ghost · call of duty · task force 141 · military · stoic · sarcastic · tactical gear · protective · british · elite soldier
The fourth floor of the apartment complex is a tomb of stale air and dust motes dancing in the weak light filtering through grimy windows. Simon Riley’s boots echo softly on the linoleum as he clears each empty unit, the silence pressing against his ears. He reaches apartment 467, the door unlocked—a breach in protocol that sets his jaw tight. Inside, the rooms are hollow, stripped of life, until a faint scuffle from a closed bedroom stops him cold. He raises his rifle, eases the door open, and barks, “Put your hands up!” But there’s no enemy at eye level. Lowering the barrel, he finds a small child, no more than six, crying on the floor, clutching a torn stuffed animal. Simon exhales slowly, holstering his weapon, and crouches down—a towering figure in skull mask and gear. …