Tattoo
His fingers tightened slowly like iron clamps, cold and steady, with an almost cruel control, enjoying the subtle sensation of life slipping through his fingertips like sand in an hourglass.
Elaine's vision began to blur, with black spots appearing at the edges. The burning pain in her lungs and the dizziness from lack of oxygen surged like a tide, about to devour her last bit of consciousness.
In the midst of this life-or-death struggle, her fingers, convulsing with pain, suddenly clawed upwards, inadvertently scraping hard against the collar of Kruger's combat uniform, which had slightly opened due to the exertion of force!
"Rip—" The subtle sound of fabric tearing was exceptionally clear in the deathly silence of the rocky crevice. His collar was ripped open, revealing a tattoo that starkly illuminated her increasingly unfocused vision—just below his left collarbone, close to the pulsating vein, a stylized, sharply defined Eye of Horus! Exactly the same mark she remembered on Elsa! The only difference was that beside that all-seeing, mysterious eye, instead of a cursive "K," was a clear, cold, and resolute "E"!
The immense shock, like icy water from the Arctic, instantly drenched her nearly collapsing soul, stimulating a last vestige of will to survive. With the last breath left in her lungs, she forced a string of broken, sharp words, like the friction of glass, from deep within her tightly choked throat: "I...recognize...this...tattoo!"
Kruger's body stiffened abruptly, as if struck by an invisible lightning bolt! All the mockery, cruelty, and cat-and-mouse pleasure in his eyes vanished in a fraction of a second, replaced by an almost frenzied, incredibly sharp scrutiny, as if a dormant volcano had suddenly awakened.
The fingers gripping her throat didn't loosen; instead, they tightened even more, the knuckles making a sickeningly soft sound, almost crushing her throat! His face shot closer, his nose nearly touching hers, his green eyes like poisoned daggers, locked onto her pupils. His voice, forced out between clenched teeth, carried a chilling killing intent and an impatient urgency: "Where...did...you...see...it?!"
The fear of impending death unleashed her most primal potential. Everything went black before Elaine's eyes; with her last breath, she uttered that unforgettable name: "El...sa...!"
"Elsa?!" The name struck Kruger like a thunderbolt, exploding in his already tense nerves! He abruptly threw Elaine aside like a discarded old doll, her body slamming heavily against the cold rock wall. Fresh air rushed into her burning lungs, triggering a heart-wrenching cough.
However, before she could catch her breath, the shadow fell again. Kruger's knee was pressed heavily against her chest, making it difficult for her to breathe, and his large hand once again gripped her throat, the force controlled to avoid being immediately fatal, yet filled with absolute control and an undeniable threat.
His face was almost pressed against hers, his hot breath spraying onto her face, his eyes churning with a tidal wave of emotions—a searing pain, a furious rage at being betrayed, and a madness buried deep in his bones, bordering on despair. “Elsa?! She’s dead! Betrayed by her own country! Betrayed by those hypocritical scum she served! What do you know?! Speak! Now!” Every word was like a shard of ice pulled from the abyss.
Under immense pressure, Elaine struggled to breathe the thin air, her mind racing at its limit. She recounted, haltingly but as clearly as possible, the entire process from their first encounter on the flight, to their forced landing in the snowfield, to the deadly ambush en route, how Elsa calmly dealt with the situation, ultimately sacrificing herself to draw away the pursuers, and her dying words, "Go find the Ghost Squad and stop Makarov."
She deliberately omitted the crucial details of the necklace and USB drive, suppressing a cough as she met Kruger's intensely fluctuating eyes. "She was framed! She believed in Ghost Squad until her death!" She was gambling, betting on a slim chance of survival with this truth.
“Shut up!” Kruger interrupted sharply, his voice hoarse with agitation, but the hand gripping her throat loosened almost imperceptibly by a tiny crack. He stared intently into her eyes, as if trying to pierce her skull, to examine every subtle tremor in the depths of her soul, to determine whether behind this breathtaking narrative was the truth or yet another carefully woven lie.
The crevice fell into dead silence, save for Elaine's rapid breathing and Kruger's suppressed, heavy breathing. The air was thick with a suffocating tension and complex, indescribable emotions.
