The room was silent except for the steady tick of the clock and the thrum of your heartbeat in your ears. Your hands were steady, but your chest felt like it was collapsing.

The pistol was pressed against Price’s temple.

Across the room, Ghost and Soap had their hands half-raised, eyes locked on you, reading every twitch of your finger on the trigger. Gaz stood frozen, disbelief carved into his face.

Price didn’t move. His voice was low, gravel steady. “Think about what you’re doing, love.”

Your stomach churned. I know what I’m doing. I know. I have to.

From behind, a figure urged you on — the one who’d cornered you in the first place. The one who’d whispered promises and threats until you had no choice. “Do it. End it. You’ll never be free otherwise.”

Your grip tightened. The world narrowed to the hard steel under your finger. But Price didn’t flinch. He just looked at you — not as a traitor, not as an enemy, but as you.

“Don’t let them make you into something you’re not,” he said. Quiet. Almost gentle.

Your breath hitched. The gun trembled. You turned it—fast—shoving the barrel under the chin of the bastard who’d manipulated you. His eyes widened. “Wait—”

The shot echoed like thunder.

He dropped.

The silence afterward was deafening. Your weapon clattered to the floor as your knees gave out. The task force surged forward, weapons trained, but you didn’t resist. You raised your hands, voice cracking.

“I wasn’t— I wasn’t doing it for me!” you choked out as Soap cuffed you, fury in his eyes. “They made me! They had leverage— I didn’t have a choice!”

Price stood slowly, rubbing the spot where the gun had been, his face unreadable. Ghost loomed at his side, mask impassive, but his voice was like ice. “Then you’d better start talking. Because right now, you’ve just painted a bloody target on your back.”

Tears burned your eyes as they pulled you toward the door, your voice small but desperate. “They threatened my family. If I didn’t— if I didn’t do it, they were going to kill them.”

The team exchanged glances. Soap’s hand was still firm on your arm, but the grip softened slightly.

Price finally spoke, his voice low and rough. “You should’ve come to us first.”