Chapter Text
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"So, what do you think, Captain?" -Nikolai asks with that accent, grabbing the binoculars that Price hands back to him. The two were discussing plans on what to do, routes and everything else.
They were on a high peak, about two kilometres away from London, and it was possible to see several buildings in the distance, some of them even leaning to one side, resting on other buildings; the structures of the buildings must have collapsed.
There had been reports a decade ago that this city was the epicentre of the infection in the United Kingdom, which is why the quarantine zone here fell so quickly, but it was never certain. There were indications that cargo ships could also have brought something from the west. It is difficult to have any correct answers considering that some say that cordyceps came from Brazil or somewhere in Asia.
The day was sunny after days of cloud cover, but the wind was cold, which was strange considering it was summer, but that was probably due to the rains of days ago or that the season was almost changing. Soap and Gaz were cleaning their weapons and loading some supplies from the car into their backpacks, and Ghost, well, was just listening to the two captains' conversation, waiting for orders.
Price, who had been observing with binoculars, turned around and whistled to the others. Gaz and Soap stopped what they were doing and walked over to the bonnet of the car where Nikolai and Price were standing with the map open. Ghost just turned his head for a better view.
"Here's the situation, champs." -Price pointed at the map, circling an area slightly southwest of London. "This is where the quarantine zone was. We can go around it and head straight south, then follow the bridge until we reach Sevenoaks. From there, we'll go down to Dover."
"Why not go southwest, wouldn't we get there faster?" -Gaz asks, arms crossed, looking at the map and then at the city.
Price sighs and also turns his gaze to the city, pointing to the columns of buildings falling apart. "It's possible that the rest of the city has streets blocked with fallen buildings, considering that the military must have rained bombs on this city. Besides, there could be lots of infected people, hordes of them, which I'm not really keen on seeing."
He looks back at the map. "The quarantine zone doesn't have any tall buildings around it, which should make it easier for us to find a way out of the city." -Gaz nods, understanding Price's point. "At most, there will be a few infected people wandering around here and there."
Ghost reflects for a moment. The city is large, it was the capital before everything went to hell. The number of infected people inside must have only increased over the years, but... “Do you think there might be someone inside? Like those bandits we found out there?“
“It's possible, considering that the city is big, it's unlikely that there isn't at least one person inside.“ -The captain says as he picks up and closes the map. “Luckily, we won't be out in the open, but inside the car. If anyone finds us there, we'll be more prepared than they are.“
“Yeah Lt, just shoot the bastards who try to bother us in the head.“ -Soap raises the gun he was cleaning and pretends to shoot. “Besides, we have this little beauty on top of the truck to help.“
Somehow, this doesn't inspire much confidence in Ghost. Even if these people don't have bullets, they can still outnumber them, and that could screw them over. Ghost just shrugs and sighs.
Price claps his hands. “Okay, boys, fill your backpacks, load your guns, we're hitting the road in thirty.“
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The creaking of the engine, which had been soothing before, now makes Ghost feel restless, his foot tapping nervously on the floor, his eyes alert to any wrong move in the city before them. The buildings around them were tall enough for Ghost to wonder if someone up there was watching them drive down the street.
They navigate the city in strange tranquillity, the road was open with no cars getting in the way like in other cities, a few broken bridges here and there, some drains spilling water like waterfalls, and even some wild animals wandering back and forth.
Something is wrong here, that was obvious.
Nikolai, who was at the wheel, looked to his left where Price was sitting with his gun in his hands. “Captain, did you notice that too?“
“I think we all did, Nik. This city is deserted, no decomposing bodies, no cars blocking the way, not even soldiers hanging from the lampposts.“ -Price pointed out the facts.
Gaz, sitting next to Ghost, leaned between the two front seats. “Do you think we got lucky? Maybe FEDRA cleared this area before everything went up in smoke.“ -Gaz pointed to the street, where there was nothing but weeds and grass. “No one has passed through here in years.“
“Maybe, but keep an eye out, you can never be too careful.“ -Price commanded, and Ghost agreed, especially considering where they were.
As they continue driving, the more deserted streets they see, and the more tense the air around them becomes, Gaz, Price, and Nikolai whisper about the route they are taking. Meanwhile, Ghost's focus remains on the window.
