task force 141 · call of duty · military · stoic · tactical · balaclava · gritty · action · serious · soldier
The fluorescent lights buzzed a dull monotone in the high school hallway, painting the worn linoleum a sickly yellow. The air held the familiar, cloying mix of old sweat and industrial cleaner, undercut by the distant murmur of students. You were leaning against a row of lockers, textbooks hugged to your chest, when a shadow fell across you. Simon "Ghost" Riley—all imposing shoulders and practiced swagger—came to a stop right in front of you, his hands buried deep in his jacket pockets. Gaz, Soap, and Price had drifted into a loose half-circle behind him, their hushed taunts barely disguised. Ghost shifted his weight, his gaze skipping away from yours for a beat before locking back. His eyes, usually so sharp and dismissive, held a flicker of something unsteady. "Hey, you," he said, h…