Over the five years since Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War came out, we have seen many Bells over the years and it’s really fascinating to see how they are written in terms of OCs(when not used as reader insert fill in which makes sense as they are a player insert)
There’s the Bells who are nothing more but a Rabid Dog and then put down when they were no longer useful. A Pawn in Adler’s game and nothing more than that to him. Ditto for the other safehouse crew members(save for maybe Woods and Mason). Even if they had survived, MK Ultra changed them so much that any form of normalcy is out of the question.
Then there’s the Angry Bells. The ones who choose Duga for whatever reason the writer belives(maybe they never care either but maybe it was out of heartbreak that while it may have not been real for the safehouse crew, it was real for them). Or the ones who survived Adler shooting them and make it their goal to seek revenge on the man. Did they regret it or did they not? It’s up to you
The Tragic Bells that while maybe there were genuine feeling, it was always gonna end like this
Or maybe, they just retired no matter what ending. They may not be completely fine after MK Ultra but they manage as best as they could
And Finally we have the Bells who got what some would say impossible, They choose Solovetsky, Survived(or didn’t even get shot in the first place) and maybe even found love and in a sense peace with one of the safehouse crew member or another character. Wild as it may sound(especially if it’s with Adler and it’s 100 percent genuine with both). They won’t be completely fine depending on who you ask but they manage. They became more than a pawn.
And they all are valid. That what makes Bell so appealing. You can make them more than a faceless solider. Who were they before they became Perseus’s top lieutenant? How did they react to in game events? What are they like on and off the battlefield/missions, Do they have any friends or love ones? Why did they choose their love interest ? Did the crew care about them even a little? Are you more realistic or not when it comes to them(like how MK Ultra affected them). It’s all up to you
That’s the Beauty of Bell
(Likes, Comments and Reblogs are heavily appreciated)
The treasures of the wild (berries) have no price, but they do not come without cost. The forest accepts no money, I paid for these berries with a pint of my own blood (the mosquitoes fucking got me).
Long ass post of me talking about the relationship between these two
So I didn't really pay much heed to their relationship until now; it just felt like two characters that were given a few connections here and there to fit Adler into the Black Ops universe.
But the more I looked into them, I find a lot more going on between them—enough for me to believe that aside from Mason, Adler might be the closest person Woods has in his life.
So how did it start?
We learn that Woods knew Adler since Vietnam (presumably during MACV-SOG operations, which both Woods and Adler headed). Their relationship isn't exactly highlighted in Cold War, but there's a lot of subtle yet notable interactions between the two:
This little bit brings me so much joy
[Credit to @flyingraijinn]
In the first cinematic, where Russell gets questioned by the officials if his plan was necessary and he responds that they don't have to listen to him—guess who's the first to jump to his defense?
Though this one's subtle, I find it important. Adler keeps Bell within his or Park's sights almost at all times, but the one op where they can't, who does he trust to go with Bell?
Though I doubt Woods knew about Bell, I feel Adler trusted him enough to handle them should they go berserk.
Right after, when the jig is up about the greenlight nukes and Hudson spins the blame on Adler for not apprehending Perseus before, Woods doesn't even need to be told to square up and beat this bitch up a second time
❌️ Woods was stopped by Adler
✅️ Woods let Adler stop him
The last bit, even though it's not canon, I wanted to call attention to
[Skip to 2:46]
It's them! They fucking lied to us!
That true, Bell?
Though Adler was already suspicious, its Frank's words that prompted him to finally question them. Maybe I'm reading into it too much, but it seems like it was Woods that made Adler pause and question if, just maybe, he'd failed.
You wanna load up the body?
Fuck if I care. Leave it for Perseus to find.
Even after the main game, when Adler is captured, of course he's the first to go look for him
And the one to find him
Even in the field when Adler's on an op, he's in the background keeping an eye on him
And goes back to Hudson to report on him when he goes dark
Now, onto BO6, where their relationship is pulled into focus:
First, we have the starting piece that sets BO6 in motion
Woods doesn't take shit talk pt.2
Yes indeed that is Frank Woods defending a wanted fugitive that is, as far as they're concerned, responsible for his state, even as pos Livingstone is actively grilling them.
