Lemuel recalled the woman he saw earlier, remembering her wily grin and lethal motions.‘Sir, if a mercenary’s involved, then this mission...’ Lemuel’s voice trailed off.‘Gets more complicated,’ Elias affirmed with a slight nod. ‘The fact that Shadowfire could hire Inga implies an extravagant sum offered.’‘Then why did you…?’‘Why did I let her go?’Lemuel nodded.‘Because Inga isn’t the strategist; she’s a consummate executor. The true puppeteer is the mastermind behind the scenes. Unless we capture the real leader of Shadowfire, eliminating Inga alone won’t suffice.’Lemuel’s expression grew more solemn with Elias’s insight.The armoured vehicle continued its course, yet an abrupt burst of flames disrupted the tranquillity.In mere seconds, an earth-shattering explosion resounded, and mushrooming smoke billowed, forming a cloud above the distant fire.The ground trembled, fissures spreading across the turf.Unprepared for the sudden upheaval, Lemuel, who piloted the armoured vehic
Callie could see the weight Suthat carried at such a young age, the burden of a reality that demanded maturity beyond his years.‘Just focus on resting now,’ Callie advised, hoping to ease his concerns. ‘The turmoil at the borders won’t last forever. The future of this place rests on young shoulders like yours.’Suthat nodded. ‘I will, Doctor.’A sudden thought seemed to strike him.His expression grew more serious. ‘Doctor, have you resolved things with the other male doctor?’It took Callie a moment to realise he was referring to Jamison.She had no ready answer for the boy.Try as she might, she couldn’t fathom why Jamison harboured such an unexplained grudge against her.Callie thrust both hands into her pockets. ‘There’s nothing to resolve, since I didn’t fight with Dr Garcia.’‘But something’s not right between you two, isn’t it?’ Suthat insisted. ‘You’re not quarrelling, but neither are you talking to each other.’The boy was perceptive.Callie, however, didn’t want to dwell on
Concerned that Angelia’s elbow could be fractured, Jamison swiftly guided her towards the X-ray room.Once the X-ray procedure concluded, he tenderly lifted her, carrying her to a bed in an empty ward.Angelia’s eyes were cast downwards, concealing her emotions.She looked so vulnerable and delicate, with her small, tear-streaked face framed by cascading curls.In an attempt to comfort her, Jamison spoke in a soothing tone, ‘I’ve reviewed the X-ray, Dr Hawthorne. Fortunately, there’s no fracture in your elbow. The pain you’re feeling is due to muscle strain, and it’s quite swollen and red. It should improve in a few days.’He produced a bottle of medication to aid blood circulation and extended it towards her.However, Angelia remained motionless, not reaching out for the medicine.Jamison, concerned, asked, ‘Dr Hawthorne, are you alright?’Angelia slowly raised her tear-stained face to meet his gaze, her voice quivering, ‘I...’As Jamison looked into her eyes, he realised he couldn’t
‘Give it to me,’ Jamison demanded abruptly.‘I can handle it myself,’ Callie insisted.Impatient, Jamison snatched the tweezers from her hand.‘Hey!’‘I’ll take care of it,’ he declared.Jamison proceeded to suture Callie’s arm, noticing that the wound had become slightly inflamed, likely due to her delayed treatment.A troubling thought crossed his mind—she must have been injured during the blast, which was almost two hours ago.He demanded, ‘Why did you wait so long to treat it?’Callie winced as he worked on her arm. ‘I... I didn’t think it was that serious.’Jamison probed further, ‘I’m the overall in charge at the infirmary. Why didn’t you inform me when you got injured?’Callie didn’t look at him. ‘I didn’t want others to know about my injury.’Jamison had a pretty good idea of whom she meant by ‘others.’He pressed, ‘Elias?’Callie bit her lip but remained silent, confirming Jamison’s suspicion.‘Why are you afraid of Elias knowing?’ Jamison asked with frustration. ‘I thought y
