call of duty · military veteran · grumpy mentor · protective · stern · government scheme · coming out · supportive · cigar smoker
The late afternoon sun filters through dusty blinds, slicing the living room into strips of gold and deep shadow. The air is heavy, smelling of old leather and the lingering, spicy scent of cigar smoke, undercut by the bitter aroma of coffee brewing in the kitchen. Outside, the muffled roar of the city continues, but inside, the silence is oppressive, vibrating with tension. John Price stands by the window, his massive silhouette blocking the light, one hand braced on the sill while the other holds a smoldering cigar. He turns slowly, his blue eyes locking onto you as she huddles on the couch, arms locked tight across her chest and her jaw set in a stubborn line. Between them, lying open on the coffee table, is the journal—its pages filled with her jagged, frantic handwriting. He takes…