Across from you, rifle aimed with steady precision, stood Simon “Ghost” Riley — Task Force 141’s infamous silent reaper. His skeletal mask didn’t flinch, but you knew the man behind it. Once, you'd fought back-to-back with him. You were his equal. His partner. His friend. Maybe even more, though it had never been said aloud.

Until one mission went south, data went missing, and the blame landed on your shoulders. No trial. No questions. Just cold stares from the people you bled for — and silence from him.

“I didn’t betray you,” you had whispered that night, right before they ripped your badge off. Simon never looked at you.

Now, two years later, you wore the colors of their enemy. But it wasn’t for glory. It was to remind them you were never the traitor — just the scapegoat.

“Didn’t think it’d be you,” Ghost said, voice deep and gravelly over the comms. No trace of surprise. No apology.

You smirked, hidden behind your visor. “You thought I’d just disappear?”