Chapter Text
"How the hell do we know we can trust this one? Makarov isn't anything if not a paranoid bastard. He's only going to have the most loyal with him. How do we know that this isn't just some ploy to gather information of her own?" Simon was the first to bring up his doubt when this plan was proposed. All of it just seemed too good to be true for his liking. The concept of someone so close in Makarov's confidence to turn like this? It smelled fishy to him.
"We don't have a choice." Laswell is quick to dispel any concerns, they didn't have time for hesitation, for all they knew you could already have been executed for even making contact. It was a calculated risk they'd have to take. "This is our best shot at finding Makarov when there aren't any leads to speak of. If we're wrong, then Makarov still lost one of his financiers controlling the money flow. It'll hurt. We can execute her if it comes to it. but we can't afford not to at least try to use this information."
Laswell's assurance didn't do much to ease the tension in Simon's mind, but he'd have to take her word for it. She had a point, even if the risks of trusting that you weren't a rat was high. In any case, if you chose to double cross them, he'd just execute you himself. If you put any of his comrades in danger, it didn't matter how valuable you were, his mates and their safety came first. He wasn't one to shy away about collateral damage.
Price glances at Simon and notices his silent resignation to the mission. "I'll take that as your agreement then. Let's get this done then."
Gunshots rang out through the villa where you resided, Konni men dropping like flies as Soap and Ghost pushed their way to the secure room where you awaited extraction. So far, the information that you had given, however little was proving accurate and useful. Where to find the guards, their postings and routines. It had all been drip fed to keep you from being found out, but it was vital to keeping Soap and Ghost alive now. Still, it didn't change the unease about all of this from building. What had caused you to change sides? Unless you wanted to dive off a sinking ship, no one in your position would bail now. You had everything you could want, money enough to do as you pleased, your conscience dying was your only drawback.
"Johnny, does this smell off to you?" He said into his headset.
"I don't smell any gas." The voice crackles through.
"Not the bloody air, the situation. Why does a big shot in Makarov's group want to defect now? Doesn't sit right with me."
"I was thinking the same thing Lt. But I suppose we won't have the answer until we put a bit of pressure on her to tell the truth." A pause. "I'm at the door."
"Wait there for me Johnny I'm right behind you." Ghost rounds the corner to stand on the opposite side of Soap, gun drawn. "Open it."
Soap kicks the door open, and the two guards with you fall to Ghost's precise aim.
You jump at both the noise and the sudden violence. You'd known they were coming but the force and violence you'd just bore witness to was still startling. You'd worked with Makarov for a long time now, but you'd never witnessed death like this, so quick and nonchalant.
Ghost gives you a once over before speaking over his radio. "Target acquired, ready for extraction." A pause, presumably for the reply before he turns to his partner. "Heli's waiting in the woods, we need to get her out of here now, Gaz spots reinforcements coming down the road."
"Seems we don't have much time then." Soap steps over to you and gestures to the door. "After you, miss."
You'd agreed to this, wanting to put an end to the dictatorship that Makarov wanted to instill. The innocent lives that would be lost tugging at your conscience. But trusting these strangers who could very easily put you down like a rabid dog still frightened you. However you swallow your fears and follow, knowing that all of this was for a greater good.
Even if the one in the mask scared you more than you'd like to admit.
The whole helicopter ride home had been tense, a constant reminder that you weren't trusted in the slightest. Despite your agreement you were still the enemy, you didn't blame them for their hesitations about you, but you wished that you hadn't been stared at as if you were going to suddenly reveal a bomb that would kill everyone one detonation.
You paced the length of your makeshift holding cell, already restless even though you hadn't been there that long. You'd been brought straight in for questioning and interrogation, and you'd spilled every secret that you knew, trying to be as truthful as you could remember. A new life was all that you wanted, as far away from Makarov's reach as you could possibly get. However until Makarov was in custody or dead, you'd be staying here a while. Anywhere else would be far too dangerous. Now that you'd been captured it was all but assured that Makarov would be trying to find some way to kill you. You knew too much and anything that could compromise his plans was a problem that had to be taken care of. By whatever means necessary.
