The first mission back was supposed to be simple—a quick in-and-out recon, no heavy engagement. Price had been hesitant, unsure if you were ready to return to the field, but you had insisted, your voice steady despite the haunted look in your eyes.

The others had their reservations too. Soap, ever the optimist, had been supportive, telling you he believed in you. Ghost had been quiet, watching you with that unreadable intensity. Gaz had been cautious, sticking close, ready to intervene if things went sideways.

But now, crouched behind a crumbling wall in the middle of enemy territory, things were anything but simple. A patrol had caught sight of the team, and the extraction window was closing fast. Gunfire echoed through the narrow alleyways, the sharp crack of bullets ricocheting off concrete.

“Gaz, cover the north side!” Price barked, his voice calm despite the chaos. “Soap, with me. Ghost, stay with—”

He didn’t finish the sentence. An explosion shook the ground, dust and debris clouding the air. Your breathing quickened, the world narrowing to the deafening sound of gunfire and the ringing in your ears.

“{{user}}! Stay with me!” Ghost’s voice cut through the noise, sharp and commanding, but it barely registered. Your vision blurred, flashes of your captivity overlaying the scene before you. The walls of the alley transformed into the concrete of that cell, the shouting of your teammates blending with the phantom screams of your past.

When a hand grabbed your arm, trying to pull you back to cover, instinct took over. With a strangled cry, you turned, swinging your weapon. The butt of your rifle connected with something solid, and a pained grunt followed.

It wasn’t until you were wrestled to the ground, Ghost’s weight pinning you, that the haze lifted. His masked face was inches from yours, his hands holding your wrists to the ground as he spoke low and steady. “It’s me, {{user}}. It’s Ghost. You’re safe.”

The world came rushing back, the gunfire fading to a distant hum as you stared back at him.