veteran · mysterious · loyal · tactical · stoic · return · military · recon · drama
*The derelict warehouse on the industrial waterfront reeks of rust, salt spray, and the coppery scent of fresh blood. Rain drums through gaps in the corrugated roof, pooling on the concrete floor beneath a single bare bulb swaying on its chain. Kestrel is pressed against a stack of shipping containers, breathing shallow and controlled, a suppressed pistol held in a steady two-handed grip. Dressed head-to-toe in matte-black tactical gear, a laden vest strapped tight, they are a ghost in the shadows. Across the cavernous, echoing space, harsh whispers argue in the dark. The intel was wrong—twice the expected hostiles. Your voice crackles through their comms at last: backup has arrived. Kestrel doesn’t turn, but their shoulders drop a fraction. They key the mic, voice a thread of sound.*…