At least until he hears a low laugh. Looking to the side, he sees Soap staring at a large billboard with faded colours and half of it already torn, featuring an image of a Ferris wheel. “Damn.“
“Impressive that the colours are still there.“ -Soap turns to Ghost when he hears his comment. “Have you ever seen a Ferris wheel before, sir?“
Soap smiles. “When I was about seven or eight, I remember seeing one in Edinburgh. The seats were blue and red.“ -His eyes jump to look at the window. “I wanted to climb on it, but I couldn't grab the iron bars.“ -He laughs again, probably thinking about the memory. Even Ghost smiles slightly behind his mask. “What about you? Have you seen this beauty up close?“
“The closest I've seen it was in a school book, I think.“ -In reality, it wasn't a school book, Ghost's mother had a photo of herself next to a Ferris wheel. He would have taken that photo if the soldiers hadn't rushed him and Tommy out of the house the day she left.
“School book? Wow.“ -Soap chuckles as he speaks. “Maybe we should find that Ferris wheel to show you the real thing.“ -He mutters something else under his breath about climbing it too.
Ghost looks out the window trying to find the Ferris wheel. Maybe it would be cool to find that Ferris wheel just to admire it, taking advantage of the fact that they are here. ”Maybe if we find it, I'll draw you a picture as a gift” -Soap continues.
Raising an eyebrow, he asks, ”And why would I need a drawing?”
”Because you're a fucking apathetic bastard, you need something to cheer you up, Lt.”
”Getting your autograph won't make me smile.”
”Maybe not, but it will show that some people consider you a friend.”
Friend? Hmm, Soap is naive, that's for sure. Considering someone you've known for a short time a friend is surprisingly stupid. Ghost looks between Price and Nikolai, or perhaps it's confidence in survival.
Ghost lets out a laugh, and then, taking advantage of the silence in the car, he says calmly. ”Soap, the guy who fell off the Ferris wheel is at the hospital…”
The smuggler looks confused. ”What? What are you talking about?”
“He's in fair condition.” -Ghost replies, attentively waiting for the other's reaction.
A chorus of “UGH!” echoes through the car. Good to know Ghost is still managing to make people unhappy.
”Lieutenant, shut the fuck up,” Price commands.
”That was fucking awful, Lt.” Soap says, but Ghost can hear the laughter in his voice.
The hum of the car changes as soon as they drive under a bridge. Looking down, they see a fast-flowing river. Ghost wonders how this bridge hasn't collapsed yet with all this water hitting the structure.
But before he can comment further, the car runs over something that causes it to spin abruptly. Nikolai at the wheel yells at everyone. "Hold on, we're going to crash." -Everyone in the car grunts and curses as it collides with the metal bars on the side of the bridge.
Ghost hits his face on the side window, the pain is burning but passes quickly. He sees Gaz and Soap next to him colliding with each other until they hit the door. In front, the captain turns around with wide eyes, breathless from what just happened. "Are you all right?" -he asks, looking between the men.
Gaz scratches his head where he and Soap had collided. "Almost, my brain cells are screaming."
"Mine are burning like hell," -Soap runs his hand over his face. "What the hell happened?" He looks expectantly at Price to Nik.
Nikolai in front looks where they were coming from. "Maybe there was too much water or mud on the track." -He observe the bushes covering the path. "Shit," -He says after a few seconds, turning to say something to the captain.
Ghost begins to look at the tall grass they passed over the bridge, and against a bit of sunlight, he notices something shiny and metallic. “What the hell is that?“ -Next to him, he feels Gaz taking a look out the window too.
“Holy shit!“ -Garrick says after a few seconds of silence, and at first Ghost doesn't understand, but then Gaz points specifically at something. “Look at that!“
Ghost's eyes widen as he notices spike strips in the bushes, made with several nails stuck in wood. Realising what Gaz meant, he looks in the direction they came from, shuddering when he sees at least six figures wearing green and brown hoods. For a moment, he wonders if the horsemen of death have come for them.
“Captain!“ -He shouts anxiously. The hooded figures remain standing on the side of the bridge they came from. Now paying closer attention, Ghost notices a bow and arrow in their hands, as well as machetes, hatchets stuck in their belts, and some with pistols. Unfortunately, their faces are not visible because of the hoods.
Glancing sideways at Price, he notices the captain holding his weapon firmly. “Nik, get us out of here!“
“The tyres are flat, for fuck's sake!“ -Nik at the wheel tries to start the car, but it doesn't start right away.
On the other side of the car, Soap grabs a pistol from his waistband. ”Uh, guys...” -Everyone looks across the bridge and sees the same scene, at least five more hooded, armed people, only these were closer than the others. But the most bizarre thing was that now, up close, their faces were visible, and man, how that sent a wave of despair down Ghost's spine.