Then this <3
If I'm not wrong, this is the first time we see Adler genuinely not be an asshole
And then the second time
The fact that he'd let Woods despise him just to keep him safe is 🥹
And a third time, when he rushes to his aid despite the burning house around him
Now, how is this possible? Why are they so close? In fact, you'd think Woods would hate Adler the same way he hates Hudson—the authority, the methodical nature, the secrecy—you'd think it was a no brainer. And so did I, for a long time.
So it surprised me when I heard Woods speak so highly of Adler, not even having the slightest of doubts against him:
[Skip to 1:40]
Adler? Turn against his brothers for cash? Are you kidding me?
Those threads he loves, they ain't cheap now.
Listen, I know he can be a goddamn psychopath, I get it. But he's on our side. He's just got his own way of doin' things.
And even when Harrow was interrogated and she told the truth about her parents, Woods vehemently refused to believe her. Even as far as questioning the victim's own memory and calling her parents traitors.
So why does he place this insane amount of trust in Adler?
Well, he gives us—Case—the answer.
I've known Adler since 'Nam. Give it twenty years, he'll grow on you.
Russell fought with him in Vietnam.
No shit, yeah. But remember how tight knit Woods was to his fellow soldiers. He even cried when the young recruit died in the first game.
So of course, fighting alongside Adler in a hellhole would've brought them closer together.
You keep believin' in the ones who got your back, go to battle for you. Adler was one of those.
Of course Adler had Woods' back; it's Vietnam, you're not surviving without having your team's back. It's not a stretch to say they went through life and death moments that they survived solely because of each other.
But another large part of why I believe Woods respects Adler is because he's, surprisingly, a lot more similar to Woods than meets the eye.
Think back to Break on Through. All the memories that Adler has Bell relive. His memories. Who else but him could describe such scenes in detail? He was the one that survived the helicopter crashing into the trees. He was the one that treaded through trenches in the night dodging a field of VC. He was the one that took out practically invisible snipers gunning for him from the trees. He was the one that cleared a village of the convoy and defended American troops under fire. He's the soldier that survived all that.
He's a killer; a monster, make no mistake. A monster that wasn't always assigned behind a desk holding the title of an officer—hidden behind a mask of nonchalance and charm. And Woods knows that monster. Woods respects that monster.
Adler's persona is ultimately an act. He appears uncaring and practical, but his true nature always slips through. He doesn't get along with Hudson, nor with Park's pragmatic nature. He makes split second decisions not on logic, but his instincts—hell, sometimes even his wishes. He gets vicious, loses his cool, and is unrelenting in his goals, refusing to be deemed some washed up old man. That's the true Adler peeking through—forever embedded yet somehow hidden in the lines stretching across his face, only ever showing its ugly head when he's pushed to the limit.
Who else would know it better than Woods, from a place where you survive by being nothing but vicious?
As for Adler, he too tells Case why he holds Woods close when he seems to do so for very few:
He's loyal.
Russell values loyalty: when he leads people into the eye of the storm, he needs loyal men following him without question. It's why he gave Belikov no choice but to get him the keycard, expected Sims and Park to fall in line and help his ass, made sure Bell obeyed him like a dog; it's why he even orders Case around like one (more on that later). He's a natural born leader that needs people with him and all the decisions he makes, questionable as they are.
And when he's taken to playing the villain with such commitment, to still have a friend that believes in him and his choices—a close comrade he's known from his oldest and darkest days on the job? He'll allow him into his heart, if even just a little.
Adler held Bell as they bled out. Although it truly was a fast death, time had never felt slower. Bell uttering the words "I love you" was like a knife twisted in Adler's chest. That knife he had stabbed into his chest first. Bell just made sure it really hurt, though completely unintentional. Those words made Adler ever question his decision to fire the gun. But it was too late to rethink it now. Right to their last breath, Bell was devoted to Adler. He'd never understand them. He'd never understand the unwavering love and loyalty, even when that had landed a bullet through them. But maybe that's because, perhaps, Adler was incapable of putting even an ounce of that much truthful devotion into someone.
Either way, he wanted to leave it in that moment. Forget Bell ever existed. Forget any feeling he may have had for them. Setting the bracelet from Bell on their chest as he got up. Leaving Bell's body on that cliffside to rot. To forget.
