Price's jaw tightened as whisps from Alejandro's smoke grenade revealed vivid green threads across the pathway before them. "Sensors. Watch your step."

Ghost peered down his sights for a better view, drawing the red dot along the length of the lasers. "Think they're attached to explosives?"

"Like that one?" Gaz pointed out a black box across the way, flashing a dull red from where it was tucked into the shadow of a pillar. He carefully stepped between the sensors and inspected the box. "Ah, easy work." He drew his knife, prying the face off the device and cutting a wire connecting to the receiver. "We're good, but keep your guard up for any more."

Ghost noticed another box down a dark corridor and poised himself precariously between the lasers to cut the wires. "It's a fuckin' gauntlet in here..."

"A huevo- Aye..." Alejandro shifted his balaclava over his nose.

Gaz finished disarming another sensor when he saw a roving laser in the misty darkness. "Captain, got a laser coming toward you." Price stopped and he maneuvered past it to cut the wires. "Rovers? They're really digging in."

"Too bad we know this base better than they do... And we're more pissed off than they are." Alejandro's laugh was sinister as he slipped into the darkness of the next corridor. He abruptly stopped, Gaz nearly tripping over him and he whispered into the com. "Shh... We're not alone in here."

Gaz leveled his sights with the opening ahead to see two Shadows stalking the dim glow of a single chem light. "Think they knew we'd be here?"

"No doubt they expected us, Gaz," Price replied. "Doesn't mean they have the upper hand. Take them out, let's move."

POW-POW!

The Shadows dropped heavily and the team charged ahead, Gaz taking a quick glance around as he went. "Hope no one heard that..."

Ghost had made his way to the front and stopped. "Too late. You hear that?"

"Challenger, Omen, this is Shadow-4, you copy?"

He slid into the darkness and skirted the corridor's edge until he was just feet from another, larger patrol, six or seven strong. His finger was straightened along the trigger as he raised his weapon, slowly curling his finger over it when the patrol leader's head centered in his sights.

"They're here, boys, let's fan out and-"

BANG-BANG! BANG-BANG-BANG!

The patrol scattered like rats and Ghost gunned down the ones unfortunate enough to run past him. One of the Shadows turned with his back to a corner and returned fire with his sidearm. A shot skipped off Ghost's helmet, nearly knocking him off his feet and he barrelled toward the enemy soldier, throwing a knife that stuck in his outstretched arm. He threw him to the ground and stepped on the knife, pressing it down until it bit into the bone. "Fucker..." He grasped the man's head and jerked up, a wet crunch stilling the writhing Shadow.

"Jesus, Ghost..." Gaz stepped past the mess, a perturbed grin tugging at his mouth. "Didn't realize you play like that."

"Didn't get this far by being gentle..." He retrieved his knife and carried on ahead. "Ah, ladder. Looks like this is our stop."

Alejandro mounted the first run and looked back at the team. "Quickly, let's get top-side and find cover. We don't know what's waiting for us up there." He pressed the com. "Rodolfo, we're at the tarmac, heading up."

"Copy, Al. We're heading your way." 

Blinking into the golden sunlight, Alejandro and Gaz were just able to make out the silhouettes of two more Shadows standing by a helicopter. Silently, they nodded to one another and dropped them. "Bellamente- beautiful." He picked up his pace and slapped the side of the aircraft. "Bravo 6, bird's all yours."

"This is perfect, Alejandro." He looked over Gaz's shoulder and sighed to himself. "Heads up: friends on your 6."

"I personally feel like we're family, Price," Lone Wolf teased as she departed from Rudy's side and brushed past the Captain. 

His hand clutched her bicep and yanked her back in front of him. "What's this?"

She looked down at her bloodied clothes and smiled devilishly. "Consequences of the last guy's actions."

"Cheeky bugger..." He released her and swatted her behind him. "Alejandro, Is your pilot any good?"

"He's my best." Al gave another Vaquero a nod and the pilot popped the helicopter's door open. "Good luck, Captain. Gaz, Ghost, we're moving interior, on me. Rodolfo, Soap, Lone Wolf, watch your 6 out there."

"Copy, Al. You do the same."

Gaz furrowed his brows at a keypad on the door. "Al, what's the code?"

"1184. Let's hope it still works..."

Beep, beep, beep, beep... click! "Acess, we're in."

"Orale, on me."

Lone Wolf bared her teeth as she knelt to cover the team's approach to the headquarters. "Bastards..." She patted her plate carrier, grimacing at a new tattered hole in the center of it.

"You're lucky, Lone, could've actually got you." Gaz stepped past her, tapping her on the shoulder when the others had stacked on the door.

"Ghost Team," ordered Ghost. "Breach and clear. You are clear to engage all threats inside. If you see Graves..." 

"Come get me, pan-day-ho."

"... Drop him."

Soap peered over his shoulder, blue eyes darting to every flame and bullet hole riddling the barracks behind them. "Hey, Rudy." He met eyes with the Sergeant and furrowed his brows. "Sorry about your base, mate."

"Me too, brother. Hit it."

KA-WHOOM!

The door charge left a heavy black cloud in the air and as the team emerged, Ghost caught a glimpse of movement on the top floor. "Second deck! I see him!" He pelted up the stairs, tunnel vision setting in as he closed in on the rogue Commander. 

A bullet skipped off his plate and Lone Wolf and Soap stood over him, firing back at a pair of Shadows covering Grave's exit. "L.T., you good??"

Ghost stood up with a ragged breath. "Don't let him get away! Get him!" He could barely shuffle past, trying to catch his breath. Soap Gave him a shoulder to lean on while Lone took point, scanning the rooms ahead. 

She downed three more Shadows in an office, settling the room into silence again. "We're clear, but I don't see Graves!"

Rodolfo slipped past her, the rest of Ghost Team in tow. "Head for the control room, there's an exit in the back!"

"Come on, let's move! Go!" Ghost picked up his pace, getting ahead of them to take point. His stomach dropped to see the door hanging open. "Fuck, he's out. Move your asses, we can't lose him!"

Lone Wolf tapped the com as she stepped into the sunlight. "Price, Graves left the Headquarters, you got eyes on him, over?"

"Affirmative, Lone Wolf, Graves just went over the wall."

"What wall...?"

"That wall," Rodolfo said, pointing at a massive cinderblock wall. "It was our training area. He won't be going far in there."

As they approached, a loud hiss stopped them and a long gray cloud connected to the helicopter overhead. "RPG!" Ghost howled.

Lone's mouth went dry as the helicopter blossomed a crimson flame and began sharply spiraling. "Price!" 

"We're hit!" cried Price. "We're hit!"

"John!!" 

"We're going down, we-"

And the helicopter disappeared with a low rumble into a black plume of smoke.