzy as everyone was busy preparing for the next fight ahead of them. I needed air and space away to collect my thoughts, so I found myself outside, staring at the rising sun as it slowly cast orange across Mexico. I was extremely worried for everyone going into this situation, flashbacks of that dreaded night in the city replaying in my mind.

Footsteps approached me from behind, but I didn't bother to panic. I wanted to feel numb to everything at that point, and when Ghost stepped beside me, that familiar feeling of comfort consumed me.

I gazed out at the horizon, completely emotionless. " Ever wondered what it would be like to switch back to a normal life?" I asked.

" Many times," Ghost replied, his voice level, " But that's not me anymore. And it would be hard to go back to something you've never had in the first place."

I glanced over at him, but he kept his gaze focused ahead of him. " You never had a normal life?"

" Do you think if I did, I'd be the way I am?" He asked, turning to me, " Always hiding, besides when I'm called into work. No trace of me besides the persona Ghost. Not even a picture is on my file. It's not needed, as no one who sees me stays alive, besides the ones I work for and with. I'm like a machine. A machine made to kill. It's what I was destined to be. My life was always fucked up, and always will be."

We grew silent, and I went back to watching the sun. Birds were beginning to chirp, and everything seemed to be eerily at peace. As if the world didn't know what was to come.

I sighed. " Thought I had a pretty good life up until that shit happened. And even when I was imprisoned, I always had faith my family was going to find me. But, it never happened. I did my own research when I came here, and I wasn't even labelled as a missing person. Alex was just assumed dead. Fell into a canal one night and the body was never recovered."

" Alex?" Ghost asked, his voice going soft, " That's your real name?"

" Yeah, until I met Alejandro. He told me it would be best if I changed my name, lived as someone who was hidden, and had no trace of me anywheres. Kind of difficult when you're labelled legally dead. I guess that part makes us alike. Nobody knows me anymore. He houses me, feeds me, gives me whatever I want for free. I don't have to do anything besides stay under the radar. He said it was for my own safety. I can't complain about it, I love the Los Vaqueros, they're the family I wish I had years ago. Just sometimes I go back to thinking of being normal again."

" You have us now too. Price, Gaz, Soap, and me. Don't forget that. Family doesn't just have to be blood. Some of the best family are who you consider your closest allies... But, even allies can betray you."

I glanced over at Ghost, and he was staring intently down the clothed mask in his hands. " Why'd you take the mask off? Show your face to everyone?" I asked the question that was burning in the back of my mind since the meeting.

Ghost shrugged, and glanced over at me with a half smile. " Guess having someone who sees through the disguise helped," He replied softly, " And, I assumed you would've told Soap about me taking it off in front of you anyways, and I really didn't want him pestering the fuck out of me about it. That night he said I should take it off to 'fix my problem.'"

I let out a laugh, an actual genuine laugh.

" Nova!"

I turned around to see Price approaching, a cigar lazily dangling from his mouth. " Yes, Sir?" I asked.

" A word, please?"

I glanced over at Ghost, and he nodded solemly. " I'll go seee what I can do to help get set up."

The Captain nodded at Ghost as he passed by, and he took a drag off his cigar as he leaned against the stone wall beside me. " Hope you didn't take offence to not being put on the ground. It's not that I don't believe you're capable because believe me, I've been told you're fairly good for not having a background in the Army. But, I also know you're arm is still healing from a wound, so I'm not willing to send you in full force until you're 100 percent."

" Fair," I replied, " I appreciate still being involved, though."

" Good. Now, as for Simon."

My heart stopped, and I dropped my gaze to my feet in embarassment. " What about him?"

Price let out a low chuckle, and I looked back up to meet his blue gaze. " Don't think I don't know about it. Soap wouldn't shut up the whole way here about you two having something going on. I assumed he was just shooting the shit, but Simon wouldn't deny it. Whatever it is, I hope it works out. He deserves to have something good in his life."

I stared up at Price, speechless, and he pointed at me. " And I know a good bit about you, too. Alejandro filled me in quite a bit. I think you both need and deserve each other, just don't let Simon fuck it up."

Soap rounded the corner of the building, and stopped once he seen Price and I. " Am I interrupting? I can come back."

Price waved him off, throwing his cigar butt to the ground. " No, I was just heading out. Needed a bit of a breather from the chaos in there."

" Aye, fair. Gaz was looking for you too," Soap replied, " I think he's beating himself up over what he said."

" That kid," Price muttered, shaking his head, " I'll go find him."

Once Price was out of earshot, Soap hesitantly walked up to me, almost as if I was the missile he was diffusing back on that ship. Back before everything went to shit.

" How are you holding up?" He asked after a few moments of silence.

" I'm fine."

" With my experience with females, fine is never fine."

I sighed, and turned to him. His deep blue eyes met mine, and at that moment I felt I could trust him with every ounce of my soul. He was too nice of a person to be doing this work, how was he able to shut off those emotions?

" How are you able to block everything out, and still be positive?" I asked.

" It's not always like this," He replied back, " In fact, it's never like this. We've never had anyone turn on us like this. It's always just us and the enemy, not us fighting against who we classified our own."

I turned away, and he lifted his arm, causing me to flinch slightly. He gently placed his hand on my shoulder, and squeezed it reassuringly. " You've been given a lot on your plate. And I'm sorry if the jokes I make about you and Ghost trigger it as well. It's just how I am. Sometimes, my words come out before my mind even thinks of them. It also makes me happy seeing Ghost actually care for someone as much as you. The whole ride to get Alejandro he was on edge, and some of the Shadows he killed, were a little more brutal than they had to be. I assume he was worried about you being here alone. But on the way back, he was more relaxed."

I glanced back up at Soap, and gave him a small smile. " He cares about you too, you know."

" Me? No. To him, I'm just an annoying little puppy who follows him around," Soap answered back, the corners of his lips lifting up into a slight smile.

" Maybe, but everyone always needs a puppy by their side."