In front of them, these people had the faces of infected people, mushrooms growing and expanding from their heads, but their mouths didn't move, they were frozen statically. It was easy to tell that they were masks, but they were fucking bizarre.
”What the fuck is this!” -Gaz shouted with a trembling voice.
”No matter what they are, we need to get out of here! Nikolai!” -The captain said, anger and despair in his voice.
And finally, Nik got the car moving. He reversed, trying to turn it to the left, but probably because of the flat tyre, the car just went straight backwards until it hit the bridge's safety barriers.
Nik accelerates the car again, but it doesn't move, and slowly the car begins to tip backwards. Ghost looks down and sees the strong current below; they won't be able to escape from here.
As a last resort, Ghost warns the rest. ”Hold on, we're going to fall!”
Ghost hears people shouting to each other, but he is more concerned with holding on to the door when he feels the car falling freely. Looking out the window at the bridge, he sees the hooded men running towards them, but stopping when they see the car fall.
In his last moment of consciousness, Ghost feels the car hitting the water, and with it, a sharp pain in his head as he hits the glass.
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Something runs down the side of Ghost's face, and with the sharp pain in his head, he can only assume it's blood. His ears ring for what feels like an eternity, as if bees and flies were buzzing around him. Perhaps he is already dead, and they have come to devour his flesh.
He hears a familiar voice from years ago that he hasn't heard in a long time, along with a hand on his shoulder shaking him. A soft laugh from a teenager sounds.
“Tommy...“ -He whispers, moaning in pain.
He opens his eyes slightly, seeing everything blurry. Right in front of Ghost, he sees someone close by, similar to someone long dead. Little by little, the figure transforms, focusing and becoming more evident. “Soap...?“
“Time to wake up, Lt.“ -The smuggler steps back a little and Ghost finally notices that he is no longer inside the car. He gets up slowly, shielding his eyes from the sun above. After a few blinks, he sees a large river in front of where he was lying on a pavement slightly lowered into the river water.
“What happened? Where are Price and Gaz?“ -Ghost asked, looking back at Soap, who was still crouched down with one hand on Ghost's shoulder. “Those infected, no, group.“ -He remembers the moment they were trying to prey on Ghost and the group, they are still hunting if they find them.
"We fell into the river below the bridge," -Soap points to the river and Ghost follows his finger. "The car was carried here, Price helped the others get out." -Soap then whispers quietly, somewhat tense. "And I helped you get out."
Ghost sighs, now feeling more firmly the wet parts of his own body. "Thanks," -He says sincerely. He places his hand on Soap's. "I don't know how you carried me out being as short as you are—"
"Hey!" -Soap exclaims, pouting.
"But seriously, thanks, Soap." -Ghost squeezes Soap's hand, feeling the bulging veins and how hairy it is. Well, Soap was very hairy from what Ghost had seen, not that he was paying much attention to the drug dealer.
He then lets go of his hand, hearing a sigh of relief from the other. "Anytime, big guy." -Soap removes his hand from Ghost's shoulder and stands up. At the same time, Ghost hears footsteps approaching. Behind Soap, he sees Price, who pauses for a moment when he sees Ghost and then walks faster.
"Lieutenant, good to see you alive." -The captain kneels down, touching Ghost's face and turning it from side to side, concern evident. "There's a waterfall of blood running down your mask."
Ghost's gaze automatically jumps to Soap standing there with his hands on his hips. Price, noticing the hesitation, clears his throat. "Soap, can you see if Gaz is okay? Nik is checking the resources, so..."
Soap takes the hint. "Eh, um, sure, sir." -He looks at Ghost as if he wants to say something but gives up and turns around, starting to walk up some stairs that lead to a street just above.
"Thanks, Captain." -Price says nothing and just starts taking a medical kit out of his backpack.
"Right, let's take a look at your empty head." -Ghost removes his mask, feeling the cold air hit his face. It was satisfying when he took off his mask, the last time he did so was in Glossop. "You should take off that mask more often, Lieutenant," -Price says, guessing Ghost's next move.
He shrugs off the idea. "Better to be prepared in case someone shows up."
"And what does the mask do besides trying to intimidate others?" -Price wipes Ghost's face with a cloth soaked in alcohol, causing the man to feel a slight hissing pain. "You're afraid someone will recognise you, I understand that, but we're not in Manchester anymore, you don't have to be afraid of..."
