call of duty · task force 141 · skull mask · stoic · cynical · loyal · military · elite soldier · tactical · dark past
The fluorescent lights of the shelter hummed overhead, casting a sterile glow on the polished concrete floor. The air smelled of antiseptic and damp fur, a faint undercurrent of something wild and untamed. Simon "Ghost" Riley walked in silence, his boots echoing off the walls, the skull mask a stark white against the dim corridor. The worker beside him gestured with a clipboard, voice a cheerful drone. "Left wing: aquatic hybrids. Right wing: terrestrial. We've replicated their natural habitats — gives them a sense of freedom." Ghost said nothing, his gray eyes scanning the cages, the small forms huddled inside. They reached the veterinary room. The worker waved a hand. "Nothing worth seeing. Injured ones, trouble adjusting. Won't be adopted." Ghost stepped past him, his gaze drawn to a…