The tension in the room grew with each second. I don't want to imagine what was happening here when I was asleep.
Sarah was helping me eat even though I could do it perfectly on my own, while Ghost was glaring at us.
As if his gaze could tear us apart.
"If you wanted to feed her, you should have done so, LT."
Soap seemed to be in the best mood out of all of us. Sarah didn't wait for Ghosts response.
"Feed her? He would probably poison her. The LT seems to have a liking for hurting his soldiers."
Ghost didn't say anything he seemed to be thinking, it didn't stop him from giving Sarah a death stare.
"You know when they will let you out?"
Soap turned his attention to me.
"Today. I am waiting for the doctor."
"I will go get him."
Ghost volunteered, surprisingly.
"Thanks."
I waited until he was out of sight.
"So I heard you guys have been visiting me often."
"The Lieutenant came here everyday, always at the same time as me! Shade. I am serious. This guy has some real problems with his head."
She turned to Soap and gave him an innocent smile.
"Don't snitch please, Sir?"
He simply shook his head with a chuckle.
"He was worried. I heard he got you in this condition. I only ever saw him so shaken up once. With the amount of blood... can't blame him."
We all went quiet.
"So he felt bad?"
Soap nodded.
"Good. As he should."
I crossed my arms and breathed out. I wish I could see his face, what kind of expression did he have under his mask.
"Speaking of visitors... there was someone else I saw hovering around you."
Sarah's words took me out of my thoughts.
"He had a mask on, not like the one the LT has but it looked scary. He was really tall as well."
Sarah stopped and waved with her hands, snapping with her fingers as she remembered something.
"The guy you fought at the sparing match. It was the Colonel right? Do you know why he was here?"
"König? Maybe he heard I was in the hospital and was worried..."
"You know the Colonel privately?"
Soap looked surprised and genuinely curious.
"See!? I told you that she is a magnet for trouble. Nothing good can come out with you hanging around higher ranking soldiers."
Sarah looked upset but her tone and expression quickly changed.
"So what's going on between you two?"
She rested her face on her hands and fluttered her lashes to make me talk. Hopeless romantic. Just like I said.
"Nothing is going on. Except..."
Both Soap and Sarah were listening intently for my next words.
"KorTac is interested in taking me in."
Something fell to the ground with a clutter, we all looked towards the noise to see Ghost with the doctor.
"Since when?"
His voice was rough and demanding. It wasn't anything that was a 100% confirmed but I would rather have Sarah believe that. He just had to come at the wrong time.
I ignored him and looked towards the doctor.
"Am I good to go Sir?"
He looked a little shaken, quickly bending down and picking up the board he was holding before.
"Ah- Yes, yes. You are all good to go. If anything feels off or your stitches break again, please come to us immediately."
"Alright. Thank you."
The tension still not gone even when the young doctor left.
"When? Did they already ask you?"
"LT give the girl a break. She barely woke up."
"Yeah, you heard the sergeant. I am sick, because of you at that. Let me rest."
I swear I could see him twitch when I said it was his fault.
"Are you planning on joining them? KorTac I mean."
Sarah looked at me a little worried.
"You know I want what's best for you. But... KorTac... It's a little scary isn't it?"
"I am not sure yet but if I were to end up with the Colonel's team. I would definitely consider. I believe I would be fine as long as It's them."
I feel like I would be safe if it's König.
Sarah hugged me and I wrapped my arms around her. My eyes stayed on Ghost, he looked like this didn't bother him at all. Perhaps it didn't.
Maybe 141 didn't need me as much as I thought.
"I guess Price will have to speed things up a notch."
Soap chuckled at his own words. Sarah didn't seem to hear, consumed by her own thoughts.
---------
I left the hospital with Sarah. Ghost and Soap left a while before us.
"What is his problem seriously. Why does he always go after you."
"Don't be too upset, he is just..."
"Special? Definitely."
I breathed out a chuckle. The pain killers have stopped working after a bit, bringing me a new kind of pain.
After so many days I was finally able to lay in my own bed.
The hospital one was much better.
I was happy to move again.
"I have to leave you here. I will check up on you when I am free."
"It's okay, I will probably sleep some more anyway."
"Bye hun. Have a good rest."
I watched as she closed the door, I went ahead and lied on the bed. My eyelids becoming heavy sending me into the dreamland.
Not for long.
A knock on the door woke me up. I ignored it, hoping whoever was on the other side would leave me alone. They didn't.
They knocked again, a bit more urgently then before. I got up lazily and went to open the door, praying not to see the skull face on the other side.
I was met with a professional female attire. It was Persha.
"I see you are better then ever."
She was in a good mood. I simply moved away letting her come inside, closing the door after she did.
"Price sends his apologies. He says Ghost has never caused such a ruckus before."
I am sorry my dog bit you, he is always so calm and good.
"Couldn't say it to my face?"
"He was busy lecturing the Lieutenant."
She laughed as she sat on my bed.
"What do I have to do?"
The smile was now gone from her face, she looked at me with an expression that reminded me of a teacher having to bring down their best student.
"I wasn't going to ask you for this. But you are the only person who fits-"
"Get it over with."
She took a deep breath.
"In a week. We need you to lose as much weight as possible until then."
"They want me to starve?"
"They need you to fit through the vents."
"So starve."
"We aren't asking you not to eat, just change your diet."
I didn't say anything. I am weak right now anyway, I already lost some weight anyway.
"Orders?"
"...Yes."
"Consider it done."
If it's orders then I have no choice.
"Y/N, I will bring you the diet plan. Follow it. Your training stays the same for now."
I nodded.
"Major, I have a request. I need certain information on someone."
"Who caught your eye?"
"The Lieutenant."
"Ghost? That might be hard but I will see what I can do."
"Colonel König, he is from KorTac."
"That... that I can do. Anything else?"
"Any other files you can get me, be it their teammates or Captain's. Who sends them on missions, anything you can get your hands on without being suspicious."
"I thought I am your Major? Not the other way around. This amount might take a while."
"A while?"
"A month."
"Can you prioritize?"
"I will get them to you as soon as I can."
Persha got up and walked towards the door, stoping before she got to open it.
"If you feel you can't go on-"
"I will do it. It's fine. They asked me to do worse things."
She didn't say anything else. She walked out.
"Come to me tomorrow morning, I will have the plan ready by then."
I was finally left alone but I could no longer fall asleep.
Word count: 1252