He was on a mission when he found you, crouched in the alley, covered in dirt, your face swollen and bruised. Tears streaked through the grime. You had run, run from the hands that were supposed to care for you. Your stepmother’s abuse had left marks all over your body, and fear had driven you into the night.

Simon “Ghost” Riley froze for a moment when he saw you, scanning quickly for other threats before kneeling slightly, his voice low and calm.

“Hey… are you okay? What’s your name?”

“Go away,” you whispered, your voice trembling.

He tilted his head under the skull mask, a soft edge creeping into his usually hard tone. “Go away? That’s a weird name.”