Chapter 117:
The military station was buzzing with activity, but there was an undercurrent of tension in the air. Winter stepped inside, his boots barely making a sound on the cold concrete floor. Soldiers were already gathered in the dimly lit war room, their shadows cast long against the walls as they stood around a large table cluttered with maps, notes, and hastily scrawled tactical plans. Overhead, the flickering lights did little to dispel the unease hanging over the room.
Evelyn stood at the head of the table, her sharp gaze scanning the assembled soldiers. Beside her, Bale had his arms crossed, his expression unreadable. The air smelled faintly of sweat and gun oil, a familiar mix, yet something about tonight felt... wrong.
Winter took his place at the back, near the edge of the group, his eyes instinctively moving over the faces around him. He wasn’t the only one feeling it. The unease sat heavy in the room, pressing against his skin like an unseen force.
"Listen up," Evelyn’s voice cut through the murmurs, pulling everyone to attention. "Patrol Squad Six went dark forty minutes ago. We lost all contact after they entered the mist. Our last transmission showed... anomalies." She didn’t elaborate. She didn’t need to. Everyone here had either seen the footage or heard whispers of it.
Bale leaned forward, bracing his hands against the table. "Your objective is simple: Find any survivors and retrieve them. If the situation is compromised beyond control, you abort. Bring back intel, not bodies. Understood?"
A murmur of agreement rippled through the soldiers, though it was laced with hesitation.
Winter’s gaze moved through the room again, noting the stiff shoulders, the way some of the men clenched their fists or shifted their weight from foot to foot. This wasn’t just another retrieval mission. No one believed it would be that simple.
Then, his eyes landed on Blake.
The younger soldier stood stiffly on the opposite side of the room, his jaw tight, eyes trained forward like he was trying not to look anywhere else. But the moment their gazes met, Winter caught it—that flicker of surprise, a split second of something close to fear, before Blake quickly looked away.
Winter sighed internally. He couldn’t blame him. Their last interaction had ended with Blake barely able to stand, the unfortunate victim of Winter’s foul temper. He’d have to apologize for that later—if they got out of this.
A familiar presence entered the room, and Winter glanced toward the doorway just as Richard stepped in. He caught Winter’s eye and gave a small nod, his expression unreadable but steady. Winter returned it. At least there was someone here he trusted.