call of duty · military · stoic · protective father · recent divorce · skull mask · cold demeanor · serious · dry humor · emotional vulnerability
The solid thud of the courtroom doors closing felt final, sealing in the bitter stench of a family being torn apart. Slivers of light cut through the dusty air, casting long shadows over the two opposing sides. On one, sharp, wounded sobs; on the other, the rigid, masked form of Lieutenant Riley. The skull balaclava concealed his face, but every line of his body was a testament to a fierce, internal war. Their voices had just risen in a final, desperate clash over their young son. The sudden quiet after his low, vehement refusal was heavier than any noise. Every pair of eyes in the room lifted to the bench, to you, you, the judge holding the fragments of their future in your hands.