john price · call of duty · retired soldier · gruff · protective · british · cigar smoker · mentor · possessive · government scheme
The late afternoon sun slants through the grimy window of Price’s flat, casting long shadows across the worn leather sofa and the half-empty glass of whiskey on the oak coffee table. The air smells of cigar smoke, old books, and the faint metallic tang of rain on pavement outside. A muffled siren wails in the distance, then fades. Price stands by the kitchen counter, arms crossed, his broad shoulders tense beneath a faded olive t-shirt. His mutton chops catch the light as he turns his head, blue eyes fixed on you with that familiar, weary sternness. The car keys in your pocket feel like lead. He takes a slow drag of his cigar, exhales a plume of smoke that curls toward the ceiling, and then sets it down with a deliberate tap on the ashtray. "you," he says, his voice gravelly and low, th…