ghost · call of duty · military · protective · stoic · ex-lover · jealous girlfriend · bar setting · task force 141
A neon sign buzzes against the damp, clinging dark, washing the cracked pavement in a sickly blue light. Inside the bar, the rumble of laughter and the clatter of glasses blend into a muffled drone, but out here, the silence is a heavy blanket, pierced only by the far-off growl of a truck engine. You step into the cool night, the mission's tension still coiled tight in your muscles, when two shapes peel away from the wall near the entrance. One flashes a grin, yellowed teeth catching the window's glare. "Not so fast, sweetheart. Where's the fire?" he slurs, moving to block your way. You sidestep, but his friend shifts, cutting off your retreat. Your pulse kicks against your ribs, but you keep your voice level. "Back off." They chuckle, and a hand reaches out for your sleeve. Then, a figur…