Angelia had noticed Callie’s departure from the corner of her eye.Curiosity and jealousy gnawed at her, and she couldn’t resist the urge to pry.She asked Wendy, who was engrossed in her romance novels and munching on cookies, where Callie was going.Wendy looked up, her eyes flickering with amusement. ‘Oh, Callie? She’s probably just going for a walk or something. You know how she enjoys stargazing.’But Angelia was not convinced.She had a hunch that there was more to Callie’s sudden departure.***In Elias’s private quarters, Lemuel, his loyal aide and friend, urged him to join a small group of officers for a birthday celebration, but Elias said no.‘Come on, sir! It’s your birthday, and we’re all going to have a good time. You can’t stay cooped up here,’ Lemuel insisted, giving his superior a playful nudge.‘Thanks, Lem, but I have other plans.’Before Lemuel could inquire further, Elias’s phone buzzed with an incoming call.He glanced at the screen and saw that it was General He
Surprised by his sudden boldness, Callie gasped, but her words were muffled by Elias’s lips on hers.His kiss was tender yet fierce, gentle yet possessive.Feeling overwhelmed by the rush of emotions, Callie’s mind raced, unsure of how to respond.But the undeniable chemistry between them left her unable to resist the pull of Elias’s embrace.As they continued to kiss, their bodies pressed together, their hearts beating in sync.The intensity of their connection made it impossible for Callie to maintain her guard.Under the starry night sky, Elias held her tightly, his arms wrapped securely around her waist.It felt as if they were the only two people in the world, lost in their own private moment of passion.Elias’s desire for more grew, and he lightly bit Callie’s lower lip, a teasing gesture that sent a shiver down her spine.She gasped in response, her pulse racing.Elias’s kiss was intoxicating, and she found herself completely captivated by him.She tried to be cautious; their r
‘Thank you.’ Callie glanced at Elias, who seemed unaffected by the cold despite wearing just his uniform. ‘Aren’t you cold?’Elias shrugged. ‘We’ve trained here multiple times. I’m used to tougher challenges than a bit of cold.’Then he smirked. ‘But if you insist…’He scooted over and lifted an edge of the blanket, burrowing inside.Their bodies pressed together under the shared blanket.Callie’s cheeks flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and warmth, but she couldn’t deny the soothing sensation of being held by Elias.She leaned into him, finding solace in his strong and protective presence.As they cuddled together, their eyes turned towards the night sky, which was now illuminated by a shower of shooting stars.Callie pointed excitedly. ‘Look! The meteor shower’s here!’She gazed up in awe, mesmerised by the magnificent display above them.‘It’s so beautiful,’ she whispered, captivated by the celestial spectacle.Then an idea struck her. ‘Quick, make a wish!’She put her palms
Callie bounded up the stairs with Wendy and Angelia right after her.Craig Aguirre, the only male nurse in the health centre, was watching over the soldier lying unconscious on an examination table.The young man’s face was contorted in agony, beads of sweat trickling down his furrowed brow, and his breaths came in desperate gasps beneath the oxygen mask strapped tightly to his face.‘What do we know?’ Angelia asked Jeannette, who was monitoring the patient’s vitals.‘Pulse weak, difficulty breathing, and presenting with nausea and vomiting.’ Jeannette’s eyes never left the monitor screen, which tracked the patient’s heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation levels.‘He’s tachycardic, BP is dropping!’ Jeannette shouted. ‘The oxygen mask is failing!’The patient started convulsing, his face turning a cyanotic shade of blue.‘We have to do a cricothyrotomy!’ Angelia said.‘But we don’t even know what’s the cause yet,’ Callie objected.‘Knowing the cause won’t help if he’s alread
‘All right, here’s what we’re going to do,’ Callie asserted, her voice filled with a sense of urgency. ‘Wendy, go talk to the soldiers who brought the patient in. See if they have any idea about what bit him. Jeanette, keep monitoring his condition and call us immediately if anything changes.’Callie then assigned Angelia to conduct a PCR test, a sophisticated diagnostic tool that could detect specific spider venom components in the patient’s blood or tissue samples.Turning to Craig, Callie said, ‘Let’s hit the medical records room. We’ll comb through the computerised database for any patients with similar symptoms in the past.’The team dispersed, each focused on their assigned tasks.Angelia hurried to the laboratory to begin the Polymerase Chain Reaction test, while Callie and Craig headed to the medical records room.Seconds ticked away, and no one dared to slow down even one bit.As they scrolled through the database, Craig’s sharp eyes honed in on a promising entry. ‘I think th
As Angelia returned to the health centre, she played her part to perfection, breathless and anxious.Her words trembled as she recounted her supposed attempt to find Callie. ‘I... ran as fast as I could. I wanted... to catch up with... Callie... but I didn’t... see her at all. Maybe she went a different way. I had no choice... I don’t know what else to do.’She might not be a professional actress, but her act was convincing enough to raise concerns among her colleagues.Even Wendy fell for the act.Deeply worried for both the poisoned soldier and Callie’s safety, Wendy urged Craig to report the situation immediately.Fear and desperation gripped her heart, and she couldn’t bear the thought of losing her friend and colleague.With a sense of responsibility, Craig took charge and swiftly reported the matter to the principal’s office.Wendy wanted to rush out and search for Callie herself, but she needed to stay to monitor the patient’s condition.Jeanette was on the phone, trying to get
The ground seemed to tremble beneath her, and her instincts screamed at her to freeze in place.Callie’s gaze darted downward, and her eyes widened in horror as she saw what she had stepped on—an old landmine, its ominous presence now exposed.The device was a lethal relic of the past, waiting silently to be triggered by any unsuspecting weight applied to its pressure plate.The landmine was small but deadly, consisting of a dull metallic body with rusted edges.Its surface bore the scars of time, evidence of years spent buried beneath the earth.Callie could see the pressure plate, a slightly raised section in the centre of the mine, surrounded by an array of wires and an arming mechanism.She took a deep, shaky breath, trying to steady herself as panic threatened to overtake her.The danger was real, and she knew one wrong move could cost her life.Her heart raced, and her mind raced even faster, searching for a way out of this perilous situation.The pressure plate stared back at h
Every second that passed without finding Callie intensified his anxiety.The worry weighed on Elias like a heavy burden, and he couldn’t help but imagine the worst possible scenarios.Thoughts of her injured or trapped preyed on his mind, and he couldn’t shake off the feeling of helplessness.But he refused to give up.Elias knew he had to keep searching, keep calling her name, keep pushing through the brush.He couldn’t bear the thought of losing her, not after everything they had been through together.As he called out her name once more, his voice wavered with exhaustion. ‘Callie... Please, answer me!’His feet felt like lead, and the terrain seemed to grow more treacherous with each step.But he pushed forward, determination overriding the fatigue in his body.He couldn’t stop now; he had to find her.With every passing moment, Elias’s worry escalated.His thoughts became a jumble of memories they had shared, their laughter, their dreams for the future.The fear of losing her thre
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