Here is a compilation of information (with references/links/citations) that I think the CoD fandom and fic writers in particular might find useful:
British Army:
Here is a list of ranks and abbreviations (with appropriate capitalization) (for anyone with the shinigami extension, sorry, it's the BBC)
Here is a list of the equivalent ranks of the British services and US Air Force (for some reason not the US Army or US Navy. Don’t ask me why lmao).
Here and here are some posts about the ranks in the 141 and general attitudes that they would hold for each other (and how others would see them)
Here is a detailed breakdown of the British Army organization (with average numbers and who is in charge of who).
Here is the wiki page for British Army uniforms (literally good luck, I’ve spent hours trying to figure out when soldiers wear what). As far as I can tell, the 141 would wear the No. 8 Combat Dress 90% of the time with the SAS beige beret. For formal events, they would wear the No. 2 Service Dress with berets instead of peaked forage caps. Interestingly, the Royal Regiment of Scotland can wear their No. 2 Service Dress with kilts (which I know Johnny would be livid about because he can’t). Super formal occasions are marked by the No. 1 Temperate Ceremonial, or “dress blues”.
Commissioned ranks are Second Lieutenant and above. These are members who hold positions of authority granted by formal documents of appointment signed by the monarch. In the US (which I am assuming is the same or similar in the UK), a commissioned officer has gone through officer training, which usually requires a university degree or a military equivalent.
Warrant Officers (WO) and Non-Commissioned Officers (NCO) are included in the enlisted ranks. They are members of the enlisted ranks who hold positions of authority. WOs are granted authority through a warrant instead of a commission and must be promoted from an NCO rank. NCOs are Lance Corporals to Staff Sergeants.
The only enlisted rank is Private. These are members who have enlisted and have gone through basic training in order to be counted against the Army’s trained strength.
Sergeants (Gaz and Soap) are among the highest-ranked NCOs and therefore have a lot of practical experience (more, sometimes, than commissioned officers). They have climbed through the ranks from Private all the way to the top of the enlisted ladder. Commissioned officers, on the other hand, have the option to skip the enlisted ladder altogether and jump straight to Second Lieutenant (assuming that they are entering the army with a university degree). However, it is canon that both Ghost and Price were promoted from enlisted ranks. Nevertheless, the NCO/CO divide would be stark; Price and Ghost both have pieces of paper signed by the Royal Crown that give them authority while Gaz and Soap don’t. That being said, Gaz and Soap are incredibly high ranking enlisted while Ghost and Price are (relatively) low ranking officers. While they have less authority, they have similar levels of responsibility and leadership.
Comm discipline is incredibly important in the military. Communication must be clear, concise, and (most importantly) unambiguous. There are many, many commands that can be given over the radio and some of them aren't as self-explanatory as they may seem. Here are some of the basics, lingo, etiquette, and FAQs about military radio communications.
SAS:
The SAS is nicknamed "The Regiment", its motto is "Who Dares Wins", and its color is pompadour blue. Contrary to popular belief, the dagger on the badge is wreathed in flame, not wings.
"The SAS is the mirror in which other special forces reflect." The SAS is the most elite special forces regiment in the world and they all know it. They take their jobs incredibly seriously and are held to a ridiculously high standard, both by their superior officers and by themselves. The 141, as a specialized task force, would take both their training and their commitment to their job to the extreme. The SAS has a fierce reputation of being the blueprints upon which every other special forces regiment was founded, and every single one of them takes an incredible amount of pride in that. It's easy to characterize Soap as a rookie, especially because of his reputation as the Perpetual FNG, but he alone could run circles around every single non-special forces soldier in the world (and a hell of a lot of the special forces soldiers, too).
The SAS consists of one regular and two reserve units. The 22 SAS (regular) is based in Stirling Lines, Credenhill, Herefordshire and has five squadrons (A, B, D, G, and Reserve) and a training wing. The 21 and 23 SAS are the two reserve regiments.
The UK Special Forces do not recruit from the general public. All current members of the armed forces can apply for Special Forces selection, but most have historically come from the Royal Marines or Parachute Regiment. In 2018, recruitment policy changed to allow women to join the SAS for the first time and in 2021, two women passed pre-selection, making them the first women eligible for the full course.
The SAS Selection Process is held twice a year (once in summer and once in winter) and is a three-phase process that has an 8-10% pass rate. Between 2014 and 2022, there were more deaths in training and exercises than in combat against active threats.
