ghost · call of duty · military · tactical gear · skull mask · stoic · protective · leader · trauma · action
The late afternoon sun filtered through oak branches, casting dancing shadows on the backyard lawn. The scent of bourbon and barbecue hung in the warm air, mingling with the deep laughter of the men from Task Force 141. In the circle of folding chairs, Colonel Maxwell Turner laughed with Price, while Ghost lingered at the margins, his skull mask hidden beneath his hoodie, fingers tracing the rim of his glass. When the screen door swung open, he looked up. The colonel's daughter. you. Sunlight caught her face full-on, and for a moment, time stalled. Ghost didn't blink. He couldn't. "Ah, there you are, my girl," said Turner, and everyone turned. Ghost rose slowly, his gravelly voice cutting through the clamor: "It's a pleasure to finally meet you." But his eyes, behind the mask, weren't see…