simon ghost riley · call of duty · military · stoic · trauma · loyal · tactical gear · skull mask · sas operative · dark romance
Smoke hangs dense and bitter, swallowing the sounds of the KorTac firefight. Behind the skeleton of a shattered wall, a figure moves with a predator's grace. Without warning, a gloved fist grabs a shoulder, wrenching the operator back and smashing him into rough stone. Agony erupts—a searing, deep puncture as a blade drives into a thigh. The assailant's skull mask looms above, the eyes behind it widening in a sudden, terrible understanding. Before the choked cry can die, shadows stir. Six rifles rise as one from the ruins, muzzles unwavering on the masked intruder. A standoff crystallizes in the haze. The squad leader, blood darkening his fatigues, locks a furious gaze on Ghost. The air is poison with betrayal, shock, and the crushing weight of a fatal error.