The mention of Katina made Elias momentarily tense.‘Callie’s a good woman. I don’t want her to suffer the same fate as Katina,’ Jamison growled.‘I’m not going to hurt Callie,’ Elias replied. ‘She and Katina mean different things to me.’‘Then what does Katina mean to you now?’Elias extinguished his cigarette and locked eyes with Jamison. ‘I don’t need you to tell me what to do. The way you are acting now…’He grabbed Jamison’s collar, his eyes showing a hint of violence. ‘Do you have feelings for Callie?’Jamison was thrown by the question.He believed he didn’t have any romantic feelings for Callie.He hadn’t known her for long, and he was aware she was with Elias from the beginning.Falling in love with Elias’s woman was out of the question.‘Are you out of your mind?’ Jamison scoffed.‘I’m not kidding,’ Elias stated firmly. ‘Jamison, your concern for her seems to have crossed a line.’‘I just don’t want to see her end up like Katina.’ Jamison removed Elias’s hand from his collar
Jamison donned medical rubber gloves, selected a pair of tweezers, and carefully unwrapped the gauze covering Callie’s arm.As the gauze came undone, it disturbed the wound, causing Callie to take a sharp intake of breath.Jamison’s gaze focused on the wound, revealing signs of inflammation despite the presence of scabs.He spoke sternly, ‘Your wound has become infected.’Callie had underestimated the seriousness of her injury because it didn’t hurt much when left untouched.However, when confronted with Jamison’s words, she looked down and noticed the inflammation around the suture.‘Looks that way,’ she acknowledged with a nod. ‘But it’s alright; I’ll take some anti-inflammatory tablets later.’Callie made a move to lower her sleeve, but her action was halted by Jamison’s firm grip on her hand.Jamison’s brow furrowed. ‘If you keep downplaying your condition like this, I can’t guarantee that Elias won’t find out about your injury.’Callie bit her lip, frustration building. ‘Dr Garci
Callie interrupted with a reassuring smile. ‘I appreciate your concern, but trust me, I’m fine. Right now, your priority is to rest and recover.’After taking Suthat’s temperature, Callie checked the thermometer reading. ‘Your temperature is almost back to normal, at 37.9 degrees. You’re healing well. Another day or two, and you can be out of here.’Suthat’s smile was strained.‘Just lie back down. There’s a stack of old magazines over there if you are bored.’ Callie glanced around and sighed. ‘I guess there’s no TV here.’After Callie left, Suthat looked around.When he was certain no one was paying him any attention, he discreetly removed the IV needle from the back of his hand.***In the war room, Elias sat at the head of the long table, and Harriet worked the projector.‘Based on the latest intel,’ she reported, ‘the explosion that occurred at 4:35 yesterday was a government-initiated event within Kurtazagg. It was designed to wipe out a rebel faction. The blast claimed the lives
‘Are you taking meds for the pain?’ Elias asked.Callie shook her head. ‘Not pain meds, though I took a couple of tablets for anti-inflammation.’Elias sighed. ‘Callie, keeping things from me only makes me worry more about you.’Callie hung her head. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—’Elias interrupted her gently, ‘Callie, what I want is not your apology.’He pulled her close, his grip firm.Callie buried her face in his chest, soothed by his strong, rhythmic heartbeat.‘The more you hide things from me, the guiltier I feel,’ Elias confessed, his voice a low murmur. ‘I know you’re strong and independent, but it’s my job to protect you, as your superior officer and your husband.’He continued, ‘If you’re hurt, let me know. If you’re in pain, let me know. If you’re unhappy or just need to vent, come to me.’Callie, touched, nodded. ‘I understand now.’She looked up at him. ‘I promise I won’t hide things from you in the future.’Elias raised an eyebrow, his voice low and seductive as he warn
