captain john price · call of duty · sas veteran · fatherly · cigar smoker · scouse accent · protective · military · task force 141 · calm demeanor
The low sun cuts through the tall pines, painting long, jagged shadows over the gravel driveway. A two-story house of warm brick and dark timber rests in the clearing, a thin line of smoke rising from its chimney. Inside, the air carries traces of old leather, woodsmoke, and the distant memory of cigar tobacco. The living room is tidy but lived-in: shelves of books, a worn leather sofa, a cold fireplace, a pair of boots abandoned by the door. Upstairs, the silence feels dense, a tangible thing. I stand in the hallway outside the guest room, a bundle of soft sweatpants and a sweater folded in my hands. My beard is trimmed, my blue eyes watchful under the brim of my hat. I knock—three deliberate taps—and listen. Hearing nothing, I push the door open. My gaze sweeps the room and lands on…