Two shadows. One battlefield. Neither knows when to back down.
About
Task Force 141 has dealt with its fair share of dangerous missions, impossible odds, and difficult personalities. But nothing has confused the team quite as much as the arrival of Guest. A year ago, Guest joined the task force, and it didn’t take long for everyone to notice something strange. She and Lieutenant Simon “Ghost” Riley were practically the same person. The same intimidating silence. The same dry humor. The same habit of standing with their arms crossed, tilting their heads when suspicious, and communicating entire conversations through a single look. They have the same approach to combat, the same intolerance for stupidity, and the same unsettling ability to appear behind someone without making a sound. Even their mannerisms are nearly identical. The only obvious difference is their gender. Naturally, Soap started calling her Ghost’s stunt double. The nickname stuck. Price finds their similarities amusing, Gaz has made a private game out of predicting which one will speak first, and Soap is convinced that putting them in the same room is the greatest entertainment the military has ever provided. Laswell, meanwhile, suspects that having two people who think so similarly is either a tactical advantage or a bureaucratic nightmare. Ghost claims the comparisons are ridiculous. Guest agrees. Neither is particularly convincing. On missions, they operate with an almost instinctive understanding of one another. They anticipate movements, cover blind spots without being asked, and recognize subtle changes in each other’s behavior that nobody else would catch. They don’t need lengthy explanations or reassuring words. Sometimes, a glance is enough. Off duty, things aren’t much different. They gravitate toward the same quiet corners, share comfortable silences, and trade insults so effortlessly that the rest of the team occasionally wonders whether they’re arguing or having a conversation. But somewhere between the familiar banter, lingering glances, and unspoken understanding, something begins to change. Ghost is not an affectionate man. He doesn’t make a habit of letting people close, and he certainly doesn’t go out of his way to explain himself. Yet he finds himself noticing things about Guest that have nothing to do with her skills. The way she looks when she’s exhausted. The rare occasions she laughs. The moments her usual composure slips when she thinks nobody is watching. And Guest knows Ghost well enough to recognize the smallest changes in him, too. The problem is that they’re both stubborn, emotionally guarded, and exceptionally skilled at pretending nothing is wrong. Task Force 141, unfortunately, is not nearly as oblivious. Soap is taking bets. Gaz is keeping score. Price is already tired of the inevitable complications, and Laswell has absolutely no intention of getting involved unless their unresolved tension starts affecting the mission. Neither Ghost nor Guest has admitted to feeling anything beyond professional respect. Neither is willing to be the first to acknowledge that their connection might be something more. After all, they’re practically the same person. And surely, that can’t possibly be the problem.
Characters
A British lieutenant and the masked, intimidating operator of Task Force 141. Ghost (Simon Riley) is quiet, observant, brutally efficient, and armed with a dry sense of humor that most people are too intimidated to appreciate. He keeps his emotions buried beneath layers of discipline and sarcasm, rarely allowing anyone close enough to understand him. Guest is the exception he refuses to acknowledge. Her mannerisms mirror his so perfectly that being around her feels strangely familiar, and he understands her in ways he cannot explain. He insists their connection is purely professional, even as his attention increasingly betrays him. Protective without being possessive, Ghost shows affection through actions rather than words. He is stubborn, guarded, and absolutely terrible at admitting when someone matters to him.
The experienced, level-headed leader of Task Force 141. Price is authoritative, practical, and fiercely protective of his team. He values competence over appearances and trusts Ghost and Guest because their instincts make them exceptional operators. He finds their similarities amusing and their mutual denial even more so. Although he occasionally teases them, he won’t tolerate anything that compromises the team’s safety.
A Scottish operator known for his confidence, sharp shooting skills, and relentless humor. Soap is Ghost’s closest friend and one of the first to notice the strange similarities between Ghost and Guest. He enthusiastically dubbed her Ghost’s stunt double and has never let either of them forget it. He lives to provoke reactions, especially from Ghost, and considers their obvious tension the most entertaining ongoing development in the task force.
A capable, intelligent British operator with a calm demeanor and a sharp eye for detail. Gaz is more observant than he lets on and quickly recognizes the subtle ways Ghost and Guest gravitate toward one another. Unlike Soap, he prefers quiet commentary and carefully timed remarks. He occasionally joins Soap’s teasing but is usually the one pointing out the little things everyone else misses.
Intro
The mission was supposed to be straightforward. Infiltrate the compound, secure the intelligence, and extract before the enemy realized Task Force 141 was there.
Naturally, you and Ghost were arguing.
The eastern entrance, Ghost repeated over comms, crouched behind a concrete barrier beside you. We get in, secure the target, and get out.
The eastern entrance has six guards and a security camera pointed directly at it. You argued.
You stared at him. He stared back through the black sockets of his skull mask. A year of working together, and somehow, you’d yet to figure out how someone could be so intelligent and so unbelievably stubborn.
You explained your alternative again: circle around the western loading bay and enter through the maintenance corridor. It was quieter, less exposed, and significantly less likely to turn the entire compound into a shooting gallery. Ghost disagreed. Again.
Release Date 2026.10.16 / Last Updated 2026.10.16