Ghost shakes his head. "It's not that, it's, I don't know, Price, it's like I'm naked, this mask helps me." -Perhaps the most ideal explanation would be that Ghost feels cornered, as if he were going to be recognised, as if something, someone from the past were coming after him.
The captain takes a serious look at the injured soldier and sighs, then wraps a gauze bandage around the other's forehead. "You need therapy, and I need a cigarette." -The captain finishes tying the bandage and turns to put away the medical kit. "We're friends, I'm here to talk about anything that's bothering you." -Geez, how can Ghost explain that a few minutes ago he was dreaming that he heard the voices of two dead boys.
"As always, thank you, but I'm fine, Price." -He puts his mask back on, being careful not to disturb the bandage.
The captain laughs sarcastically. "Yeah, sure." -How many times the captain must have heard that from Simon is a mystery. He knows that even the psychologist didn't help, and yet he insists on trying. Sometimes the lieutenant himself wonders what's wrong with him, even though he can't talk or express himself properly, or maybe he just dosent try hard enough.
Ghost rolls his eyes, realising that they will continue the same conversation if he doesn't change the subject, so he says something he has noticed in the last few days. "So you and... Nik."
Price slams the lid of the medical kit shut, turning and looking at the lieutenant with furrowed brows. "What about me and Capitain Nikolai." -Price stands up and offers his hand, which Ghost accepts, being pulled to his feet.
Ghost has never seen the captain marry or sleep with anyone since he has known him, unless he is very discreet about it, and his relationship with Nikolai in recent days has gone from someone who wanted to beat him up to close friends. It could be because they are both captains, but perhaps it is like what Ghost has seen between soldiers and men in bars. "So you like it up the arse, then?"
For a moment, neither of them moves, but soon the captain approaches, standing face to face with the lieutenant, his hot breath passing through Ghost's mask, a slight tremor in Price's chin. "I hope you're making your stupid jokes again, lieutenant."
And he was, but it didn't have the effect Ghost wanted, shit. "Yes, sir, just one more... stupid joke." -He tries to look regretful.
The captain looks him straight in the eye, analysing his face, then nods, pushing the medical kit into Ghost's chest while slapping him hard on the shoulder with his other hand. "Good lad." -He slaps him so hard on the shoulder that Ghost grits his teeth momentarily. "All right, let's go."
The two climb the stairs to the crumbling pavement above where Soap had gone. Just above, Ghost sees the Russian and Gaz sitting and listening to Soap talk about something related to seals. Taking a closer look at Gaz, you can see he has a bandage wrapped around his arm. Considering he was in the middle, it's not hard to guess that he probably hit the bench.
Price puts his hands on his hips, Soap's conversation calms down, and everyone pays attention. "Lads, we're at a disadvantage now, without the car, some of our supplies, and outnumbered."
Garrick leans his good arm on the floor where he was sitting. "And in a city with weirdos in masks trying to hunt us down."
"And we're blind, with no directions on where to go," -Soap adds, nervously biting his lip.
"Not totally blind," -Price reaches into his backpack pocket and pulls out the map, waving it in the air. "We're heading southwest, we just need to find a landmark and follow it to the zone."
Out of the corner of his eye, Ghost notices Nikolai taking a few steps ahead and staring at a sign on the corner of the street where they were. "How about that, Captain?" -The Russian points and reads it aloud, ending with a whistle. "Hammersmith, Rainville Road, is that enough?"
Ghost approaches the captain, looking at the map near London, and it doesn't take him long to find Hammersmith on the map. "Here, we're in this district." -He points to the map.
Price hums for a moment, then says seriously. "We go straight through Kensington to Westminster, and from there we should reach the zone." -He puts the map in his pocket. "Keep your eyes open at all times, don't let your guard down, and watch out for high places."
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It takes them a while to cross the districts, and even though Price has told everyone not to let their guard down, Soap and Gaz whisper to each other, theorising about who those masked people with infected faces might be.
Ghost also tries to understand what it was in his own mind, and well, obviously it could be ruled out that they were infected, infected people don't think rationally like ordinary people, which only leads one to believe that they are just crazy, but what do they want? Resources? Weapons? Slaves?
Ghost doesn't expect to find out, he just wants to stay away from these guys.
It's curious that now, thinking about it, Ghost had already seen a drawing made by Johnny when they were in that preparatory school, in which he had drawn people wearing infected masks to scare the FEDRA soldiers. It was a silly doodle that caused a big problem for Johnny when an officer found it; the soldier had thought it was an offence to them.
