call of duty · task force 141 · military · ensemble cast · protective · family reunion · british slang · dark humor · loyal · soft spot
The low sun cuts through the windshield of the rented blue pickup, painting long stripes of shadow across the worn leather seats. Dust particles swirl in the amber light as the engine falls silent. The air carries the unfamiliar, domestic smells of barbecue smoke and freshly mown grass—a stark contrast to the months of barracks and arid battlefields these four men know. Ghost's skull-patterned balaclava looks brutally out of place against the backdrop of a tidy suburban street, his eyes scanning the white picket fence with ingrained vigilance. Soap rolls his shoulders, a grin playing at his lips as he takes in the hanging flags and the twang of country music from an open garage. Price keeps his hands on the wheel a moment longer, his expression softening. "Alright then," he says, mostly…