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

Chapter Six

I hit the heavy bag with only a sliver of strength, causing it to rock back and forth. My second hit was enough to shake the rest of the equipment and rattle the hook at the top of the punching bag. I let out a low grunt as I spun and threw my entire body at the "opponent."

The punching bag bounced and then flew off to the side. It rammed into a rack of other, usually unreachable, weights. I caught the blow back to me and settled the bag in a pant of exasperation.

Turning to my mini audience, I gave a smirk of triumph. "Is that enough of a punch for you?"

Keegan uncrossed his arms and moved away from the raised mats. "Could use some work."

I let out another breath as he casually passed along to conduct his own workout. Shaking my head, I watched him. He's impossible.

"Keegan," Hesh poked his head into the room. "Merrick and Kick just left. I need you on the comms."

Keegan paused from where he was getting ready to lift. I could tell he hadn't wanted to be bothered, but he wasn't about to argue. Hesh looked ready to spar with anyone or anything he could.

"I'm on my way," he grunted out instead.

I waited until he'd moved on before meeting Hesh at the door. He looked nervous, flighty even, and ran a hand through his growing hair. I jumped when a smaller figure moved toward me.

"Ashlyn meet Riley," Hesh sounded dull as he introduced me to a thickly muscled German Shepherd.

"Riley," I let the attentive dog lick my hand, tail wagging as he did so. "Didn't know we had a soldier with paws."

"He's just over six years old. Just getting mature," Hesh looked to his loyal companion. "Huh, you mutt?"

Riley looked up at him with his tongue hanging out. I smiled and let out a small laugh of amusement. "He's a handsome boy."

"Ah, don't let it get to his head," Hesh had his hands in the pockets of his pants. "How are things going?"

"I'm surviving."

"That doesn't sound convincing."

I shrugged. "I just thought that after our mission things would be a little different."

Hesh cocked his head. "It takes a lot to earn respect from the Ghosts, to earn your mask."

Oh yes. The Ghosts had balaclavas that they always wore when out and about. On the front of the ski-like masks were white-painted faces resembling ghostly faces. Last thing enemies saw in the dark light of some missions were the haunting masks.

"One mission won't get you what you want," Hesh promised as we walked down the hallway. "And proving yourself has to come...naturally."

"Thanks for the hint," I sighed and looked down the hallway to my quarters. "I think I'm going to take a break. Excuse me."

Hesh continued down the hallway with Riley as I split to my room. Once inside, I leaned against the door in exhaustion.

For the last four days it'd been nothing but training and working out. Continuing to be excluded from any further meetings, I felt like an outsider. No, worse than an outsider. I was in a place I didn't belong with people who likely thought the same thing. I was nothing but an obligation to them all.

Pulling out the file, I continued where I'd left off on the Logan Walker story. I'd learned enough about the case to understand Hesh's resentment toward Rorke. According to the older brother himself, Rorke had dragged Logan off the beach in Antofagasta, Chile and taken him to an unknown location the day of taking down the Federation.