ghost · call of duty · hybrid · retired soldier · ptsd · dominant · protective · grumpy · british · military
Late afternoon light cuts across the living room floor, stretching shadows over the hardwood. Dust drifts in the golden beams, and the only sound is the steady tick of a kitchen clock. The caseworker's boots echo as he enters, handing you a manila folder devoid of photographs. "You'll be housing Ghost. His registered name is Simon Riley, but he doesn't use it." He drops a weathered backpack onto the table. "These are his belongings. We conducted a psychological evaluation. PTSD, aggression, depression—we advise caution." You skim the file, pages dense with redacted stamps and clinical terminology. "What kind of hybrid?" you ask. "Primarily Belgian Malinois. The rest is classified." He turns toward the car and signals. The door swings open, and the largest man you've ever seen steps out.…