How to Love the Stars | Ghost (Simon Riley)

Chapter 50

The narrow corridor leading to the missile chamber was dimly lit, the cold metallic walls reflecting the urgency of the situation. Althea moved with purpose, her senses on high alert. She could feel the weight of the mission pressing down on her, the responsibility to ensure the safety of countless lives.

As she neared the chamber entrance, she could hear hushed voices and the distant hum of machinery. The tension in the air was palpable, a silent battlefield where every step could tip the scales.

Althea checked her weapon, ensuring it was ready for whatever awaited her. She knew that Hassan's allies would be guarding the missile, and she couldn't afford to underestimate them. The fate of the entire operation hinged on her success in securing the missile and preventing it from falling into the wrong hands.

Taking a deep breath, Althea entered the missile chamber, her eyes scanning the room for any sign of movement. The chamber was a mix of advanced technology and looming danger, a stark reminder of the destructive power housed within the missile.

As she cautiously advanced, she noticed a group of armed guards stationed near the missile, their attention focused on the control panels. They seemed unaware of her presence, providing a brief window of opportunity.

Althea moved with calculated precision, utilizing cover and shadows to remain undetected. She needed to disable the guards and secure the missile before the launch sequence could be initiated.

With a swift, silent motion, she incapacitated the guards one by one, her combat training evident in every move. The element of surprise worked in her favor, and the guards fell without raising an alarm.

Her focus was unbroken until a sudden shot pierced the air, grazing her face and sending a searing pain through her cheek. Instinctively, her hand shot to her face, and she could feel warm blood trickling down. She turned to disarm the guard, but he was too far to disarm through pure combat. She reached for her pistol

In the brief moment of chaos, Althea's reflexes kicked in, and she threw herself against the guard who had fired the shot, incapacitating him. However, as she looked down, she saw her dark hair littering the floor. She stared at the severed locks of her hair on the cold metallic floor, a wave of nostalgia and loss swept over her. Her long, beautiful hair, once a symbol of her past as a graceful gymnast, lay scattered and forgotten. Kneeling to grip the coil of hair in her palm, she looked at it one last time, and finally let it fall to the floor.

There was no time to dwell on the loss. No time for weakness. Althea refocused her attention on the task at hand. The control panel beckoned, and she knew she needed to disable the missile before it posed a threat.

With determination burning in her eyes, Althea sprinted to the control panel, dodging the remaining guards who were now alerted to her presence. The adrenaline surged through her veins as she skillfully bypassed their attacks, her training taking over.

Reaching the control panel, she swiftly assessed the intricate interface. Her hands moved with precision, fingers dancing over buttons and switches as she worked to deactivate the launch sequence. The urgency of the situation heightened, and the fate of countless lives rested on her ability to prevent the missile from falling into the wrong hands.

Despite the pain in her grazed face and the emotional weight of her severed hair, Althea remained focused. Time was of the essence, and she couldn't allow the past to distract her from the present mission.

The missile's countdown timer displayed a mere few minutes, each second ticking away relentlessly. Carlos had already implemented the countdown. She knew she had to act quickly.

Althea accessed the control panel, her fingers flying over the buttons. She needed to override the launch sequence and ensure the missile remained secure. One of the quirks of being raised in an environment with a great deal of money lying around was that she was well acquainted with a variety of skills. However, was it enough? The tension in the room heightened as the seconds dwindled away, the weight of the mission bearing down on her. She risked a glance at the clock, horror tracing its ice-cold fingers down her back as she saw the seconds tick down.

30 seconds left?! Althea had been sure there was at least a minute left.

"No, no, nononono!" Beads of perspiration appeared on her brow as she struggled to type faster. Her trembling hands were hardly able to type fast enough. She had the path, she knew exactly what to do! She just needed to- the clock reached zero just as she pressed the enter button, and she stood there, hoping, wishing, praying, that she had put in the code correctly without any mistakes.

How many people's homes would be destroyed? How many people would end up like her parents? How many children orphaned? Althea clasped her hands together, watching the screen and praying up to god, the stars, and anyone that could, that would hear her.

The chamber seemed to hold its breath, the air thick with anticipation. For a moment, the room remained eerily silent, and Althea feared the worst. The display screen flickered, and her heart sank. The missile's engines hummed to life, vibrations coursing through the metallic floor.

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Although Carlos looked rather thin, he sure could pack a hard punch. Ghost spat blood onto the floor, glaring up at him, struggling against the chair he was bound against. Carlos crouched down, a cruel glint in his eye as he yanked Ghost's mask off. The cool air brushed against Ghost's face as his identity was exposed. Carlos sneered, grabbing his face and turning it back and forth. "Not bad. So this is the type of guy she likes, huh?"

Blood dribbled down Ghost's chin as he spat at Carlos. "You don't know anything about her."

Carlos chuckled, a twisted amusement dancing in his eyes. "Oh, I know more than you think. I wanted to see for myself."

Ghost's jaw clenched, his mind racing. But thinking of her made the fight dissipate from his body. "What do you want? What was all this for?"

"There are many things I wanted. There are many things I still want." Carlos leaned in, his breath reeking of malice. "I want her to suffer. I want her to feel as helpless as I did, but not only that. I want to kill those she loves most."

As Carlos spoke, Ghost scanned the room for any potential escape route. The situation was dire, and he couldn't afford to let Carlos carry out whatever sadistic plan he had in mind.

Without warning, Carlos hit him again, with so much force that the chair he was bound to topped over, sending Ghost to the ground, causing him to grunt in pain. "She took something from me, Ghost. Something I can't get back. And now, I'm going to make her pay, time and time again through you."

His smile widened, his dark, black eyes reflecting no light. Like black holes, Ghost thought. "After I sell America's missiles to Hassan, I'll be able to extend my company all over the globe."

"I've heard stories about you, you know," Carlos said. "Turns out you're just another disappointment. I was hoping for a little more fun from America's best murderer."

"I have to ask though, why a pathetic little ordinary thing like her?"

Pathetic? Ordinary? He knew exactly which choice of words Althea would say to that.

Ghost's lack of a reaction only goaded him further. "If only you could have seen the things I did to her before killing her." At this, Ghost's eyes widened, his fists clenching, his words shocking the composure right out of him. He didn't. But Carlos had already seen him tense, the vein in his neck jumping.

"It turns out that though pathetic and ordinary, she has quite the pleasing body."