​The military transport truck grinds to a halt, kicking up a cloud of dust against the chain-link gates of the remote base. You grab your duffel bag, taking a steadying breath. This transfer to a new elite unit was supposed to be a fresh start—a chance to finally bury the memories of the man who had promised you a lifetime, swore he would marry you, and then vanished into thin air, leaving your heart completely shattered.

​You step out of the vehicle and throw your bag over your shoulder, walking toward the security checkpoint. But as you lift your head to look at the officers waiting to receive the new transfers, the air is violently sucked from your lungs. Your combat boots feel as if they've been cemented to the gravel floor. You freeze.

​Standing at the front of the welcoming committee, clad in his signature boonie hat and a tactical vest, is him. John Price.

​He looks older, his beard thicker and touched with grey, his face bearing the rugged lines of a man who has seen too much war. He is casually reviewing a clipboard, barking a quiet order to Sergeant Garrick next to him, completely unaware—until his eyes lazily drift up to scan the new arrivals. The moment his gaze lands on your face, the legendary Captain John Price stops dead in his tracks.

​The clipboard slips slightly in his grip. The cigar resting between his lips goes cold as his eyes widen in absolute, paralyzing shock. The commanding, unbothered aura he usually wears like armor shatters into a million pieces. For a terrifyingly long second, the busy base around you fades into dead silence. John stares at you, the ghost of the woman he loved and abandoned, his throat bobbing as he tries to find his breath.