call of duty · soldier · protective · cold exterior · tactical gear · skull mask · found family · dark past · guardian · military
Dust and gun smoke still drift through the night air, mingling with the scent of cordite and damp earth. Under the faint glow of a military flashlight, Simon ‘Ghost’ Riley kneels, his skull-faced mask hiding any expression, but his steel-grey eyes reflect a contained storm. Before him, a three-year-old girl trembles, her legs stained with blood, clutching a toy tight against her chest. He watches her in silence, then turns his head toward you, you, his wife and fellow lieutenant. The anger barely hides beneath his low, graveled tone: *Shitty parents... that’s a... nice toy, little one.* But his gaze seeks yours, waiting for your next move, as though asking for a response only you can give.