Phase 1 is an endurance test, known as “the hills” stage, where candidates undergo a series of timed hikes between checkpoints with increasingly heavy packs. This phase takes a total of three weeks and culminates in a 40-mile hike carrying 55lbs that must be completed in 24 hours. By the end of this phase, candidates must be able to run 4 miles in 30 minutes and swim 2 miles in 90 minutes.
Officers undergoing SAS selection have a week-long phase which assesses their ability to plan operations while fatigued and stressed (sucks for Price and Ghost; Gaz and Soap would've skipped this step).
Phase 2 is Jungle Training, which takes place in Belize, Brunei, or Malaysia. Candidates are taught navigation, patrol formation and movement, and jungle survival skills; they are put into teams of four, where they simulate living for weeks behind enemy lines, living completely off of rations without a lifeline back to base.
Phase 3 is E&E (Escape and Evasion) and TQ (Tactical Questioning)/RTI (Resistance to Interrogation). This is the final phase. Candidates are given brief instructions on appropriate techniques (likely from former POWs or special forces soldiers) and then are let loose in the countryside, where they must navigate to a series of checkpoints without being captured. After 3-7 days, whether they have been captured or not, they then report for TQ, which tests the candidates’ ability to resist interrogation. During TQ, candidates are only allowed to answer with “the big 4” (name, rank, serial number, and birthday) and all other questions must be answered with “I’m sorry but I cannot answer that question” while being subjected to what is essentially no-touch torture (listening to white noise for hours, standing in stress positions, being verbally berated/humiliated, etc) for 36 hours.
After all of that, candidates are accepted into the SAS ranks, but still go through continuation training, during which many SAS soldiers are RTU’d (returned to unit).
The youngest person to ever (IRL) pass SAS selection was Lofty Wiseman in 1959 at the age of 18. In order for Johnny to have beaten that record, he must have been 18 or younger when he passed selection. Given that the minimum age for enlistment in the UK armed forces is 16, this is entirely plausible.
The names of regular SAS members who have died on duty were inscribed on the regimental clock tower at Stirling Lines, which was rebuilt at the Credenhill barracks. Those whose names are inscribed are said by surviving members to have "failed to beat the clock". The base of the clock is also inscribed with a verse from The Golden Journey to Samarkand by James Elroy Flecker.
Military Life:
During basic training, soldiers live in gender-segregated accommodations in a dorm-style room. Once out of basic training, however, many barracks are individual rooms with en-suite bathrooms (big win for our Sergeants). At most, trained soldiers would live in 4-person rooms separated by gender. The fastest and most reliable way to get off-base housing is to get married, but many commissioned officers get a housing stipend in order to move out of the barracks, meaning that Ghost and Price would likely (if they so chose) have houses near Credenhill, while Gaz and Soap would have individual rooms in the barracks. While deployed, all bets are off.
Many tattoos and piercings are permitted by the British Army. Here are the official guidelines. In terms of hair style/length, the rules are few and far between and incredibly vague to boot. As far as I can tell, Soap’s mohawk, Price’s sideburns, and Ghost's... everything are vastly out of regulations, so I wouldn’t be too concerned about any of the 141 following personal appearance guidelines (Gaz is likely the only 141 member within regs which is a little shocking considering most military regulations are unfairly biased against people of color, but that's neither here nor there). If you’re interested, here is the 2021 version of the guidelines, though many of them have been updated since.
As of 2002, unmarried service members are permitted to invite their partners to stay overnight in single-room barracks (again, big win for our Sergeants). However, these guests must report to the duty and sign in, which is a hassle, so sneaking someone on base is still a plausible course of action.
Unfortunately, I can’t find any information on the use of alcohol/drugs in barracks, but I assume that the regulations are similar to those of the US armed forces, where alcohol is permitted to any off-duty member (any member who is on authorized leave) above the legal drinking age.
