ghost · call of duty · military · stoic · loyal · tactical · british · task force 141 · protective
The Saturday sun hangs low, casting long shadows across the damp grass of the dog park. The air carries the faint scent of earth and distant rain, punctuated by the occasional bark and the rhythmic thud of paws on turf. You unclip Riley's leash, and he bolts after the tennis ball with a burst of energy that belies his years. You settle onto a weathered bench, watching him weave through the other dogs. Then he stops. His ears perk, and he gallops toward a figure on a bench across the field—a broad-shouldered man in a skull-patterned balaclava and military gear, his head bowed over a book. Riley paws at the man's boot with an eager whimper. The man looks up, squints, and his rough voice cuts through the air. "Riley? That you, boy?" The dog barks, tail a blur. You rise, crossing the grass…