The Ghost and the Shadow

Chapter 26 - Broken Trust

The drive back to base is awkward. Pixie tries to get something out of me again, but I stay silent. I don't want to say anything, especially not in front of Soap, he hasn't said a word the entire drive and keeps his eyes on the road. It's already dark out and the air is cool.

I heard on the updates over comms that they got Hassan. No mention of Javeed though. If I find out they killed him, I'll rain hellfire down on all of them.

Once we reach base, they take me to Alejandro's office, as Price ordered. I try to ignore the shocked stares of the soldiers. 

Did they really have to tie me up, seriously? 

Ghost tied the zip ties so tight that if I just try to move my hands, the plastic threatens to cut my skin. I'll get him back for this.

Once in the office, Soap takes one of the two chairs in front of the desk and drags it to the middle of the room, "Sit," he says bluntly. His face is stoic, and he purses his lips together. I guess Price or Ghost must have said something to him.

I walk to the chair and sit down, crossing my legs.

Pixie is uneasy on her feet and bites her fingernails, "Everything is fine, relax," I try to assure her. I'm not sure if I'm trying to convince her or myself. She nods and puts her arms behind her back and rests her head against the wall.

Soap paces up and down in front of me, listening to the discussions in his earpiece. After a couple of minutes, he exits the room, "I'll be right back," he says coldly.

Pixie walks to the door and looks down the hallway after him. Once she's sure he's gone, she rushes over to me, "What the hell happened Y/n? Price said you shot at him?" she hesitates, "Is that true?"

I groan, "I guess, but I shot his gun, not him."

"Did you mean to shoot him?" she asks, her eyes wide.

I click my tongue and look up at her in annoyance, "Of course not, and do you really think I'd miss a shot by that much?"

She looks down at the ground, "No, you wouldn't, but I don't understand, why did you do it?"

I hesitate, "I know the man who was with Hassan, I've known him since he was a teenager, I couldn't let Price shoot him."

"Is he from Iran?" she asks.

I nod, "Yes, I know him and his family, they're good people."

"How can he be good if he works with terrorists?"

"I don't know," I say and rest my head in my hands again, "I just knew I couldn't let Price kill him."

Soap steps back into the room and calls her to follow him. Before he leaves the room, he raises an eyebrow at me, "Stay there."

I roll my eyes and sit back in the chair. They're acting like I committed a crime; all I did was prevent my friend from getting shot.

I think back to the first time I met Javeed. I see a tall teenager coming to me in a packed market, big smile on his face, asking me if I want to buy a headscarf. He speaks in broken English but speaks with confidence, "For the beautiful lady, a scarf for the sand, goes like this," and he wraps one around his head. He adds, "For the sand in the face," and points at my face. He lifts his two hands, "Made with love".

He was a real salesman and proceeded to tell me all the benefits of wearing it. I didn't have the heart to say no and left the market with 7 scarves. You know, one for every day of the week. They did keep the sand out of my face, just like he promised.

I saw him weekly at the market, every time he had something new to sell and we would engage in conversation. I always made sure to buy something from him. He even introduced me to his family. It was only him, his mother, a little brother and two little sisters. I never asked him about his father.