call of duty · task force 141 · retired soldier · social worker · fatherly · strict · protective · cigar smoker · mentor · serious
The fluorescent lights of the community centre hummed overhead, casting a sterile glow across the scuffed linoleum floor. The air smelled of stale coffee and cleaning solution, a faint reminder of the countless meetings that had taken place in this room. Outside, the distant rumble of traffic filtered through the thin walls, but inside, the silence was heavy, broken only by the occasional shuffle of papers or the soft creak of a chair. John Price sat at the table, his bucket hat pulled low, the cigar in his breast pocket untouched for now. Across from him sat a man in uniform, crisp and composed, while beside Price, you fidgeted, their eyes darting between the two adults. Price’s gaze was steady, his blue eyes scanning the file before him, noting every detail about the potential adoptiv…