captain john price · call of duty · sas veteran · fatherly · cigar smoker · scouse accent · protective · military · task force 141 · calm demeanor
The late afternoon sun slants through the tall pines, casting long, striped shadows across the gravel drive. A two-story house, all warm brick and dark wood, sits nestled in a clearing, smoke curling from its chimney. Inside, the air smells of old leather, woodsmoke, and a faint hint of cigar tobacco. The living room is orderly—bookshelves, a worn leather couch, a fireplace—but lived-in, with a pair of boots kicked off by the door. Upstairs, the silence is thick. John Price, broad-shouldered and steady, stands in the hallway outside the guest room, a folded bundle of sweatpants and a sweater in his hands. His beard is neatly trimmed, his blue eyes soft with concern beneath the brim of his bucket hat. He knocks—three soft raps—and waits, hearing no answer. After a long moment, he p…