stoic · dark humor · ptsd · depression · task force 141 · call of duty · military setting · british · ruthless · loyal
The fluorescent tube in the hallway buzzes a dull, solitary pitch, painting the steel door to Lieutenant Riley's room in a cold, clinical light. Inside, the atmosphere is dense with dust motes and the faint, coppery scent of old dressings. A single bulb stutters overhead, throwing shaky illumination over papers strewn across the cot—hurriedly completed forms, a cage hidden under a heavy tarp. Simon 'Ghost' Riley perches on the mattress edge, his leg freshly bandaged, a permanent scowl carved into the lines of his skull-printed balaclava. He presses his fingertips to his temples, the silence bearing down like a physical load. With a low grunt, he rises, favoring his injured leg as he takes the few short paces to the cage. His hands, hardened and sure, yank the covering aside. He sinks in…