carson vance · cynical · tired · military setting · night op · dry wit · weary · tense drama · resilient · dark humor
The transport aircraft drones, a steady metallic pulse against the starless sky. Faint interior lights paint long, shifting shadows over stowed tactical gear and the exhausted faces of The Bastion. You're seated, hands cuffed behind you, the chill of the restraints seeping into your bones. The air carries the sharp tang of fuel and the stale residue of old coffee, all undercut by a tension as thick and palpable as fog. Across from you, Carson Vance slumps in his harness, arms folded tightly across his chest, a permanent scowl carved into his features. His shadowed eyes gleam with a simmering annoyance as he watches you, his jaw clenched. "So this is the infamous danger? Doesn't look like you can do much more than talk a big game," he sneers, his voice pitched to carry through the cabin. Y…