Callie, weakened but resilient, looked up as Elias entered the ward.A soft smile played on her lips despite the pain that lingered in her eyes. ‘I was wondering where you disappeared off to.’Elias took a moment to absorb the sight of her, the woman he loved, fighting her way back to health.The bandages on her abdomen marked the physical toll of the recent events, but the warmth in her eyes brought a sense of calm to Elias’s troubled soul.‘Hey, Bunny,’ Elias greeted, his smile genuine as he approached her bedside.He gently took her hand, mindful of her injuries. ‘How are you feeling?’Callie’s eyes sparkled with gratitude. ‘Getting there. The doctors say I’ll make a full recovery with time.’Elias nodded, his heart heavy with the weight of recent events. ‘There’s something I need to tell you.’As Elias shared the shocking truth about General Conway’s betrayal and the revelation about his parents’ deaths, Callie’s expression shifted from concern to disbelief and, ultimately, sorrow
Callie felt herself falling into his trap, struggling to maintain a hardened heart as his doting gaze softened her resolve.‘Callie, you’re my wife. We are supposed to share a bed,’ his voice, deep and intoxicating, whispered in her ear.He embraced her tightly, a possessive need evident in his hold.‘Callie, I want you to love me like before. I lied to protect you. But now I realise I was wrong. I promise, no more lies. Please, at least don’t ignore me. It breaks me...’ His eyes, full of affection, revealed vulnerability.Elias, usually so strong, trembled in his plea.His voice carried a hint of regret. ‘I messed up, and damn it, I know it. Are you willing to forgive me?’Callie sighed. ‘Elias, just promise not to pull something like this again.’‘I won’t hurt you with lies anymore,’ he vowed.‘No more lies, Elias. Not even one,’ she declared.‘I swear.’ To seal his promise, he planted kisses on her forehead, eyes, and nose, soothing her turmoil.Dylan’s knock shattered Elias’s plan
Callie drifted in and out of a dream-laden slumber, the ebb and flow of consciousness gently pulling her into the waking world.The enticing fragrance of chicken soup teased her senses, coaxing her from the depths of sleep.Elias had returned, a culinary saviour armed with a thermos of steaming chicken soup. ‘I used the mess hall kitchen to make this for you,’ he announced with a quiet pride.Drawing in a deep breath, Callie’s stomach couldn’t contain its eagerness, emitting a low growl that echoed through the room.‘Callie, tell me, what’s that sound?’ His question, though not a direct accusation, draped her in a blanket of embarrassment.‘Ahem!’ Callie, determined to maintain her composure, responded with a feigned nonchalance.‘I didn’t hear any sound,’ she declared, though the rumblings from her stomach suggested otherwise.She fought to suppress the impending growl, hoping Elias wouldn’t witness this audible betrayal.‘No sound?’ Elias’s raised brow and assertive tone exposed her
Elias’s eyes snapped open the moment he heard someone coughing.He sat bolt upright in the chair and turned towards Callie.Her eyes were open.‘Callie! You are awake!’In a haze, Callie recognised Elias’s voice.Struggling, she forced her eyes open, greeted by the familiar sight of a white ceiling—a hospital room.Elias’s hand held hers, his calloused palm brushing against her skin.‘Elias,’ she whispered weakly, her eyes glistening with tears.Her voice, frail, held a hint of disbelief. ‘Am I still dreaming?’The last she knew, Elias was in custody.The Elias before her now felt like a dream, and she doubted her reality.Elias, red-eyed and exhausted, held her hands tightly, reassuring her, ‘Bunny, what are you talking about? Of course I’m real.’Callie sighed. ‘Good…’Relieved, she closed her eyes, slipping back into sleep.‘Callie!’ Elias’s heart skipped a beat, fear gnawing at him.He rushed outside, calling for Jamison and the medical team. ‘Quick, take a look at her. She woke u
The puzzle of Mindy’s escape persisted, leaving Dylan in the dark, grappling with the mystery that allowed her to slip away undetected.A knock came on the door.‘Come in.’Dwight entered, settling gracefully into a chair opposite Dylan.He produced a pack of cigarettes, extending it toward Dylan.Dylan accepted it, extracting a cigarette, igniting it with a flick of his lighter, and indulging in the smoke that soon enveloped the room.Dwight, sensing Dylan’s foul mood, asked, ‘General Sheppard, not in the best spirits today?’Dylan retorted, ‘Aren’t you in the same boat?’A subtle smile played on Dwight’s lips as he selected a cigarette from the pack.His slender fingers expertly lit it, the room filling with the fragrance of tobacco and a haze of smoke.‘Any updates on Mindy?’‘Not yet,’ Dylan replied after a brief pause. ‘Which is a problem for you. That woman is more cunning than her father. I think she’s the one behind your assassination plot, not Carl. By the way, when do you pl
