Experiment C-32 | Simon "Ghost" Riley

Stars and Planets

The Next Morning

The team was in the kitchen talking quietly when there was a knock on the door. Price glanced at the door, seeing Laswell on the other side. "Morning, Kate. Didn't expect you to be here." He said as he opened the door to let her in. "I had some free time, so I thought I'd check in how the night went in person." She responded as she walked in the door. "Hey boys, I see you survived the worming, Soap." She joked as she saw Soap. "Real funny, Kate." He said sourly. "Where's Iris?" Laswell asked as she walked into the kitchen, smiling a greeting to Gaz and Ghost. "She's still upstairs." Ghost said as he drank his cup of tea. Laswell noticed the bandage on his wrist, "What happened?" she asked gesturing to his wrist. Everyone froze, struggling to speak. "Uh, cut it, it on something in, ON the porch." Soap stuttered out. Laswell looked at Soap with a suspicious expression, then gave everyone else the same look, "I see." Her tone matched her expression. "Well, I brought some books for you guys to go over with Iris. Help her learn while you're here."

Iris walked gracefully down the stairs, seeing Laswell in the kitchen, "Kate!" she cheerfully shouted. Laswell turned towards Iris, smiling until she saw the change in her appearance. "What, how?- Why does she look different?" she asked confused as she looked at the men around her. "I got to feed last night. Thanks to-" "Uh, an animal she found outside!" Gaz interrupted her quickly. Iris furrowed her brows, "Ghost is an animal?" Iris asked, confused as she tilted her head. The room was quiet, Laswell scanning the faces of the team before landing on Ghost, then his wrist. "Cut it on the porch, huh," she looked at Iris, "Can you give us a moment?" she asked calmly, rising anger in her voice. "Sure!" Iris responded happily. "Why don't you wait outside, and I'll come get you in a moment." Laswell said as she shook internally from anger. "Okay!" Iris smiled and walked outside.

As soon as the front door closed, Laswell snapped her head towards the team, "Why is God's name would you let her do that?!" she shouted. "Kate, we have a, a good reason." Soap said unsurely. "What reason would that be?" she snapped once more. "She was only a few days away from starving, when she does starve, she blacks out and kills people, innocent people." Price said, trying to be reassuring. "Why didn't she feed off an animal then?!" she questioned. "Because it makes her sick, brink of death sick." Ghost responded quietly. Laswell sighed frustratedly and shook her head, "We could've held her somewhere until we found her some blood, DONATED blood." "Technically, it was donated." Soap whispered to Gaz and Ghost. Price shook his head, "No, she's too strong. Says she can break free from just about anything." Laswell glared slightly at Price, "John, you allowed this?" she asked, still raising her voice. "I had nothing to do with it." He lied. Soap, Gaz, and Ghost shot their eyes at Price, "Liar! You watched, too!" Gaz shouted offended. Price's eye twitched as he looked at Gaz, then looked at Laswell and smiled a guilty smile, "Kate, Simon's fine. She doesn't need a lot of blood." Kate sighed once more as she looked at Ghost, "Well let me see it!" she shouted. Ghost walked towards Laswell as he unwrapped his wrist, exposing the two decently sized holes on the bottom of his wrist. He held out his wrist as Kate grabbed it, "Jesus..." she said as she dropped his hand, rubbing her forehead with her own. "You don't feel any different?" she snapped as she looked at Ghost. He shook his head, "No, I feel fine. Hurt like a bitch though." Laswell turned to Price, "Keep an eye on him and the wounds. Call me immediately if anything changes." She demanded as she pointed a finger between Ghost and Price. "Of course," Price said as she smiled another guilty smirk. "Don't let her do it again unless it's absolutely necessary. She only feeds from Riley, just to be safe." "His blood is going to be the only kind I like," Iris shouted as she opened the door smiling. Laswell smiled, "Iris..." she warned playfully. "Sorry, no reading minds." She said as she shut the door again. Laswell took a deep breath, "I just came to bring the books. I'll check in later." She said as she walked towards the front door. "Bye Kate." The teams said ashamedly, nearly in unison. She waved without looking back and stepped outside.