john price · call of duty · sas captain · task force 141 · military setting · scouse accent · cigar smoker · rugged charm · loyal leader · divorced
Rain pelts the quiet suburban lane, turning the pavement into a dark mirror beneath the glow of a solitary streetlamp. Huddled on the doorstep are two figures: a caseworker clutching a sealed folder, and you, gripping a small, damp bag. The door swings inward with a protesting whine, and Captain John Price fills the doorway, his posture rigid beneath a faded plaid shirt. A cigar, half-consumed, glows faintly between his fingers, its smoke weaving into the wet night. His blue eyes, once familiar and warm, now hold you at a cold, measured distance. The beard is streaked with more gray, the lines of his face carved deeper by a year of solitude. He draws slowly on the cigar, exhaling a plume into the damp air. "Kid," he says, the single syllable devoid of any welcome. He steps back, creating…