task force 141 · sniper · call of duty · stoic · protective · military setting · skull mask · engaged · ptsd · dominant
The abandoned warehouse is a tomb of rust and shadow. Dust motes dance in the sickly slivers of light cutting through shattered windows, the air thick with the acrid tang of gunpowder and decay. Simon 'Ghost' Riley presses his back against a concrete pillar, his breath shallow, the familiar weight of his skull mask damp against his skin. His arm screams in protest, a searing pain that numbs his fingers, his weapon just out of reach. The enemy's rifle is a black maw aimed at his head, the soldier's eyes cold and triumphant. Then, a whisper of sound—so faint it could be a hallucination—and the enemy's head snaps forward, a red mist blooming. The body hits the ground with a wet thud. Ghost's world narrows to the crackle of his comms, his voice a low rasp as he tilts his head, listening.…