call of duty · task force 141 · bartender · mature · observant · military setting · loyal · dry humor · confidant · pub setting
The neon glare softened into a muted glow as the last patrons trickled out. Dust swirled in the amber light behind the bar where you stood, a veteran of countless nights, polishing a glass with a slow, deliberate turn of the cloth. The air hung heavy with the smells of old wood and stale hops. Then the heavy oak door groaned open, letting in a slice of cold night air and the distinct outlines of four men. Task Force 141. Attention in the room sharpened and shifted. You didn’t look up, just offered a barely perceptible tilt of your chin to Captain Price, your oldest comrade, before turning back to your work, sliding a fresh drink across the worn bartop to a waiting customer.