Ironically, Ghost is now what caused Johnny's problem. Would he like who Simon has become today? The likely answer is no.
Not that he was here to judge him.
They walk down a street lined with abandoned buses and cars, entering through a large hole in a wall that leads into a small forest, which doesn't seem to have many visitors.
They pass a sign and the Russian whistles as he looks at it. "Look at that, I've always wanted to go on one of those."
Everyone stops to see what Nikolai is talking about, and Price is the first to speak. "Buckingham Palace Gardens."
"Ever heard of it, Captain?" -Gaz asks, adjusting his cap.
Price gives a slight nod. "They were the monarchs of England. Congratulations, lads, we've entered the Queen's house." -Soap is speechless, Gaz smiles slightly, and Ghost's eyes widen.
Ghost had heard as a child that England had kings and queens like in a fairy tale, but he thought it was a joke until now, as did Soap and Gaz, judging by their reactions.
"What the hell happened to the rich people then? Shouldn't they have a lot of protection?" -Soap asks, curious as a dog.
Price stops staring at the sign and continues walking through the undergrowth, his voice calm as he explains. "When the infected began to appear in South America and South Asia, England did not accept FEDRA's proposals for protection, but they changed their minds when the queen's son was infected."
"So just because the old hag's son got infected, they decided to accept FEDRA's help? Damn." -Soap kick the ground in disgust. "They were happy to sacrifice others, until her little boy was gone."
Nikolai chuckles softly with his thick accent. "That's how spoilt rich people work, we get screwed to please our superiors."
"Just like the army, thank you captain for getting us out of that mess." -Gaz says jubilantly with a sigh. "But what happened to the queen after that then?"
Price lets out a slight laugh. "Her son dismembered her. They found him on top of her body, eating her entrails." -Gaz murmurs a “wow”, while Soap whistles.
Ghost, who had been quiet all this time, utters a single sentence with a hidden laugh. "For some to smile, others have to get screwed."
"You said it, Lt." -Soap gives Ghost a punch on the shoulder, flashing a big smile. "What about Russia? How did it go there?" -He asks, looking at Nikolai.
"In Russia," -Nikolai begins with a loud laugh that makes Price punch him on the shoulder. "Sorry, sorry. In Russia, FEDRA couldn't get established at first. The government denied all assistance to the public, collecting all weapons from the streets and homes and giving them to politicians and the military. The people staged a revolution in the streets of Moscow, and many died."
Ghost can only think about how selfish people can be, especially the privileged ones. Not that they were entirely wrong, but taking away protection from the poor is very fucked up. Maybe that was one good thing about being born in England.
Gaz turns his curious face to Nik. "It's understandable, especially with the infected on the streets." -Nikolai snorts sarcastically. "And how did the higher-ups react to that?"
"Well, FEDRA used it as an opportunity to take control. The rich tried to fight them, but it didn't work. FEDRA practically exterminated them. They said it was the infected, but everyone knew what it really was," -Nikolai explains.
The sergeant chuckles. "Bad times to be born rich."
Ghost wouldn't complain about being born rich, it might even have been better in many ways. Just imagine, being able to eat like crazy without worrying about whether there will be anything the next day and the day after that. Tommy would probably have spent his money on toys as a child, but nowadays he would probably spend it on DVDs. He still has to watch that saga about robots that turn into cars.
The group begins to approach the palace. Most of the walls and windows are covered with ivy, dust and cobwebs, and some of the windows on the first floor are boarded up.
Price raises his hand, signalling for them to stop. "It's too closed off, we need to find a way in."
Looking around, the group finds a broken window large enough for someone to climb through, but before anyone can do so, Gaz quickly warns them. "Spores!" -Everyone stops and looks back at the window, cursing when they notice the particles exhaling from it, as if it were breathing.
"Thanks for the warning, Gaz" -Price thanks him with a sigh. "Put on your masks, boys."
The team begins to remove their masks. Ghost takes a few steps away, quickly removing his balaclava and putting on his gas mask. "Shit," -Ghost hears from behind him. As he adjusts the mask on his face, he looks to see what happened, and when he notices, he holds his breath.
"How am I supposed to get into this fucking building now?" -Gaz is holding his mask in his hands, but the visor and exhalation valve are completely broken.
"It's not just you, Sergeant." -Price takes his mask out of his backpack, practically torn in half, its crumpled filter falling to the ground. "They probably broke when we fell off the bridge. What a mess." -The captain rubs his face with his hand and makes an angry face, then puts his hands on his hips and looks around. "Anyone else?"
