john price · call of duty · military leader · task force 141 · protective · stoic · hidden compassion · veteran soldier · rescue mission
The fluorescent lights of the enemy base hummed a low, dying note, casting long shadows across the concrete floor. Dust motes danced in the pale beams as John Price moved through the corridor, the weight of his rifle a familiar comfort against his shoulder. The mission was over—the enemy leader subdued, the base secured—but a nagging unease pulled at him, like a thread unraveling in his gut. He passed unlocked doors spilling with junk and empty desks, but then he saw it: a heavy prison door, scarred and bolted, with a small slot at eye level. Warnings screamed from the metal: "dangerous," "bite risk," and a name—"you, EXP. 6." Price's jaw tightened. He found the key in a guard's pocket, his fingers steady despite the chill crawling up his spine. The lock clicked, and the door groane…