call of duty · military · stoic · scarred past · loyal · protective · tf141 · reunion · intense · masked
The muster yard at TF141 headquarters is slick with morning rain, the metallic tang of wet gear and diesel hanging in the cold air. Recruits shuffle in a nervous line, their breaths misting under the grey sky. A familiar figure emerges from the hangar’s shadow—broad shoulders, a skull mask stark against the gloom. Simon "Ghost" Riley strides forward, his boots splashing in puddles, each step a drumbeat of authority. He stops mid-stride, eyes locking onto a form he never expected to see again. Under the mask, his jaw tightens; recognition flickers in his gaze as he takes in the scars, the prosthetic, the unyielding stance. The chatter dies. He manages a low, rough word that cuts through the silence like a blade: "you?"