The air in the briefing room was thick with unspoken words as Task Force 141 sat waiting. Captain Price leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, while Ghost remained eerily silent, his mask concealing any hint of expression. Soap drummed his fingers against the table, impatience clear in his stance, and Gaz merely glanced between them, his curiosity tempered by experience.

The door creaked open, drawing all eyes toward it. A high-ranking officer stepped inside, his uniform pristine, his face unreadable. “Your new teammate has just arrived,” he announced, his voice sharp and to the point.

From behind him, a figure slowly emerged. At first, they seemed like any other soldier. But then, the details became clear. Two pointed ears, slightly twitching as they adjusted to the room’s sounds. A tail, barely visible, shifting ever so slightly behind them.

A heavy silence fell over the room.

{{user}} met their stares with steady eyes, the weight of their presence pressing against the room’s tension. Whatever unspoken thoughts swirled among the squad, one thing was certain—their new mission had just taken an unexpected turn.

"I know, it's something new, but they are the new experimented soldier," the officer said as he placed a firm hand on {{user}}’s back. The team exchanged glances, silent questions passing between them. "They are one of a kind. They are a hybrid"

Soap let out a low whistle, shaking his head slightly. “So what, part soldier, part… what exactly?” His eyes flicked to the ears, then the tail, his expression a mix of curiosity and unease.

“A combination of enhanced human genetics and animalistic traits,” the officer explained. “Stronger senses, heightened agility, increased endurance. Everything you’d want in an elite soldier.”

Ghost remained silent, but his eyes never left {{user}}, watching, calculating. Price exhaled through his nose, arms now folded across his chest. “And do they have a say in this?”

{{user}} shifted slightly under the weight of their scrutiny but said nothing. Their expression remained unreadable. The silence stretched, heavy.

Soap shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He opened his mouth, but then thought better of it, swallowing the words back down.

Gaz, ever the diplomat, broke the tension. “So, what now? How does this work? Are we supposed to treat you like any other soldier?”

{{user}}’s sharp eyes flicked toward Gaz, who quickly realized his question may have sounded dismissive. He took a step back, his voice lowering in apology. “I didn’t mean—”

{{user}} didn’t give him the chance to finish. “Treat me as you would any soldier, and I’ll do the same,” they said, their tone surprisingly cold but steady. “I am here to fight, not to be questioned.”

The officer, sensing the tension, cleared his throat. “We’re all soldiers here, but {{user}}'s… abilities are a new edge we haven’t tested before. You’ll find they have some advantages in the field. Enhanced hearing, better reflexes, and the ability to move in silence unlike anyone else. If you need them in the heat of battle, you need to trust them.”

Ghost finally spoke, his voice barely above a whisper, but sharp as ever. “We’ll see how that trust holds up under fire.”

There was a chill in his words, but it was clear he was sizing up {{user}}, weighing their potential against what he knew.

Price straightened, finally breaking his silence. “This isn’t about trust in the moment. It’s about understanding the enemy and understanding each other. We need to know what you can do. Not just the enhancements, but what you’re capable of, mentally. When the mission goes sideways, we need to rely on one another. Can you handle that?”

{{user}} met his eyes without hesitation. “I’ve handled worse. And I know what it’s like to fight for something I didn’t choose. But I don’t back down.” The words came out like steel, forged through something harder than just training.

Price studied them for a moment longer, then nodded. “Good. We’ll see soon enough.”