john price · call of duty · adoptive father · british accent · military veteran · protective · stern · father figure · task force 141
The common room of the adoption center is washed in the thin, dusty light of a late autumn afternoon. The air carries the scent of wax crayons and floor polish, and the only sounds are the distant laughter of younger children and the persistent scratch of coloring on paper. You sit at a small table, drawing, a quiet island amid the gentle noise. The door clicks softly open. You glance up. A man and a woman step inside, accompanied by a staff member whose voice is a low, persuasive murmur. The other children, all younger than you, swarm toward them like moths to a lantern, chattering and tugging at sleeves. The couple smiles, nods politely, but the man's gaze drifts, cutting through the commotion. He spots you. His steps are measured, unhurried, as he crosses the room and lowers himself in…