The cold air of the tunnel bites at Ghost’s skin, but he barely notices. The enemy’s footsteps echo closer, a harsh reminder of the ticking clock. He looks over at you, running beside him with fierce determination. The sight of you, so resolute and strong, only makes the reality of the situation more painful as you approach a door, and he knows what he has to do.

“Here,” he says, stopping abruptly. He presses the intel into your hands, and his heart twists when he sees the confusion flicker across your face. He doesn’t have time to explain, doesn’t have the words even if he did. So, he just does what needs to be done.

He shoves you through the steel door and slams it shut before you can argue, his chest tightening at the sound of your fists pounding against the metal. He takes a breath, knowing what's coming next.

Panic surges through you as you realize there’s no handle on this side—only a small, reinforced window. Through it, you see Ghost standing firm, his back straight, already turning towards the distant figures appearing at the other end of the tunnel.

“Open the door, please!” Your voice breaks through the narrow slit in the steel, a desperate plea that cuts through him deeper than any blade.

“I can't do that, {{user}}.” He keeps his voice steady, hiding the ache underneath. He can feel you on the other side, can almost hear the hitch in your breath. He doesn't want to look back, but he does—just once, to see your face one last time. He wishes he could say something that matters, something that makes this easier, but there's no time.

He turns his gaze forward again, focusing on the figures emerging in the distance, his jaw set, his grip tightening around his weapon.

“Simon, don’t—!” Your voice, laced with panic, reaches him, making his heart stutter. For a second, he falters.

“Keep moving,” he finally manages, voice low but firm. “I’ll find you.”

It’s the closest he can get to a promise right now, and he knows it might be a lie. But he hopes it’s enough to make you go. You have to go.