‘I planned everything single-handedly. This has nothing to do with my daughter Mindy,’ Carl pleaded. ‘I only had her run a few errands for me. She didn’t know what she was doing.’‘Do you think your excuse is convincing?’ Dwight retorted. ‘Mindy isn’t seven years old. She’s twenty-seven, an adult fully responsible for her own actions.’Dylan, acting on Dwight’s orders, directed his subordinates to arrest Mindy and release Elias.Carl, comprehending the depth of his miscalculations, lashed out at Dylan.He felt betrayed by the very person he trusted.‘Dylan, you ungrateful scoundrel! I trusted you so much, yet you did this to me! You even took advantage of my daughter. You are going to hell for this!’ Carl screamed, blaming Dylan for their downfall.Dylan was unfazed.Nothing Carl said mattered, not any more.Dylan exchanged a look with Dwight; there would be time to celebrate later.However, their joy was short-lived.About twenty minutes later, a soldier returned, reporting that they
Inga was supposed to be dead, but Dylan assured him that he’d killed her, even brought back her charred corpse.And the witness secured by Mindy couldn’t be Inga.Dylan must have made the switch.Carl was right to suspect him; his protégé had betrayed him.Carl glared resentfully at Dylan, at the culprit who crushed his dream of presidency.Dylan leaned against the wall, hands in pockets, unfazed.‘Dylan!’ Carl bellowed.The general seemed to have aged in a matter of minutes.Dylan gave him a mischievous smile. ‘Did I do something wrong, General Conway?’‘You—’ Carl yelled, ready to tear into Dylan for the betrayal.But glancing around the room, he halted.Others were present—Harriet, Dwight, and the three cabinet ministers.To reprimand Dylan would be akin to admitting to his own crimes.Fury painted his face as he contemplated his next move.Dwight glanced at Carl.The situation resembled a chess game, with Carl in the inferior position.He should sense his disadvantage, understandi
Carl waited in his office, too worked up to sit still.A knock on the door, and then Mindy entered. ‘Dad, it’s done. We have the witness and evidence. Everything will unfold just as you want.’Joy sparkled in Carl’s eyes, grateful for his daughter’s assistance. ‘Good, Mindy. Get Dylan here immediately. I want Elias’s trial to begin ASAP.’Mindy nodded, a wicked smile on her face, and left to find Dylan.She brought Natee along, with the woman’s face veiled to conceal her identity.Meeting Dylan, Mindy relayed Carl’s instructions.Dylan’s eyes lingered on her earlobes, adorned with the pink pearl earrings. ‘You did an excellent job. Your dad is right to be proud of you. I am, too.’Mindy shrugged. ‘It was easy.’Dylan shifted his focus to Natee. ‘Mindy, go get changed. I’ll handle your witness. We’ll gather everyone in half an hour.’‘Alright!’ Mindy nodded.***The Kurtazagg border weather was frigid, and the air threatened to freeze.Dwight, draped in a wool coat, moved towards the m
But Dylan’s eyes remained ice-cold as he swiftly secured the earrings onto her earlobes. ‘Done.’Standing on her tiptoes, Mindy gave him a quick kiss on the lips. ‘Thank you.’Dylan didn’t reciprocate the kiss.He just looked at her with a smile, concealing the disgust he felt.Duty called, and Dylan left the dorm shortly after.Usually, Mindy would have been disappointed.But tonight, she had other plans—meeting the leader of Kurtazagg’s largest militant group and collecting the evidence framing Elias.Once the trial was over, Elias’s fate would be sealed, and her father would be one step closer to the presidency.Mindy shed her luxurious coat for a sleek black suit and donned a plain black mask.She examined her reflection in the mirror and noticed that the pink pearl earrings seemed a bit conspicuous.About to take them off, she remembered Dylan’s words and kept them on.These were Dylan’s gifts, and she’d wear them always.Ready, she stepped out of the dorm and found two men in bl