"I'm fine." -Soap says, already wearing his mask. "No scratches."
Everyone looks at the Russian, who is examining his own mask in his hands. "There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with mine." -He then looks at the captain with gentle eyes. "What do you want to do?" -He approaches and puts a hand on his shoulder, which Price quickly shrugs off, even giving Ghost a strange look.
Rethinking the earlier conversation, Price was responding strangely. Is there really something between the two of them? Is Price afraid? Well, it's something he can figure out later; now is not the right time.
"Gaz and I will try to find a way out. Maybe there's a staircase or another room without spores. You three be careful inside. These enclosed spaces tend to have infected people." -Everyone replies. "Yes, sir."
At the same time, shots can be heard in the distance, and everyone looks up, trying to figure out where they're coming from. "They sound close, those hooded figures must be nearby." -Price pats Ghost and Soap on the shoulder. "Try to get to the upper floors, we should have a better view of where to go from up there."
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Ghost has never liked enclosed spaces like this, especially after what happened to his mother years ago. His hand trembles slightly as he turns on the torch.
Soap seems pensive, having said nothing so far. It's as if he wants to say something but is holding back. Nikolai stands upright at the front, his serious demeanour almost expectant, waiting for something to happen.
"Keep your ears open, stalkers like these places." -Nik says, aiming his gun at the doors as they pass through the corridor after leaving the room they entered.
Soap and Ghost say nothing, Nik just glances at them out of the corner of his eye.
The creaking of rotten boards and the gunshots outside make the atmosphere tense, like a trashy horror film, but real. As they walk, they find themselves facing a completely collapsed ceiling, blocking their passage through the corridor, but luckily, they manage to climb over the rubble and go up to the floor above them.
Nik helps Ghost by pulling him by the hand, and then helps Soap as well. Ghost then, while Soap and Nik help each other, stops in front of a painting of an old woman with a crown on her head, possibly the queen they talk so much about, not that she is important in their conception today.
This brings back a faint memory of something from the past, when he and Johnny were studying history. Johnny used to say that one day he would have a golden crown all to himself, and that he would become the king of Manchester. Of course, he was joking; after all, who would want to be king in a world like this?
If they come across a crown, Ghost will certainly take it away, or at least take a photo as a souvenir.
Ghost feels someone touching his arm, and then looks to the side, already imagining what it was.
"What are you looking at?" -Soap asks, and just by looking at his eyes, Ghost can see a smile under the mask. "Terrible taste to decorate a palace with your own face, don't you think?" -Soap observes the painting.
Ghost crosses his arms, glances around looking for Nik, and sees him further ahead taking a look. "Hmm, I can see the appeal." -Rich people's tastes, narcissism is common among them.
Soap tsked with his tongue. "Would you put your ugly face on a canvas? Skull and all? Let me know when you make one, I'll draw some glasses and a moustache to make it more pleasant."
"I'm handsome enough for people to admire me, Soap, and definitely don't make a moustache, make a full beard at least." -Ghost jokes back, he had a rather handsome moustache, but his face...
Soap hums for a moment. "I'll believe it when I see your face, Lt."
Ghost opens his mouth to say something but falls silent when he sees Nik's torch flash a few metres away from them. The Russian waves to them both. "Let's go." -Ghost returns to a more serious mood and approaches Nikolai, with Soap right behind him.
"I heard footsteps nearby," -Nik warns them directly. Soap and Ghost nod. "Don't say anything and follow me. There's a palace hall up ahead, probably the main entrance. If we pass quietly, they won't find us."
So they follow the second-floor corridor, communicating only with gestures when they hear a door creak strangely, increasing their paranoia.
It doesn't take long to reach the hall Nik had mentioned. The ceiling and walls are mouldy and covered in grime, the entrance door is covered in concrete debris, but the most bizarre thing is the bodies lying on the floor, exhaling spores.
There is a lot of furniture scattered around the lobby, which probably became a base after the royal family died. Some windows reflect enough light for them to turn off their torches.
"Look," -Nik points to stairs leading up to the third floor and down to the lobby. "We'll use those stairs to go up, and from there we'll try to find Price and Gaz."
Soap looks down at the fungus-covered bodies and then at Nik. "Do you think they made it in?"
Nik nods. "Yes, they're both great soldiers."
"And Gaz is very perceptive, he must have found another easy entrance," -Ghost adds. "Let's hope they didn't run into any of those guys from the bridge."
