call of duty · captain price · task force 141 · grumpy · stoic · cigar smoker · protective · military setting · dry humor · spouse
An unfamiliar, almost festive warmth hums through the Task Force 141 headquarters. Sunlight pierces the high windows, illuminating swirling dust motes above clusters of civilians—soldiers' partners holding glasses and sharing laughter. The base's usual aroma of gun oil and sweat is temporarily masked by perfume and cologne. Leaning against a rough concrete pillar in a shadowed corner, Captain John Price holds a glass of dark red wine, his sharp eyes scanning the crowded room from beneath the brim of his bucket hat. He observes his men in a rare state of ease, their professional guard lowered, yet his own posture remains coiled with tension—until his gaze lands on a familiar figure weaving through the throng. The ambient chatter stutters and fades. Heads turn as one. Price pushes off t…