Humor: military humor has a pretty infamous reputation for being dark as fuck. Soldiers joke about a lot of stuff because they deal with a lot of stuff, and humans naturally cope through humor. There aren’t a lot of resources for this, because soldiers don’t like that kind of stuff reaching civilian ears (for pretty obvious reasons). Active special forces soldiers like the 141 would have especially fucked up senses of humor because they deal with especially fucked up scenarios. Don’t push yourself for the sake of realism, though; if you aren’t comfortable writing jokes about active hostage/bomb/terrorist situations, don’t write those jokes. However, if you think of a fantastically dark joke and want to include it, know that it would be perfectly in character (especially for Ghost) and true to real life. They absolutely would casually joke with each other about racism, homophobia, xenophobia, war crimes, torture, etc. The important part is that they all know that it’s always a joke; shared humor is one of the most common ways that soldiers bond with each other, and being able to take the piss with each other is key to unit cohesion. If you don’t like that or if that makes you uncomfortable, don’t write it!
Fraternization: In general, fraternization is strictly prohibited. It’s grounds for a reassignment at best and a court martial at worst. One or both parties may be dishonorably discharged. Realistically, any relationship between anyone in the 141 (with the exception of Soap and Gaz, who are of equal rank and therefore their relationship does not affect the chain of command, big win for SoapGaz shippers) would be strictly prohibited and treated as a criminal offense. It is up to you whether your characterization of the 141 members warrants any action upon the discovery of fraternization or if it would be ignored in favor of keeping the team together. An argument could be made either way, so it’s a judgment call.
Call Signs:
The IRL SAS does not use call signs; they are almost universally used for pilots across all military divisions, which means that regular soldiers, even those in Special Forces, don't get call signs. However, as the CoD universe evidently uses call signs, here are some things you should know:
No one really knows how call signs originated. Some say that they started as nicknames given to pilots in the early days of flight. Others say that they originated as a way for ground control to quickly and easily refer to pilots over the radio. In any case, call signs have cemented themselves firmly in aviation culture
Call signs are not supposed to be cool. Ghost in an anomaly. The vast majority of people are not given call signs like Maverick or Iceman. A call sign is supposed to be (playfully) teasing and embarrassing; it's what the military calls "humility culture". They are often a derivative of a last name, based on physical features or personality, or related to a mistake the soldier made early in their career.
A call sign, once given, is rarely changed. Call signs follow soldiers for the entirety of their careers and beyond, and it is not unusual for fellow soldiers to only know each other by their rank, call sign, and last name (some can go their entire careers without knowing each others first names; a call sign basically replaces a soldiers first name).
Call signs are voted on and chosen by the soldier's squadron; they have very little (if any) say in the process. The squadron's commanding officer has the ability to veto a proposed call sign and often will if it crosses any lines (racist, sexist, etc) or if it isn't funny enough.
Here is a forum of US Naval call signs and their stories. I highly recommend giving it a read, especially if you need name ideas or a good laugh
General Writing Reference:
Resource for describing physical things (settings, weather, colors, textures, shapes)
Sickness Descriptors
Keeping Tenses (one of the most common writing mistakes in fic writing; this blog has a lot of very informative writing tip posts!)
WordHippo (One of the best dictionary/thesaurus/rhyming dictionary websites I've found and unfailingly keep open while writing/editing)
Tumblr account dedicated to writing characters of color
Tumblr thread with resources/references for international clothes and other items
Tumblr post with links to building/architectural terms and references
Tumblr post with links to helpful writing websites/resources (reverse dictionary, translator, body language, etc)
Misc Helpful Links (Will be Updated):
https://www.eliteukforces.info/special-air-service/ (detailed information about the SAS, selection, training, operations, weaponry, skills, and roles)
https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/british-army-ranks (British Army ranks in order with brief descriptions of roles/responsibilities)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_Army_installations (List of British Army bases and barracks, both in the UK and overseas)
https://www.quora.com/Does-the-British-Army-really-have-mixed-dorms-as-in-the-TV-show-Our-Girl (Quora forum detailing British military barrack living conditions)
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/military-pilots-call-signs/ (Blog post about aviator call signs and their use in military culture)
https://www.military.com/history/history-of-aviator-call-signs-and-how-pilots-get-their-new-name.html (Blog post about the history of aviator call signs in the military)
https://www.tumblr.com/sighmurderbot/735894836939472896/are-you-like-me-suddenly-obsessed-with-cod-and (Tumblr post - CoD mission generator)
https://www.army.mil/ranks/ (lots of very helpful information about US Army enlisted, warrant, and officer ranks as well as corps and division sizes/operations. Whoever designed this website needs a raise tbh)
If you found this useful, feel free to drop a like! I like knowing that my hard work is being used and appreciated!
