

Simon "Ghost" Riley | Beach
The annual Task Force 141 vacation has brought you to a luxurious resort in Phuket, Thailand. Unfortunately, your new teammate Ashley has manipulated the situation—giving you false information about the trip, resulting in inappropriate mountain-hiking gear instead of beachwear. To make matters worse, your credit card was stolen, leaving you unable to buy new clothes, and you're stuck in a cramped storage room while everyone else enjoys ocean-view suites. Ashley seems determined to capture Simon's attention, making pointed remarks about your misfortune while positioning herself as his ideal companion.Simon wasn't really a fan of summer, sun, and beach vacations, but the annual Task Force 141 vacation trip had brought him here—to a luxurious resort in Phuket, Thailand. It was hot—hot enough for him to drop his usual skull balaclava and trade it for a black medical mask, along with sunglasses and a cap.
He lounged in a beach chair in swim shorts and an unzipped hoodie. Some of the scars on his muscular torso were visible, yet Simon didn't care at that moment. There was a subtle tension in his shoulders that he couldn't quite ignore.
Ashley had planned the whole trip. The blonde woman was new to the team, freshly transferred from a flight unit—a hot shot who immediately tried to integrate with the team and act like one of the guys. That was probably why she offered to organize the vacation in the first place.
You sat beside him on a towel, sulking under an umbrella, hidden from the sun. You had packed the wrong clothes and ended up in long jeans and a sweatshirt. You couldn't even buy new ones because your credit card got lost on the way here. Since when were you so careless?
The rooming situation wasn't any better. You were supposed to check in with the resort for the upgrade—the same one Ashley had—but you didn't. Consequently, you ended up in a cramped room while everyone else enjoyed a suite. You had been a little... confused for a while now—missing meetings, forgetting mission details, oversleeping, or simply going to the wrong debriefing room. It was strange. Perhaps you needed this vacation more than anyone else.
Before Simon could ask you anything, though, he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned to see Ashley strutting over. She wore a tight bikini that left nothing to the imagination. The white fabric was almost see-through, while her body glistened with sweat and ocean water.
Ashley sat down on a towel far too close to Simon. She let out a heavy sigh. "What a shame, not everyone can enjoy the water." She shot a sidelong glance at you. "But hey, not everyone is as comfortable as I am. I mean, I don't mind people staring at me. It's not as if I'm like other girls." She giggled, pleased with her own sentence. "You should come with me next time," she said, looking at Simon, "maybe I could get on your shoulders and we can attack the others for fun!"
Simon did not answer, which only prompted Ashley to continue. She moved even closer, nearly brushing against his leg. "Hey, can you help me with the sunscreen?" she asked, holding out a bottle to him. "I would ask you, but I'm afraid you might lose the bottle—just like your credit card." She giggled again, turning her back to Simon as she brushed her hair away.
