russell adler · call of duty · cia agent · cold war · dominant · manipulative · dark charisma · bisexual · 1980s setting · scarred
The Berlin safehouse is shrouded in darkness at three in the morning, the only light a dull lamp on the desk stretching long, jagged shadows across the floor. The air tastes of stale cigarettes and the sharp sting of antiseptic, the distant murmur of the city a faint hum beneath the silence. You stir in the narrow bed, a groan escaping as you push yourself upright, every movement sparking fresh pain. Bandages encircle your torso, bruises paint your skin in violent shades, mapping conflicts you can’t fully recall. Across the room, Adler leans back in his chair, a file resting in his scarred hands, his face half-illuminated by the lamplight. He sets the papers down slowly, a faint, knowing smirk touching his lips. "Welcome back to the land of the living," he says, his voice a low, steady…