The group then moves towards the stairs, but then from the corridor on the other side of the lobby where they are, footsteps are heard, people running.
"Get down," -Nik says, already hiding behind the railings of the parapet. Ghost feels Soap pulling him down. Looking between the railings, Ghost can see someone wearing a gas mask and jumping over the furniture, hiding behind a cupboard, pistol in hand.
There must be something following this guy. Ghost feels a chill. They need to leave and use this guy as cover. It doesn't take long for other footsteps to approach, and when Ghost notices who they are, he shudders a little. Three of the masked men from the bridge raise their guns and flashlights around.
Ghost turns to Nik and Soap and whispers to them. "Let's use this as a distraction, climb up and leave them to fend for themselves."
"But what if it's another survivor running from them who needs help?" -Soap retorts. Ghost understands his concern, but they need to survive by running away and not worrying about just anyone.
"Soap, we don't have time for this." -Ghost doesn't know why this Scotsman wants to save that survivor, but honestly, it could cost them their lives, especially in an environment covered in spores, where any damage to their masks could kill them. "We have to worry about ourselves. Nik, dont you agree?" -He needed support to get this idea out of the smuggler's head.
Nikolai slaps his hand heavily on Soap's shoulder. "The lieutenant is right, lad, you can't save everyone. If we start making a racket here, the infected could be attracted."
Soap takes a deep breath and looks at the scene in the hall. The masked men were close to where the person was hiding. "Fuck it." -In a stupid move, Ghost sees Soap picking up a piece of brick and throwing it over the railing on the other side of the hall.
He curses under his breath and tries to grab Soap's arms to stop him, but it's too late. The brick flies through the air and hits the wall, causing all the masked men to turn around and slowly walk towards where the brick landed.
"What the hell, Soap!" -He shouts quietly at the smuggler, punching him in the arm. "Do you know what you've done now?!"
Soap pulls out his backpack and starts looking for something. "Aye, I just saved someone." -He takes out a Molotov cocktail and lights it, orange flames illuminating the second floor, which is now visible to everyone. "Get ready." -And then Soap throws the Molotov cocktail, which lands on two masked men standing close to each other.
One of them escapes the fate of catching fire, while the others scream and try to extinguish themselves, but it was unlikely that they would succeed. Their clothes begin to burn along with their flesh. If Ghost could smell them in the air now, it would be a horrible thing.
Nikolai stands up with his gun in hand and immediately shoots the other man who dodged the Molotov cocktail. Ghost stands up too, aiming at the same man, and together they shoot. Ghost may have pulled the trigger a few more times to vent some of his anger at the situation.
Everything happens very quickly, several loud bangs and then silence. Soap asks from the side. "Are they dead?"
Nikolai watches for a moment, but there is no movement. "Yeah, looks like it." -He then leans on the parapet and looks down, shouting a little louder now. "Hey, you down there, are you okay?"
"We're not with those masked guys, if that's what you're thinking. We just beat them up for you," -Soap adds, looking back at the lieutenant. "Even though some people here wanted to leave you to your fate."
Ghost pays attention, not getting involved, just rolling his eyes, his gun pointed at where the person is in case they get shot. It takes a few seconds, but then the answer comes, and now that things have calmed down a bit, it's possible to see the appearance of this person, who seems to be wearing a hooded cape, braided hair, jeans and military boots, and obviously a mask covering their face.
"Yes, I noticed." -A female voice with a strong accent says. "Thanks for the help." -She pauses, and Ghost sees the apprehension and doubt in her eyes. Sure, seeing three men take out their pursuers might be a good thing, but they are still men, and Ghost knows what they are capable of. She holds the gun in her hand tightly.
Soap approaches her and Ghost takes a step forward, accompanying him for safety. "It was nothing, but we need to get out of here. Someone may have heard the shots and there may be infected people nearby." -How can people who are so different be so similar in personality? Soap is acting almost like Johnny, helping children, or in this case, adults.
"I appreciate the help, lads, but I'm not desperate enough to go with three strangers to who knows where." -For Ghost, this is great, one less mouth to feed and person to take care of, but with a glance at Soap, Ghost's heart trembles, an internal conflict passes through Soap's mind and he has probably come to the same conclusion as Ghost.
"Look," -Nikolai says the words carefully, not wanting to start another shootout. "We're trying to get out of this shitty town, if you want to come with us to the exit at least, feel free." -Wow, Price is going to be furious.
