light of heart

A few days later, a stealth helicopter, unmarked and coated with a special radar-absorbing material, quietly landed on a concealed landing platform deep within "Eagle's Nest," under strict secrecy and complex flight path maneuvering. Returning to this formidable fortress nestled deep in the Alps, the atmosphere was completely different from when they left. While the official announcement of General Thorne's "sudden heart failure" calmed the surface ripples, an invisible tension permeated every corner of the base like a low-pressure system.

Although Price was reinstated, the base had clearly undergone a silent but severe purge, and the air was thick with a cautious oppression and unspoken suspicion. Many newly transferred, serious-faced strangers could be seen in the corridors; security had been raised to an unprecedented level, and access checks in all areas were twice as strict. All of this silently testified to the dramatic power shift that had occurred in the past period.

The team members were immediately transported to the base's core medical center for a comprehensive physical examination and further treatment. Elaine's leg fracture and soft tissue injury required surgery and at least several weeks of rest; Logan suffered a concussion and multiple internal injuries requiring close monitoring; Keegan's fractured left arm was immobilized in a cast; and Hesh's injuries were the least severe, consisting mostly of superficial wounds and a mild concussion.

After Keegan and Hesh's injuries stabilized, Price immediately summoned them to the command center, located deep within the base and equipped with the highest level of electromagnetic shielding and physical soundproofing. Ghost was also present. Price's face showed undisguised fatigue, but his eagle-like eyes were sharper than ever, as if they could see through any disguise.

“Welcome back.” Price’s voice was deep and stern, cutting straight to the point without any pleasantries. “The mission you accomplished in such dire circumstances, and the intelligence you brought back, are of immeasurable value. You did a great job, better than anyone could have imagined.” His praise was concise and weighty.

He pulled up an internal holographic projection, displaying a complex organizational chart and relationship network: "Thorne's death has temporarily removed the most direct sword hanging over our heads, but this is far from over; it may even have uncovered a much larger festering sore." He pointed to several names highlighted in red on the chart: "Based on the clues you risked your lives to bring back, and the limited but crucial assistance provided by His Excellency the 'Military Police,' we swiftly apprehended Thorne's core henchmen within the base—including his adjutant, a second-level supervisor in the intelligence department, and three key personnel in the communications center. Preliminary interrogation results confirm our judgment: Thorne had long abused his power to leak a large amount of sensitive intelligence to Makarov and provided multifaceted cover and convenience for 'Purgatory' Company's activities in conflict zones."

Price paused, his tone growing more serious, pointing to several blurry figures marked with question marks and at higher levels above the chart: "But digging deeper, we discovered even more disturbing signs. Records of orders to destroy some key evidence, several unusual personnel transfers and resource approvals, their authorization trajectories and ultimate beneficiaries, vaguely point to... a figure within NATO, someone of a higher rank and more deeply hidden than Thorne. Thorne may just be a pawn pushed out to take the blame, or rather, a sacrificed pawn. What we've severed may only be a tentacle, while the main body remains hidden in the deeper sea."

This news sent a chill down Keegan and Hesh's spines; the situation was more complex and dangerous than they had imagined.

"Before Kruger left, he 'kindly' reminded us that there was still 'dust' to be cleaned in the corners," Keegan calmly added, providing a detailed report on the unusual financial flows of the crashed pilots and clues that might be linked to the base's flight control chief.

Price's eyes flashed coldly, clearly aware of the situation: "The flight control supervisor attempted to format his work terminal and flee immediately after Thorne's death, but was intercepted on the spot by Ghost's pre-positioned agents. He's currently undergoing... in-depth interrogation. This line is crucial; it may not lead directly to Makarov, but it's likely a vital conduit connecting internal corruption with external forces, a key breakthrough in uncovering higher-level protectors." He glanced at Keegan and Hesh, issuing instructions: "Your primary task is to focus on recovery. Elaine and Logan need time to heal. In the meantime, Ghost will take full charge of the internal purge and thoroughly investigate the flight control supervisor and the funding chain. Elaine, if her condition allows, needs to assist in establishing a financial model as soon as possible, analyzing all relevant fund flow data."

“Our next strategic move is clear,” Price concluded, his voice resolute. “Externally, we continue to track Makarov, the ‘Night Watch’ project, and the Jewish financial network behind it; internally, we thoroughly eliminate Thorne’s remaining influence, following the trail to uncover the deeper layers of protection. We must seize the initiative before our adversaries launch another fatal attack.”

After the briefing, Keegan and Hesh left the somber command center. In the empty, silent alloy corridor leading to the medical area, Hesh stopped, patted Keegan's uninjured right shoulder, and said in a low voice with a barely perceptible concern, "I'll go check on Logan. You... go check on her." His eyes held a knowing look.

Keegan nodded slightly, said nothing, and turned to walk towards the private ward area at the other end of the corridor. Inside the ward, the light was soft. Elaine's left leg was in a white cast, suspended and immobilized. Her face was still a little pale, but she seemed much better. She was leaning against the headboard, intently watching the data flowing on her tablet.

