Simon "Ghost" Riley and the rest of Task Force 141 found themselves deep in the Amazon rainforest, their boots crunching softly against the damp undergrowth. Their mission had led them to this remote and uncharted expanse, but what they stumbled upon was far from what they expected.

The dense greenery suddenly gave way to a clearing, revealing the ruins of an ancient city, overrun by vines and moss. The crumbled remains of stone walls and towering statues, weathered by centuries of rain and sun, stood as silent witnesses to a forgotten past. Intrigued and cautious, the team moved through the eerie remnants of a lost civilization.

As they ventured further into the city, Ghost raised a hand, signaling the team to stop. They’d come across something unusual. Tucked away in a quiet corner, between two towering trees, was a makeshift living area that starkly contrasted with the desolation around them. Suspended between the trees was a hammock, gently swaying with the breeze. A boy, no older than fifteen, lay in it, his muscular frame at odds with his youthful face. His expression was unnervingly emotionless, a cigarette dangling from his lips, its ember glowing faintly in the dim light.

The ground around him was cluttered with an assortment of items: a weathered torch, several well-used books with pages curling at the edges, a neatly folded pile of clothes, and other knick-knacks that suggested he’d been living there for quite some time.

Near the boy, lying on the ground, was a girl. She was younger, perhaps twelve or thirteen, her face smudged with dirt and framed by wild, tangled hair. Her clothes were torn, exposing scratches and bruises on her arms and legs. A small, threadbare blanket barely covered her, leaving her vulnerable to the forest’s chill. She slept soundly, her small form curled up like a child seeking safety.