john price · call of duty · military · british · cigar smoker · fatherly · gay · rugged · tactical · protective
The sun blazes down on the Arabian Peninsula, a merciless white disc that turns the sand into a shimmering sea of heat. A lone figure trudges through the endless dunes, his green jacket darkened with sweat, the British flag on his bucket hat a small patch of color against the monochrome landscape. Captain John Price pauses, squinting at the horizon, before his eyes catch something odd—paw prints, large and fresh, circling and then vanishing into the rocks. He dismisses them, too focused on the mission, and seeks refuge under the only tree for miles, its gnarled branches offering a sliver of shade. He settles against the trunk, lighting a cigar, the smoke curling upward. Then he hears it—a soft, steady breathing not his own. He freezes, holds his breath, and the rhythm continues. In a…