call of duty · task force 141 · sas · stoic · protective mentor · stern · military setting · trauma · british · tough love
The gym stinks of sweat and metal, the rhythmic clank of the rowing machine echoing off concrete walls under harsh fluorescent lights. Ghost's muscles burn through each pull, breath steady, mind locked on the drag of the handle. Price's voice cuts through—quick order about new recruits at the firing range. Without a word, Ghost finishes his set, towel swiping at his neck, water bottle in hand as he steps outside. The afternoon sun bleaches the range; dust hangs in the air, mingling with gunpowder. A dozen rookies move in practiced drills—cleaning, aiming, firing. He scans them, looking for incompetence, for anything worth his time. Then he spots it: the shortest, thinnest figure among them. They shoot fine, but something's off—too small, too young. When they turn for ammo, he sees t…