Ghosts of the Past (A Call Of Duty: Ghosts Fanfiction)

Chapter Twenty Nine

"Keegan!" 

    The name slipped from my mouth so easily as I gaped out into the canyon, wondering exactly where he was. But he was out there. He was alive. 

    "How are you—"

    "Later, Acker." Always so serious, so focused. I'd missed that. "See that flashing red light, that tower off to your left?"

    My eyes found the slow flickering light in the distance, the wind causing snow to whirl around out there. "Yes." 

    "Meet me there. There's a small outpost."

    I couldn't explain the relief out loud, but I could think it, feel it. Keegan was alive. There was still a Ghost to exist. One of them would see Logan up close, in person, and know we'd succeeded in one way. 

    "It's Keegan," I whispered, looking up at Logan's distant face. "We need to head to that tower."

    Logan nodded twice and then examined the bodies around us. "Grab some layers and a weapon. It's going to be a cold hike." 

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Cold was an understatement regarding the hike we had to endure through the snow and ripping wind. Riley stayed close to me as we trudged through the vicious woods, staying in the direction of the outpost. Logan led after making sure our tracks had been concealed from where we'd taken off into the woods; he'd made us walk down the road a ways to make it look like we kept going down the mountain. His form was towering ahead with a power I couldn't muster in the conditions. 

    I hugged my own arms, shivering, and felt the stolen rifle hitting my lower back as it swung on its strap. The layers had done nothing to help; I knew Logan was likely freezing as well, but didn't show it. I wondered if we might get caught up and freeze to death out in the middle of the wilderness. 

    Just as I was imagining a bird picking at my frozen, dead face, the shape of the small outpost appeared. 

    "Finally," I chattered, shaking. 

    Riley bounded ahead of Logan, barking once as he caught sight of Keegan standing within the covered porch of the small building. The soldier, masked and layered better than us, knelt to greet the canine. 

    I panted, finishing the last bit of dragging through the snow as I stepped up on the patio. Logan was slower to follow, staying off the porch for longer. Keegan eyed the both of us, settling on me first.

    We didn't exchange any words, but suddenly he was crushing me against him in a tight hug. I gripped his sides, breathing in his masked scent, digging the side of my head into the lower part of his chest. Keegan's gloved hand came to the side of head where he rubbed it once and then released me. 

    "Logan?"

    "Not quite," Logan responded coldly from the edge of the porch.

    "There's a...lot to do to get more of him," I whispered, shivering again. 

    Keegan's icy blue eyes didn't betray any thoughts as he nodded and turned to get us all inside of the outpost. We slipped inside as he turned on a light. No windows would reveal the light from an outside perspective. No one would be able to tell anyone was here. Keegan locked the door from the inside to reinforce that fact.

    "The heater is over there," Keegan nodded his chin toward the corner where a grey square sat. 

    I found myself a spot close to it, stripping off the layers that had become wet. Logan copied more slowly, glancing around and assessing. Keegan rubbed Riley's head again and then kept his rifle close as he sat nearby me.