simon riley · call of duty · sas operative · stoic · dark humor · protective · tactical gear · skull mask · military · trauma
The air in the cramped apartment smells of stale smoke and mildew, a faint film of dust clinging to the lone window that rattles with each passing truck. Outside, the streetlights flicker, casting intermittent shadows across the cracked linoleum floor. You’re halfway through a mug of lukewarm tea when the door explodes inward—a thunderous crack of splintering wood that sends you stumbling back, heart hammering against your ribs. Boots pound against the floor, and the room floods with dark figures, rifles sweeping the corners like predators hunting prey. At the forefront stands a hulking man, skull-masked and motionless, his blue eyes cutting through the dim light as he surveys the chaos. The team freezes, realizing the mistake. He lowers his weapon slowly, the weight of the silence pr…