The Ghost and the Shadow

Chapter 12 - Man Down

I wake up to hard pounding on my door and grab my phone to look at the time. 02h01. Who the hell is that? I lift my head off the pillow slowly and let out a groan in pain. My head hurts like hell. I got into bed, clothes and all last night and forgot to drink pills and water.

The person pounds on the door again, "Give me a second, jeez," I yell, slouching my way to the door. I unlock it and open it partially, only peeking my head out.

Ghost is standing there with a disgruntled look in his eyes. He doesn't say anything and just stares at me...disapprovingly.

"Uh... can I help you?" I ask, my irritation starting to build.

"Watch your tone, Sergeant."

"Sorry Sir, what can I do for you on this lovely morning, Sir?" I ask with fake enthusiasm.

He shakes his head in disapproval, before speaking up, "You look like shit, get cleaned up and meet me in the briefing room in 15," and with that he turns around and walks away.

I open my mouth, ready to fire back at the comment about my current appearance, but before I can think of something to say, he disappears around the corner. 

I clench my fists and shut the door. Why is he in gear? And why is he here so early, doesn't he ever sleep.

I barely slept three hours; this is going to be a long day.

I walk to the mirror in the bathroom, he's right, I look like shit. My mascara is smudged, and my hair a mess. I shower quickly and get into my cargos and boots. My hair is still wet, but there's no time to dry it. I put it in a low bun and put some fresh mascara on my lashes. 

Before leaving, I chug pain pills and water, I need to start feeling better soon.

I make my way down to the briefing room, there's no one around in the halls and it's completely silent.

Once there, I step inside and expect to find more people, but it's only Ghost. He's leaning over a laptop, and I can hear General Shepherd's voice coming from it. Ghost looks up and spots me, "Never mind, she's here," he says bluntly.

"Mornin' Shadow," I hear Shepherd's voice through the laptop, and walk to it, Ghost stepping back.

"Morning Sir," I respond as his face comes into view.

"I'm sending you and Ghost out to gather intel," he says and starts pulling up maps and pictures on the screen.

Oh, so there is a mission I need to help with. Is this what Laswell was talking about. Did Ghost ask for me to go on this mission with him?

"Laswell, Capt. Price and Sergeant Garrick are still in Amsterdam as we speak. Our cartel friend has not been broken yet. He's one tough son of a bitch and I can't sit around and wait like this. There's a warehouse not far from where Hassan was hiding the night of the crash. Satellite shows that armored vehicles have been driving to and from it over the last few weeks. I'm sending you and Ghost to go and investigate."

"Only us?" I interrupt him. 

"Yes, I want the two of you to go quietly and don't want any alarms raised, this will just be to gather intel," he says and continues with the rest of the plan.

After he briefed us, I close the laptop and turn to face Ghost.

"We leave in 20 minutes, meet back here," he says bluntly and turns around to leave.

A mission alone... with Ghost... this will be a blast.

I get my gear and weapons at the armory and run to Pixie's room to say goodbye. I knock on her door and wait a while, before hearing her groggy voice coming from inside, "Coming." The door opens and she looks outside, her eyes still partially closed.