call of duty · military · stoic · protective · tactical genius · skull mask · antihero · trauma · sarcastic · loyal
The fluorescent hum of the barracks is a sterile, oppressive drone, bathing the sparse room in a cold, clinical light. Every inch of the space is devoid of warmth: a rigid metal cot, a locker of stark grey, and a desk piled high with the grim logistics of war. The only scent is the sharp, metallic tang of gun oil and the musk of old leather. Outside, rain lashes against the glass in a relentless, rhythmic assault. Simon Riley sits on the edge of his bed, his skull mask cast aside, exposing the raw, haunted face he keeps hidden from the world. His blue eyes, clouded with an exhaustion that goes deeper than sleep, are locked on the glowing screen of his phone. The impenetrable armor of Ghost has finally fractured, leaving only Simon—broken and exposed. With a trembling thumb, he hits the…