章 51: Back to Business
Location: UNSC Forward Operating Base, Virek
Date and Time: May 22, 2553 – 0900 Hours
The base is in full swing by the time I catch up with Santiago, Dash, and O'Neill at the barracks. After the intensity of the last few days, there's an odd sense of normalcy in the air, but the tension is still palpable. We might've pushed the URF back for now, but everyone knows they'll regroup. They always do.
Santiago is leaning against one of the bunks, cleaning his rifle, while Dash and O'Neill talk in low voices by the door. The moment I step in, their conversation stops, and they turn toward me with expectant looks.
"Look who finally decided to show up," Santiago says with a smirk, though there's no malice behind it. "Have a busy night?"
I roll my eyes, not bothering to hide my grin. "Something like that."
Dash raises an eyebrow, glancing between Santiago and me. "I'm guessing you didn't spend the night cleaning your gear."
"Not exactly," I reply, shrugging. "Needed some time to clear my head."
O'Neill gives me a knowing smile but doesn't push further. "We're just getting ready for whatever comes next. You know the drill—Baird's gonna have us running drills until she figures out our next move."
I nod, feeling the familiar weight of duty settle back on my shoulders. After everything that's happened, it's almost a relief to fall back into the routine—something solid and predictable in a world that's been anything but.
"How's the base looking?" I ask, grabbing a nearby chair and sitting down. "Any sign of the URF regrouping?"
Santiago shakes his head. "Not yet. They've been quiet since we pushed them back, but it's only a matter of time. Baird thinks they're waiting for reinforcements."
"And what about Kane?" I ask, my voice dropping lower. "Any word on his interrogation?"
O'Neill shrugs, his face darkening at the mention of Kane. "Last I heard, they've got him locked up tight, but he's not talking. Figures."
"Not surprising," I mutter. Kane's betrayal still stings, and I know it's not just me. We all trusted him—respected him—and now we're left picking up the pieces of his treachery.
For a moment, there's a heavy silence between us, the weight of everything that's happened pressing down like a lead blanket. But then Santiago breaks the tension with a chuckle, his eyes glinting with mischief.
"So, did you at least get a good night's sleep?" he asks, his tone light but teasing.
I smirk, shaking my head. "As good as it gets around here."
Dash grins, nudging O'Neill with his elbow. "Bet it wasn't the cot keeping him up."
I shoot him a look, though I can't help but laugh. "You guys are relentless."
"Hey, we've gotta entertain ourselves somehow," Santiago says, shrugging. "Besides, it's nice to see you smiling again. You've been pretty wound up lately."
I let out a breath, realizing he's right. It feels good to laugh, even if it's just for a moment. After everything we've been through, we could all use a little bit of normalcy—even if it comes in the form of teasing.
But the levity doesn't last long. The door to the barracks opens, and Lieutenant Baird steps in, her expression as serious as ever. "Kowalski, Santiago, Dash, O'Neill—you're needed for a briefing. Command's got new intel on the URF."
The mood shifts immediately. We all stand, the teasing forgotten as we fall back into the rhythm of duty. Whatever's coming next, it's not going to be easy.
As we file out of the barracks and head toward the command post, Santiago gives me a sideways glance. "Guess it's back to work, huh?"
I nod, my mind already shifting gears. "Yeah. Back to work."
When we reach the command post, Baird pulls up the holo-map, the glowing red markers indicating URF activity across the region. She points to several key locations where the URF has been spotted regrouping, and it's clear they're planning something big.
"They've been quiet for too long," Baird says, her voice sharp and to the point. "We have reason to believe they're preparing for a coordinated assault on multiple outposts. We can't let them get the upper hand."
I feel a knot tighten in my gut as I study the map. The URF isn't done yet. Not by a long shot.
"What's our role in this?" Santiago asks, his eyes fixed on the map.
Baird crosses her arms, her gaze sweeping over the group. "You'll be part of a recon team. We need eyes on these locations to confirm their troop movements before we launch any counterattack. It's a risky mission, but if we can get the intel, we'll be able to stop them before they strike."
I exchange a glance with the others. Recon is always dangerous, especially when the enemy is this well-organized. But we've been through worse.
"We're in," I say, speaking for all of us.
Baird nods, her expression approving. "Good. Gear up and meet at the armory in thirty. We move out at 1100 hours."
With that, she turns and walks away, leaving us to prepare for the mission ahead. As the others start discussing their loadouts, I find myself thinking about Emily again. I haven't had a chance to check in with her since this morning, but I know she'll be busy at the med tent, helping the wounded.
There's a part of me that wants to find her before we head out, to make sure she's okay. But I also know that I need to focus on the mission. We all do.
As we make our way to the armory, Santiago claps me on the back. "Looks like we're right back in it, huh?"
I nod, my mind already shifting into mission mode. "Yeah. No rest for the weary."
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