Chapter 9. Never prepared enough

                                    

                                          
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2 more weeks had passed by, nothing major had surfaced about the missiles. Everyday bright and early, ghost and you sought out in the field to perfecting your HTH combat skills. To say ghost was proud of your progress was an understatement. He was ecstatic about your  how far you've come but he never showed it. That would've been a crime. He kept conversation with you very minimal per usual but occasionally a short convo was carried between you and him. Gaz would take you to the gun range every other day and soap covered any other bases that weren't being met. It'd range from certain tactical skills, to just basic knowledge on what to do in certain situations. 
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Your ass collided with the hard ground as ghost managed to flip you in your ass, knocking the gun out of your hand kicking it out of reach. You grunted in impact, wince at the pain that shot through to tail bone. 
"God damn." You remarked taking a second for the pain in your ass to subside before attempting to get up. 
"You overstepped, made you an easy target." Ghost spoke monotoned whilst he held his hand out to help you up. You swatted it away refusing his help, pushing yourself up off the ground with your hands steadying your stance. 
"Simple mistake." You huffed
"A mistake that could cost you your life L/n. When you're out there, there is no room for mistakes." He argued raising his tone slightly while he cocked his head tot he side. 
"Alright alright. It's not gonna happen again." You exhaled throwing your hands up in defeat. There was no arguing with him. You should know that by now.
"Again."
"You just rocked my shit. I need a minute." You growled feeling the distant pain pulsing near your tailbone. 
"No." He retorted.
"No? Excus-" you were about to say before he charged at you picking you up by your torso to slam you against the ground. Your body collided with the ground quickly, quicker than your brain could process it. Ghost had planted himself on your torso, shielding your use of your legs and he had your wrists in the sides of your head with his hands. He looked down at your angered expression, and you could've sworn you heard a chuckle escape though the clothe masked. 
"You enjoy kicking my ass don't you?" You strained as you attempted to break through his grip. Of course, getting no where. 
'Quite the entertainment seeing you pissed off." He spoke as he released your hands removing his large body off of you giving you the chance to stand up. "Always have to be ready for an enemy to attack. You werent ready. You were distracted. That could cost you your life as well. Use your brain. I know you've got one otherwise those sly remarks wouldn't slip out like they do."
'Oh piss off." You spat with a smirk on your face. You brought your stare to look at him directly above you, keeping his stare locked onto you. You brought your leg around you quickly approaching to Ghost's heels causing them to buckle sending him falling onto his back. A hard grunt escaped his lips when his back his the ground unannounced.  "Payback mother fucker." You spoke laughing as you hopped to your feet holding your hand out to help him up. His stare was cold,  almost threatening. 
"You were distracted, lieutenant. That could cost you your life." You remarked throwing his own words back at him as he accepted your hand pulling him up. You dusted off his back with your hand avoiding his annoyed gaze.
"Ghost, L/n. My office now." Price called out from the building's open door. His strong accent echoing the open plain. You turned to look at ghost who sent you a returning glance before motioning his head as a 'come on' while he started to walk, Picking up the gun a couple feet in front of him. You followed close behind adjusting your shirt and dusting yourself off.
Ghost had gotten pretty comfortable around you, now not enough to want to engage conversation unless he had to but when he did, the bickering you to would ponder was endless. But it made him more tolerable than the straight up bitching. He just loves to piss you off in some way. He found it funny. 
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"Little birdy through Laswell has reported some sightings of some large unmarked crates handed from Mexico's military base to the Cartel. I need you guys out there, and soon. If it is out missiles, Cartel isn't one to hold onto the, long. Upon Shepard's orders, he wants them destroyed if they are US property. It's a dangerous game if the Cartel has it in their possession. Now cartel isn't people we want to mess with. They've got numbers, and weaponry beyond counting. This has to go to plan of someone will die. And that's not gonna happen. Alright. Get your shit, we're headed out in 10." Price briefly spoke before sending you quickly to gear. Everyone scattered quickly  out of the room loading their weapons and gearing up. 
You were the last one upon the helicopter and they all nagged you. But once the helicopter started, the blades drowned out their nagging. 
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"Gaz, ghost and l/n I'm sending you both in the field. Soap and I will be your distant spotters. I'm trying to keep the numbers of us out there low. Less people to keep track of. " price spoke whilst all of you stood outside the now stationary helicopter just outside the border. "I'm counting on you. So please for the love of god, let's not make this bigger than it already is." He pleaded dropping his expression. The sound of a large vehicle approached behind you causing you to turn around. It pulled up halting to a stop, a tall attractive Hispanic man hopped out of the passenger seat. 
"This is Colonel Alejandro Vargas. He's going to get you as close as he can to where the cartel are holed up.  Vargas here has been an Allie with us for a long time, laswell speaks highly of him. A man we can trust. Vargas, this Gaz, Soap, l/n and ghost." Price introduced you all taking a step out of the way. 
"You don't have a cool nickname like these gentlemen?" Vargas smiled at you. 
"No sir, haven't earned one yet." You spoke projecting your voice at the appropriate level. 
"Hardass." Ghost mumbled next to you and you elbowed him in the side quickly. 
"Dick." You whispered towards him. 
"Already let's head out" Vargas spoke waving his hand towards the vehicle. In the backseat sat Gaz on your left, you in the middle and ghost in the right. He took up 90% of the middle seat leaving you squished between the two. It wasn't a very comfortable ride but that wasn't a concern you could voice. Ghost noticed your lack of room and proceeded to slump in his seat widening his legs to shorten the amount of room you had. You growled under your breathe but held your tongue because you were only a few shy minutes of arriving. 
"Good luck, I won't intertwine passed here. I don't meddle with the cartel " Vargas spoke hanging his head out the window. "Stay safe. " he called out before the vehicle pulled forward leaving the 3 of you near the hillside that looked down upon where the Cartel held up. Once the 3 of you approached the highest point to look below, your eyes widened at the amount of cartel members that were sprawled out among their 'base.'
"Holy shit, we're fucked." You blurted out under your breath