Hearing the slight sound of the door opening, she looked up and saw Keegan. A faint, genuine smile immediately appeared on her face, and her eyes gleamed.

"How are you feeling?" Keegan walked to the bedside, his voice much lower and softer than usual, his gaze falling on her leg in a cast.

"Much better, but this thing is a bit in the way." Elaine pointed to the cast, her tone relaxed, but her gaze immediately fell on his left arm, which was in a sling across his chest, with concern. "Your arm... what did the doctor say?"

“A fracture. It will be immobilized for a few weeks.” He answered casually, but his gaze carefully swept across her cheek, as if checking her complexion.

After a brief silence, Elaine spoke softly, her voice trembling with barely perceptible sobs: "Keegan... on the snow mountain, thank you... for not giving up on me."

Keegan's deep grey-blue eyes gazed at her, without an immediate answer. He leaned forward slightly, extending his right hand, the movement slow and hesitant, as if touching something extremely precious and fragile. Finally, his palm gently covered Elaine's slightly warm cheek, the rough texture of his calloused fingertips surprisingly tender. In a deep, magnetic voice, with an ancient rhythm, he softly uttered, "Eres la luz de mi vida."

Elaine couldn't understand the Spanish at all, but Keegan's tone was so deep, and the emotions in his eyes so intense and direct, like a bottomless, deep blue lake, almost drowning her. She froze instantly, her cheeks flushing uncontrollably, her heart pounding as if it would burst out of her chest. For a moment, she forgot to breathe, and forgot to ask what the sentence meant. She could only stare at him blankly with wide eyes.

Just then, there was a gentle knock on the ward door, and the medical officer Anna walked in carrying a medicine tray: "Elaine, it's time for your medicine... Oh, Sergeant Keegan is here too."

Keegan withdrew his hand instantly and naturally, regaining his usual composure, as if the scene just now was merely an illusion. Only the lingering blush on Elaine's face and her racing heartbeat proved the reality of that moment. He stepped aside to make way, nodded slightly to Anna, and then looked at Elaine, his tone returning to its usual calmness, yet tinged with concern: "Get some rest. Price has assigned you a new task, provided you fully recover."

"Mmm." Elaine nodded vigorously, trying to make her voice sound normal. "I will try my best to get better as soon as possible and won't hold anyone back."

“You’ve never been a burden,” Keegan corrected her, his tone leaving no room for doubt. “You’re the key.” He looked at her deeply, his gaze complex, filled with concern, determination, and an indescribable heaviness, before turning and leaving the ward.

As Anna prepared Elaine's medication, she winked mischievously and chuckled in a low voice, "Looks like our 'high-and-mighty' Sergeant Keegan isn't so unapproachable after all? The atmosphere was quite pleasant just now, wasn't it?"

Elaine's face turned even redder. She mumbled a reply and quickly lowered her head to drink water to cover it up.

Anna smiled, but the smile quickly faded, replaced by a hint of worry. As she adjusted the IV drip rate, she said in a lower voice, "Speaking of which... Melinda from the communications department was also taken away by the internal investigation team, supposedly to cooperate in understanding some things... Sigh, lately, there's been a lot of anxiety in the base."

Elaine's heart sank. Melinda, the communications officer who had gently stopped everyone from gossiping in the cafeteria and made her feel so warm and friendly. Even she had been dragged into this?

The door closed softly, and silence returned. Elaine leaned against the pillows, but didn't open her eyes immediately. Her fingertips unconsciously and gently traced the skin on her cheek that Keegan's palm had just covered, where the rough, calloused texture and a burning heat still lingered.

That deep, unfamiliar language was like a pebble thrown into a still lake, rippling outwards in waves that could never be calmed. She didn't understand Spanish at all, but the look in his eyes when he spoke... that almost broken depth, that undisguised emotion that threatened to consume her, was something she had never seen in him before. It wasn't his usual calm and restraint, but a kind of instinctive outpouring.

These words must mean something very important. Joy, shyness, and an indescribable heartache intertwined—what were the feelings of someone who habitually sealed all emotions beneath a layer of ice when he uttered these words?

However, this quietly growing, slightly sweet feeling was quickly chilled by the words Anna uttered before she left. "Melinda has been taken away too..." Just how deep have General Thorne's tentacles penetrated? How many unseen cracks remain within this seemingly impregnable "eagle's nest"?

The brief warmth Keegan had brought seemed like a fleeting moment of calm in the eye of a storm. The coldness and harshness of reality, like the gloomy sky outside the window, pressed down heavily once more. She recalled the complex look in Keegan's eyes before he left—concern, determination, but with a deep-seated heaviness. Now, she wondered if it also contained profound anxiety about the internal situation. His words, "You are key," were not merely recognition, but a weighty entrustment and… a protective instinct.

With that thought, Elaine picked up her tablet again, unlocked the screen, and the flowing data once more came into view. Now was not the time to indulge in personal emotions. She had to recover quickly, she had to become stronger to weather the storm ahead, to...not let... She knew that beneath the temporary calm lay even more turbulent undercurrents, but from now on, she would no longer be alone.