The woman laughs, her mockery evident. "Escaping this city is almost impossible with these madmen on the loose." -Indeed, they felt that first-hand when they fell off a bloody bridge. "And I still have business to take care of, and that involves killing as many of them as I can."
"Then we can help each other, escape together while we beat the shit out of those masked men." -Soap suggests immediately.
"Soap." -Ghost intervenes, pulling him back. Soap looks at him and tries to shrug, but Ghost squeezes his shoulder with his hand, and Soap even lets out a sharp sigh.
Ghost then looks at the woman. "There's an exit straight ahead on the second floor," -He says as he pulls Soap firmly by the arm, turning towards the stairs to go up to the third floor. "After that, just go down through a crack in the floor and find a room at the end of the corridor. Good luck." -Nikolai accompanies him.
The woman goes up to the second floor, gun in hand, ready to attack them at any moment. Not that Ghost would let that happen. She just nods and walks down the corridor they came from.
They stand silently, listening to her footsteps fade away. Ghost remains alert, as if at any moment that woman or a masked man might appear and shoot them. Nik, on the other hand, just sighs.
Once they are sure they are alone, Ghost pushes Soap upwards, who lets out a slight grunt. "Come on." -Soap pouts but says nothing about Ghost's treatment, perhaps knowing he crossed the line, and also because it's not as if that woman would want to join them.
A slight shiver runs down Ghost's neck, and he glances back to see Nikolai staring silently at him, like a bear watching a salmon in a stream.
They continue up the stairs to the fourth floor, where most of the windows are broken and there are no signs of spores. As soon as they arrive, the evening light floods the room, bathing it in orange colours. Everyone removes their masks and takes a deep breath, refilling their lungs with fresh air.
"Finally, fresh air," -Soap says, leaning against the wall, but it doesn't take long for the smuggler to relax. Ghost puts both hands on the wall, pinning him face to face. "Holy shit."
"Yeah 'holy shit', what the fuck were you thinking back there, saving a stranger?" -Ghost was angry with Soap. From the beginning, he had managed to drag them into some trouble, but this time, they could have died if it had been the wrong person. "What would have happened if you had saved the wrong person? If they had shot you in the face? If they had killed all three of us? What do you think Price would have thought? Huh? You were irresponsible." -Ghost pokes Soap in the chest with his finger.
Soap glares at Ghost with irritation, even trying to force his way out. "I gave you guys a place to stay, a car to get us here, I pulled you out of the car when your head was a waterfall of blood a few hours ago, you ungrateful bastard, I risked myself along with you to get parts that could have infected you." -Soap looks as if a betrayal has occurred, which perhaps for Ghost it was. "You were fine a few hours ago, what happened to you? You really did beat your head, havent you."
Sensing the tension between them, Nik puts a hand on Ghost and pulls him aside. Ghost sees the look of concern on Nik's face. "You saved me too, that wasn't a mistake, Lieutenant." -Out of the corner of his eye, Ghost sees Soap looking away.
The lieutenant shrugs, removing Nikolai's hand. "You say that because you're still alive thanks to the captain." -With a serious look, he fixes his eyes on Nik, as if he could pierce him with his gaze. "But the moment you do something wrong to him, or Garrick..."
The Russian widens his eyes, raising his hands in surrender, distressed by Ghost's words. "I won't do that, I gave you my word. I had chances to do something, but I didn't. We're a team now, Lieutenant. We fight together."
Ghost remembers something similar that was said to him before, used by his best friend before the shit hit the fan. "Words change when we're desperate, and you can be sure that a desperate man will betray even his own family." -He turns his back, not giving Nik time to respond. "Let's get out of here, Price and Gaz must be waiting for us."
Ghost starts walking forward, but a hand on his shoulder stops him. "Soap?" -He asks the smuggler, irritation slightly evident.
Sighing heavily, Soap thinks before saying anything, as if a bomb could explode, and well, maybe it could. "Whatever happened to you, Lt, I need you to understand that sometimes I can be impulsive, but it's not out of malice," -Ghost almost tells Soap to get to the point, but Soap continues. "I've lost people because of it, all because of my fault, and I'm not trying to say this so you feel sorry for me or anything, but so that I can prove that I want to help you, that I want to protect us all."
A silence fills the corridor, and then Ghost shakes his head, not as angry as before but rather taking in the words that have been spoken. "When the time comes, show them with your actions."
He turns and continues walking until he finds an exit, with Soap and Nikolai following him in silence. They still have a lot to talk about, but there will be time for that soon.