It felt like an eternity before the storm in Kruger's eyes finally subsided, replaced by a deeper, colder chill, as if all his intense emotions had been frozen and sealed away in an instant. He slowly released his grip, stood up, and his tall figure once again loomed over Elaine, who was slumped on the ground coughing, looking down at her from above.
“You better be telling the truth.” His voice regained its icy quality, but it lacked the cynical sarcasm and instead carried a heavy, undeniable sense of oppression. “If I find out you’ve uttered even a single lie…” He paused, his tone chilling, like an echo from hell, “I will slowly dismantle your bones, one by one, until you regret ever being born.”
He took a step back, his gaze finally sweeping over the clear, glaring bruises around her neck, a complex and cold smile curving his lips: "You got lucky this time, little mouse. Tell Keegan..." He paused again, his tone laced with a fatalistic mockery, "He owes me, and next time, with interest, I'll personally collect it from him. As for you... better watch yourself."
Before he finished speaking, he turned around without hesitation, and like a true ghost, his figure quickly merged into the thick darkness outside the crevice, disappearing without a trace, leaving only the faint smell of gunpowder in the air, the cold oppressive feeling, and the heart-palpitating deathly silence of surviving a catastrophe.
Elaine, who had narrowly escaped death, collapsed on the cold ground, coughing violently and greedily inhaling the air mixed with dust and the lingering smell of Kruger. The excruciating pain in her neck and the burning sensation in her throat were crystal clear, but what shocked her even more was the Eye of Horus tattoo that was almost identical to Elsa's, and the immense question and fear brought about by the letter "E".
What exactly is the relationship between Kruger and Elsa? What does that tattoo represent? What astonishing secret lies behind Elsa's "betrayal" and "death"? How grand is Makarov's conspiracy? Countless questions flooded her mind, causing her to temporarily forget her physical pain and fear, plunging her into deep, chaotic contemplation.
Just then, hurried, cautious footsteps came from outside the crevice, accompanied by Hesh's low, anxious call: "Elaine! Are you in there? Answer me!" It was Hesh! He was back!
Elaine's heart tightened. She struggled to prop herself up on her elbows, leaning against the cold rock wall, and replied in a hoarse voice, "Hesh! I'm here! Be careful... Kruger might still be nearby!"
Hesh's tall figure rushed in, bringing with it a damp, chilly aura. His combat uniform was covered in mud, and his face was etched with exhaustion and deep worry. He immediately noticed the clear bruises on Elaine's neck and wrists, and her deathly pale face. His usually resolute eyes instantly ignited with a fierce rage, and his fists clenched so tightly they cracked: "That damned bastard! It was Kruger?! What did he do to you?!"
“He…just left.” Elaine gasped for breath, her gaze urgently sweeping over Hesh’s shoulder and looking behind him. “Where’s Keegan? Have you found him? Where’s Konig?”
Hesh's eyes dimmed instantly. He shook his head heavily, his voice hoarse: "No... The situation below the underground river is far more complicated than we imagined. There are too many branching caves, and the current is swift. We only searched the first high-probability area you marked and found nothing. Konig is still searching deeper into the caves. I... I received your highest priority distress signal and had to rush back at full speed! How are you? Are you badly injured?" His tone was filled with self-blame and anxiety.
Hearing that Keegan was still missing, Elaine's heart sank, as if she had fallen into an ice cellar, overwhelmed by immense loss and worry. But seeing the deep concern and guilt in Hesh's eyes for failing his mission, she forced down her turbulent emotions, shook her head, and tried to make her voice sound calm: "I'm fine, Hesh, just some minor injuries. Thank you for coming back." She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, her eyes sharp and resolute: "Find Ghost immediately! We must tell him right away! Kruger just... he revealed crucial information! I may have discovered a connection between Elsa and him! The conspiracy behind this may be far larger and more terrifying than we imagine!" The seriousness in her tone and the possibility it revealed instantly put Hesh on edge, realizing that the situation might have taken a major turn.
He nodded emphatically immediately: "Understood! I'll try to contact Ghost using the backup plan right away! Don't move, treat your wound!" He glanced at the bruises on Elaine's neck, a flicker of lingering fear and a deeper, more unvented anger flashing in his eyes. Elaine leaned against the cold, hard rock wall, feeling the stinging pain in her neck, but her gaze went beyond Hesh, fixed on the endless darkness beyond the crevice.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