You noticed Ghost just staring at you, it wasn't like he was needed there, you had other soldiers guarding you. Someone so skilled just to watch you pace a cell was a bit overkill, so you glared back. "What are you staring at?"
He pushes off the wall he was leaning on to approach you, his eyes, darkened by the paint around them pierced through you. "I'm trying to figure out what your game is. What your angle is in all this."
"My angle is to stop Makarov."
"But why is the question. You were up there livin' it large, a nice fat payout to keep you on his side, why give that all up for a cell and a target on your back." He shakes his head. "Doesn't make sense."
"Is it so impossible that I realized the true extent of what Makarov was doing and wanted to stop him? That I have morals and don't want to see thousands if not millions killed by his regime?"
Ghost scoffs. "You knew what Makarov was like long before this. Let's just hope for your sake you at least can keep your stories straight."
A chill runs down your spine. "Is that a threat?"
"It is. Because if any of my mates almost died to extract your sorry ass and you purposely let Makarov get away? I'll fuckin' execute you myself."
They leave you there for days, checking your information and trying to make a plan. Despite everything you'd given them, they didn't want to drop in unprepared. You'd given them one shot to bring Makarov to justice, they weren't about to waste it.
Simon paid close attention to the debrief of how exactly his team would go about this. All he wanted was to personally put a bullet in Makarov's head so this whole mess could be over. He was tired of all this, of the fighting, being on the run and racing against the clock to stop nukes from being launched onto innocent people.
The meeting stops as soon as gunshots are and shouting start from outside the warehouse you were being held at. The whole team goes still for just a moment as the situation sinks in. Then they're all moving into action and Simon knows exactly where they're going and runs to your cell.
Simon rushes into the cell where you were being kept, your startled look not even earning a second glance as he unlocks the door and pulls you out roughly. "We have to move."
"What's going on?"
"We're under attack." Simon shields you as he carefully navigates out of the holding cell, making his way through the halls carefully and efficiently, the last thing he needed was for you to get a bullet in your head before they could even verify if you'd been telling the truth.
Fallen comrades lay in their path, only allowing Simon to have a brief mental moment of wishing them the best in the next life before he's ushering you closer to the entrance so he could throw you in a truck and get you the fuck out of here.
As he pushes you out into the sunlight, Johnny pulls up with the armored truck they'd driven here in. "Hop in Lt, we have to move, Laswell and Price'll handle it."
Simon pushes you in and gets in the back with you to return fire if they're caught on the road. Johnny quickly steps on the gas, speeding away from the warehouse as quickly as possible.
You hold onto whatever you can to keep from falling over when you dare a glance at Ghost.
"Ghost, we have a safe house for you to bring the target." Shepherd's voice comes over his radio. "Sending you the coordinates, bring the target there and wait for further instruction."
Simon hated taking Shepherd's word for anything with how greasy of a bastard he was, but there wasn't any choice, the three of you were sitting ducks. "Yes sir, heading there now sir." He meets your look. "That information better be fuckin' worth it."
You make it to the safehouse, and once Soap clears the inside from any threats, Ghost pushes you in with a rough hand.
"Get comfortable, you'll be here a while." Soap jokes, as if it's terribly funny. He presses the button on his radio. "Target secured at safehouse, waiting for further instructions."
"One of you will have to stay and guard the target. We can't lose one of you on the field when we finally bring Makarov in and escort him to the gates of hell personally. MacTavish, come back and meet back up with Price and Gaz."
"What about Lt.?"
"Since Ghost likes to complain about how I run things I think he'd be better suited watching over the target." Even over the radio the sarcasm came through.
Simon looked at Johnny and then back at you, the reality of what job he just got stuck with sinking in.
"Fuckin' hell."
