Night Watch | Simon "Ghost" Riley

Chapter 1

Lillian walked down the street, a grocery bag in one hand, swaying from her hurried steps. This bag better not break. Her bright green eyes darted around, watching the night's convoys dispersing to each residential street.

Iverness was a small, secluded town made up of a few streets for residents and a handful of blocks for shopping, doctors, and other necessary destinations. It wasn't newly aged, but it was thriving, at least according to the residents. Iverness wasn't special to anyone other than those that resided there. Nothing exciting happened, and hardly anything had changed throughout the years Lillian had lived there.

Glancing at her phone for the time, panic began to set in. 5:54. Though she was almost home, she still feared being out after curfew. Those who were caught out after curfew, that weren't military, were punished severely. Her eyes narrowed as she turned down her street, focusing on her house.

She lived on the 3rd block in a small, one bedroom house, just like every single person in town. The size of the house depended on the size of your family. She had lived alone since losing her mother 2 years ago, her father was never in the picture, and she was an only child. The houses were all identical; White paneling with dark brick covering the bottom of the exterior and simple windows that were evenly spaced out. Those were the rules the government had set in place decades ago: everyone lived equally here. And though it solved the homelessness and, somewhat, the drug epidemic, there were some that felt indifferent about it.

Lillian quickened her pace as a military vehicle sped past her. Slow down, fucking prick. Kids still live here. Upon finally reaching her yard, she looked at her phone once more. 5:58 PM. Two more minutes of freedom. She flinched at the sound of tires screeching in front of her house as she walked up the porch steps. She looked up, seeing soldiers filing out of a military truck. The first man had an unusual beard, curving around his jawline, then under his nose. The second man had a questionable haircut, the sides shaved down leaving just a strip of hair in the middle. Odd... The third had a darker complexion and wore sunglasses even though it was nearly dark. The last man to leave the vehicle subtly startled her. His face was unseen, being covered by a white skull motif, a hood pulled over his head. She couldn't see any skin other than his forearms, one covered in black ink.

These aren't the same men that usually patrol here. She stood on her small porch staring at the mysterious skull-faced man as she reached behind her to open the door. As her hands clumsily searched for the doorknob, her heart stopped as his eyes met hers. Even though he was a distance away, she could see the darkness in his eyes. Lillian suddenly felt her stomach turn but couldn't pinpoint why. She stumbled back slightly before entering her house and shutting the door as the alarms started to sound for curfew.

2 Hours Earlier

"Alright men, Laswell believes we deserve a break. Whaddya say?" Price said with a smile on his face. His glancing at the 3 men in front of him. "Wha' typa break?" Soap asked suspiciously. "She's sendin' us to a town tha's not far from 'ere. Iverness." Price said as he cross his arms. "Iver- wait, isn't tha' the small town that was used for, uh, government experiments er somethin'?" Soap asked with eyebrows furrowed. "I think I've heard of it." Ghost said as he tried to remember. "Not inhumane experiments, but yeah, tha's the place." Price said as he nodded. "What are we doin' when we get there?" Gaz asked. "Night patrol." Price responded, growing somewhat annoyed with the countless questions. Soap shrugged his shoulders, "Beats the 'ell outta goin' on another misson, I'm in." Gaz nodded, "Me too." Ghost hesitated before answering. He did need a break but didn't want to patrol streets all night. Fuckin' hell... He sighed, "If Johhny's goin', I guess I am too." He said with a sour tone.

Present

Lillian shut her door, hesitating as she tried to shake the uneasy feeling that was consuming her. She shook her head and sighed as she walked to her kitchen. The kitchen was simple, having all white appliances with white cabinets. The walls were the same white, decorated with her choice of yellow and brown décor to match the sunflower curtains that covered half of the window over the sink. Lillian set the grocery bag on the counter, pulling her dinner out; microwavable noodles. Not healthy, but it's quick. Feeling the exhaustion from her day at her assigned job, an accountant, she rubbed her eyes. Just like her housing, her job was given to her by the government. Introducing this way of people working eliminated welfare and gave people a job they could succeed in, slightly bringing down the number of suicides.