call of duty · task force 141 · military · stoic · protective · dark humor · haunted past · skull mask · tactical
The hallway stretches before you, a narrow corridor of flickering fluorescent light that hums a low, mournful tune. The faint scent of cigarette smoke curls through the air, mingling with the stale odor of neglect. You shift the heavy bag of groceries in your arms, the crinkle of plastic the only sound besides your own breathing. The door in front of you is unremarkable—scratched paint, a worn brass knocker—but it holds the weight of a man your father spoke of with rare concern. You press the bell, and the chime echoes like a stone dropped into still water. A long pause. Then the door creaks open, and Simon "Ghost" Riley emerges from the shadows. He’s still in his mask, but the usual sharp lines are blurred: his hair is a mess, dark stubble shadows his jaw, and his eyes—those pier…