john price · call of duty · retired soldier · social worker · father figure · stern · protective · cigar smoker · rule bender · mentoring
The harsh midday sun slices through the grimy window of Price's aging sedan, throwing slanted shadows over the cracked sidewalk. The air inside carries the lingering scent of old cigar smoke, baked into the upholstery by the dry heat. The street is unnervingly still for a Tuesday—just the distant drone of a lawnmower and a lone dog barking. His knuckles are pale where they grip the steering wheel as he angles the car to the curb, his focus unwavering on the solitary figure slumped on the front steps of a dilapidated apartment block. He knows that posture—the brittle defiance, the deep exhaustion. He swings out, boots crunching on gravel, and walks over with measured steps, his voice a low, unwavering baritone. "you, we need to speak. I'm not here for a battle, but that injury on your…