Chapter Text
You huff, the gunshot to your abdomen causing the puddles on the ground to become pink. Keeping a hand on it you make your way toward the back of some buildings, an alleyway coming into your line of sight. You nearly cry with joy at the isolation. Taking some cover between a dumpster and the corner of the back wall you slide off the small Fanny pack secured to your chest.
It was covered in mud but you simply dumped it into a puddle and shook it off. Lifting your shirt you clicked on the flashlight hidden in the front of the pack. Assessing the damage you realized the bullet that hit you wasn't the nick you originally thought.
"Fuck, it's not a clean shot."
You thumped your head back as you thought, on one hand, you could just patch yourself up and move on but the medic in you knew that eventually, you'd have to get the slug out. So you reach for your belt. Removing it you fold it in half a few times before biting down on it, taking some pliers from your pack you get to work on the wound. Breathing heavily through your nose you fight against the black dots dancing in your vision and find the slug out. The moment it clatters to the ground you gasp out as tears mix with the rain slipping down your face.
"Soap- this is Ghost, how copy?"
"Johnny...?"
Through the silence, you get to work fumbling some thread and a needle from your pack only pausing at the sound of ghost's concerned voice.
"Johnny... how copy?"
"Solid."
You sigh out a breath you didn't realize you were holding. Moving the belt back into your mouth you get to work stitching up your side, the blood and rain making it difficult to get a good grip. Putting the men's conversation in the back of your mind you finish up the last of your stitches
"Croak, how copy?"
You say nothing as you cut the skinny strong before collecting all your materials.
"Croak, respond."
"Copy."
You sound breathless, the pain from your side making you feel like you were floating.
"You sound rough, you get shot too?"
Soaps voice brought you back down to earth.
"Yeah, but it's nothing a little alleyway surgery couldn't fix."
"You do surgery on yourself?"
It was Ghosts voice this time, sounding almost proud.
"Rodger, just finished actually."
"Where are you?"
"There's a church. I'm heading to it. Let's RV there."
You finally stand, clicking your pack and belt back into place. Your sniper was lost back at Alejandro's base, one of Graves's men ambushed you as you tried to make it to the rooftops. You can still hear ghost's voice telling soap to run, only for seconds later him to yell at you the same.
You slowly make your way towards the church taking out any shadow who came across your path. You may have been proficient in hand-to-hand combat but it was never your comfort zone, always preferring to be far away from the action giving support to your team as needed. You listened to Ghost and Soap talk, their banter making you smile as you made your way through the blood and carnage littering the streets. Occasionally you would speak up, mostly when prompted but occasionally when you felt the need to talk about your favorite vodka or why Graves was fucking around with the few of you.
Finally, you made it to the church watching from afar through the scope of a dead man's gun you see ghost hop a fence. Listening in you hear something about a vehicle and that's all the prompting you need as you run alongside them through the alleys. Occasionally dropping a shadow that snuck up behind them you made it to the only unoccupied truck before them. Their fighting forced them to lag behind. After turning the car on you hop into the bed, laying low as you lean from the cover popping off a few shots until your mag ran empty
"I'll drive. Johnny- take shotgun!"
You make eye contact with Soap as he opens the passenger side door, giving each other a nod he slides onto the seat. You pop your head up and knock on the back window motioning a quick hello before a shot rings out inches from your face. Dropping down you listen as Ghost and Soap deal with the shadows bullets flying from above and beside you. You want to help but understand from your position you would only get in the way so instead, you hold your gun to your chest and pray you're not bounced out from ghosts rough handling of the car. Eventually, you're able to sit up the shadows having lost you a while back, you turn towards the men in the front noticing soap turned to you with a smile. You return it before speaking.
"That was one hell of a ride, huh?"
"You don't like my driving?"
Ghost asks, looking back at you through the rearview mirror.
"Oh no lieutenant your drivings great, I only busted a few of my stitches."
There was a moment of silence before Ghost responded.
"But... you made it out alive."
You nod in agreement, "but, I made it out alive." You repeat.
"What about you Soap? You think my drivings shit?"
He gave you a 'look what you did' look before turning back to look out the front.
"No sir." was all his response and Ghost made a sound of 'bullshit' but was otherwise silent.
You watched as the city became countryside and smiled as the cool air soothed your clammy skin. You turned taking in your surroundings as the car came to a halt. Your side burned as you lifted yourself out of the bed and back into solid ground.
"Oh earth, how I've missed you."
You said softly causing Ghosts eyes to snap to you, never any emotion in them. You gave him a sweet smile.
"Now now Ghost, I promise that wasn't a diss on your driving... again."
He shook his head before gesturing to the building before you.
"Where are we?"
Soap asked, following Ghost with you right on his tail.
"Alejandro's safe house. Gave me the location just in case."
"Why didn't he tell me?"
"It was need to know."
"What if I needed to k-?"
Ghost cut him off as you approached the front door, crouching down you watched as ghost moved his hand over what looked like a pit of place slab of concrete.
"Pressure plate..."
"Alejandro's rigged it."
"Smart bastard."
"I'll need to ask him how he made it." You mumbled as you stood and moved over, following the outside of the building before noticing an open window.
"Here." You state pointing up, they both nod and follow you as you climb inside with soap dropping down shortly after. You move, your pistol pointed to your right while Soap looked to your left.
"Don't move."
You both snap to the direction of Ghosts knife, the red beam on Soaps body disappearing.
¿quién está ahí?
"Rodolfo!"
You and Soap say at the same time, your heart fluttering at the knowledge that he was safe.
"Soap! Ghost! Croak! You're alive!"
He drops down from his hiding spot removing ghosts knife from the pillar in the process.
"Nice throw." He states as he hands it back to the taller man.
"Where were you guys?"
"On the run."
"We were on the run. Ghost waited for us." Soap stated, pointing between you and him with his thumb.
"Of course, no?"
Rodolfo asked confused, Alejandro and him had such a close bond you knew they would never leave the other.
"No."
"Yes! We're a team, all of us. This happened on my watch and I'll need help to fix it. No one fights alone."
You fix your pack with a nod as Soap and Ghost make eye contact. You listen to ghost as he speaks to the group, following Rodolfo as he tells you all to come. You listen to the plan as you cross your arms in front of your chest knowing it would have been a suicide mission
"It's going to take more than this."
Ghost states gesturing to the table in front of him. Your eyes follow Rodolfo as he goes to a barn door, opening to reveal a weapons stash.
"It's well stocked."
Your eyes widen for a moment before and small smile settles on your lips. The only thing you needed now was a vehicle.
"We're gonna need new wheels."
You glance in Soaps direction before following Rodolfo once again with your eyes, turning as he flips on the lights.
"Alejandro thought of everything."
"Yeah he did." you smile and you hook your thumbs into your vest.
"Let's go get him." Soap states, walking in the direction of the armored van.