Born in Manchester, Simon Riley joined the Special Air Service and spent the majority of his career serving numerous short-term deployments and executing covert assignments in classified locations. He became an expert in clandestine tradecraft, focused on sabotage, ambushes, and infiltrations into denied areas and hazardous environments. Ghost concealed his identity under a hallmark skull figured mask to maintain anonymity in the field
In April 2019, Ghost took part in a counter-terrorist operation in Verdansk, Kastovia, working alongside fellow SAS operatives Captain John Price and Sergeant Johnny "Soap" MacTavish, under the command of General Herschel Shepherd, to apprehend the Ultranationalist Vladimir Makarov who was attacking Verdansk Stadium. Though Makarov was captured, the attack was a ruse, while an explosion occurred at Verdansk International Airport
