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

Chapter One

"What the hell is this?"

    "She's the only one we could get."

    "Oh, so we're accepting women into this gig now? You know as well as I do they shouldn't be a part of what we do."

    To the deeper hiss of a voice, I raised my eyes from the navy blue carpet between my boots. I kept my fingers calmly clasped together as the insulter rounded the corner to the waiting room. His deep blue eyes scanned the room and then fell on me in annoyed glare.

    "You must be Ashlyn Acker."

    I stood to meet the man's hand in a firm shake. "Yes sir."

    "Save the formalities," the man snapped, clearly impatient as his jaw clenched. "Come with me."

    I spared a glance at the other man and then followed the stormy black-haired one. His broad shoulders held tension as he led me through the briefing room into a longer hallway. My eyes explored as we paced the long stretch.

    The base was simple and small with few soldiers in the vicinity. It was accurate that the team I'd been assigned to was exceptionally private and serious at what they did. I felt out of place immediately—a sign that couldn't end well—and it didn't help the soldier leading me along held a strong negative judgement.

    "Here's the new recruit Merrick."

    As we entered a smaller room, all eyes turned to me. Three pairs for that matter. One amber, another green, and the third a deep hazel. All narrowed and studying my form in a silent distrust.

    "Private Acker, it's a pleasure to welcome you," the bald man with brown facial hair choked out the words no one else would. His hand extended. "Captain Thomas Merrick."

    "Sir," I shook his hand once, firmly. "The pleasure is mine."

    "I see you've met Keegan already," Merrick glanced to the crossed-arm brute off to my left.

    "Indeed," I nodded once.

    "You'll have a chance to meet the others later," Merrick sharply shared a glance with the other unknown men gathered at a table. "For now, we'll give you time to settle in. Meet here at 0800 tomorrow."

    "Of course sir," I dipped my head again. "Thank you."

    There was an uncomfortable, heated pressure in the room as I turned on my heels to leave. Conversation picked up after I exited, hushed and low in tone. I ignored my discomfort by continuing down the hallway.

    While I hadn't been told the layout of the base, I knew Merrick expected me to figure it out myself. It was a simple layout that I knew I'd be able to get down quickly. In fact, the quarters were just around the corner from the meeting room.

    My last name was already on a nameplate situated on the door. I cautiously opened the heavy dark obstacle and poked my head in. The bed had bedspread folded on the edge of it, along with two pairs of new uniforms. My bag from the helicopter was already on the floor as well.

    Sighing, I closed the private door behind me and began to get to work on unpacking as much as I could. Clothes went into the single dresser while any personal belongings just got laid on the desk until I had more free time. I made the bed with a frown, realizing the comforter was fairly thin; I'd always needed more layers.

    Upon finishing the tasks for the evening, I sat at the edge of the twin-sized bed in astonishment. Only four hours earlier I'd been at an entirely different base with comrades I was just getting to know. I'd been in the marines only two months with three missions under my belt, very little infantry involved.

    It made me curious, then, as to how a highly skilled and classified group called the Ghosts would recruit me. With so little experience, I'd imagine they'd see my file and move right on. So why hadn't they?

    Deciding to hope for more answers tomorrow, I stood up and gathered shower supplies; I used a small bag to stuff a change of clothes and the toiletries in. I left my quarters in a defensive mode even though the showers themselves were just across the hallway.

    I moved into the silent shower room with relief. No one to interrupt or deal with for the night...

    "Whoa, hey," someone practically ran into me. "Didn't see you there."

    The man was one from the meeting room earlier. With dark green eyes, the man held wet brown hair, a thicker nose, and faint freckles. His tiny lip twitch seemed friendly.

    "You're Acker," he cleared his throat. "I'm Hesh."

    "Hesh," I tested the name. "You can call me Ashlyn."

    His eyes held a curiosity in them as they studied my general form. Was he making judgements? He was free to, but they didn't help my wavering confidence at the moment.

    "There shouldn't be anyone else that'll come in here," he mentioned. "For your sake, I'd use one of the showers with the curtains."

    "That was the plan," I snapped, sucking on my lower lip. "Thank you."

    He huffed and pressed past me, his freshly showered scent a shock to my nostrils. I avoided watching him leave by walking for a shower stall. My habits with the Marines kicked in as I entered the stall.

     Within five minutes, I was done showering and changing into my favorite sweats and tee shirt. I exited the curtained shower stall after making sure I had everything I'd brought in. Quickly, I left the eerily quiet room.

    Crossing the hallway to my quarters once again, I reached for the door handle.

    "That was oddly fast."

    "Oh cheese and rice!" I started, dropping a shampoo bottle out of my bag. I spun around to see Keegan standing menacingly nearby the entrance to the showers. "You scared the hell outta me."

    "You should watch your corners better," he considered me in his deep voice.

    "I thought I was the only one awake."

    He let out a low hum, threatening almost. "I know what you're up to."

    "Excuse me?"

    "Just because you were recruited into the Ghosts doesn't mean you can play the pity part."

    "I'm not?" I raised an eyebrow.

    "None of us will tolerate what you're playing at."

    I stood with my mouth gaped, unable to process or respond to what he was accusing. If I was doing anything wrong, I must have been really good at it—I couldn't even understand it. Was he trying to convince himself?

    "Don't be late tomorrow morning."

    "Yes sir," I kept my voice low as he briskly moved away to his quarters further down. "What the actual hell?"

    I entered my quarters more on edge than before. Setting my bag of supplies down, I quickly braided back my darker strawberry blonde hair. After I plopped on my bed in defeat.

    The men I'd met today didn't trust me. I couldn't tell if it was myself as a person or my lack of physical skills in their eyes. Either way, getting them to let go of their grudges was going to be nearly impossible.

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April 1st, 2020
First chapter of this new Ghosts fanfiction is done!! It's going to be a wild, dangerous, and difficult ride from here on. Hope you all can enjoy and be here till the end!
Vote and comment on what you think, would you? I really appreciate it and look forward to your thoughts!
Thanks for your support readers. Stay healthy out there ❤️
~MS~