park, paired with bell! reader.
this is based off an anonymous ask i received this month who just wanted a short drabble of this. this is meant to be with a female reader but i feel like i left it neutral enough anyone can read it. adler with reader is there too if you squint.
you hated adler for what he did to you.
he wore you down, molded you from inner thigh to neck; ankle to wrist; knuckle to knee. your life before him might’ve as well been nonexistent, just constant blurs and the struggle to recall your own mother’s face. he stole years, months, and days from you.
hang your head, knees to your chest as you nearly gave out on the world's seemingly shittiest couch or gurney in berlin, every touch and sound a million miles away. your body's newfound love for benzos left you weak and shivering, even with the heater on. followed by painful stomach aches and hallucinations of adler's hand on your cheek or nape of your neck. cigarette smoke from park became a pleasant sensation, keeping her keen eye on you and pressing soft fingers to your pulse every few minutes before she would continue examining whatever was in the boringly beige manila folder. you'd wish someone would ask how you're feeling, just so you could beg for them for something. you were unsure of what you wanted exactly; maybe to o.d. the next time they shoved a needle full of god knows what into your blossoming bruised arm? more of park's hands on you? more of adler's?
"stop that." you weren't aware you were harshly digging and scratching at your arm until she had said something, which felt like more like an echoing command from god rather than a caretaker's "gentle" ask.
of course, you didn't stop because what was park even talking about? in your head, you weren't doing anything, arms crossed and hands still, knees pointing towards her in that flimsy blue gown. she'd have to hold your hand until you fell back under, not cruel enough to restrain someone who was clearly high off ketamine and whatever else mk-ultra supplied the team with to keep you in control. her hands were soft and to you, she smelled like what hybrid violas looked like.
you couldn't pinpoint it but it was grounding enough that through half-lidded eyes, you'd just trace the curves of her face. you felt the same way about park that you did adler but you were gentler in mercy towards her, wanting something more and unidentifiable from her—maybe even as much as you wanted her hands on you again, same as the day as she had to preform cpr on you, ribcage crunching under the hands you mistook for loving and careful.
thinking about love as the ultimate transformative power in castlevania... richter's love giving strength to annette when she's practically dying from sekhmet's possession, juste and tera's care bringing maria back from the darkness, lisa showing dracula that he can be loved and good, alucard's love for each generation of belmont making him come back not to fight evil but simply to teach them how to fish despite knowing that he'll have to watch them die, olrox coming back to fight erzsebet out of love for mizrak, alucard saying that dracula still had goodness in him at the end precisely because his last action on earth was loving lisa's last gift to him, their son,... the only characters that are truly evil being the ones like Carmilla, the Abbott in nocturne or drolta who turn acts of devotion, love and trust into destruction and violence.... going to kill myself
is it just me or am I the only one who tends to gravitate more towards '' blank '' protagonists like Logan or Roach?. Like they don't say a word, they have absolutely zero character development and in Roach's case don't even have a canon appearance
I guess you could say they're like canvas and so you could imagine and headcanon basically anything about them.
Though I guess we must be content with the few crumbs we get as these characters tend to be less popular.
Hi hello! Wanted to try finally the new model of Adler on DAZ, and in very happy with the results!
I made close ups so you can notices all the details, it was rendered on 8K but unfortunately tumblr lowers the quality, but I’ll send a link sooner so you can take a look at the original pic!
Also rendered him again with a Charger because yes 👁️👄👁️. I have come a long way since my first render last year!
Also I’m working on requests and will post them soon!
At first playing the new black ops I thought it was kind of out of character the way adler was behaving. He has been quite goofy and light hearted and then I realised it actually makes perfect sense. Nearly every interaction adler had in Cold War was through bells eyes. To adler, bell is the enemy. Of course he was naturally serious and kind of blunt with bell, he knows what bell is, and he doesn’t like them. But in black ops 6, adler is surrounded by those he considers allies. It kind of hurt tbh because it just makes the ‘betrayal’ of Cold War hit so much harder. Bell never saw the true adler because they were an outsider. They didn’t know that of course, but adler did which is why he kept his distance emotionally 🤧
I like to think that in some weird, fucked up way, adler did start to like bell and develop a soft spot for them, but he remained wary, and life just worked against them
