Location: UNSC Forward Operating Base, Virek
Date and Time: May 20, 2553 – 1500 Hours
The drive back to base is silent. The weight of what we saw at the ambush site hangs over all of us, making the air in the Warthog feel thick and heavy. 1st Squad is gone. Every single one of them. And the more I think about it, the more I'm certain that this wasn't just a botched mission. It was a setup.
I grip the steering wheel tightly, my knuckles white as the familiar outline of the base comes into view. Santiago sits beside me, staring out the window, his usual easygoing demeanor replaced with a quiet tension. In the back, Dash and O'Neill are just as silent, their eyes distant as they try to make sense of the loss.
We roll through the gates and park near the command post. As we dismount, the usual sounds of the base—drills, engines, voices—seem distant, muted. I can't stop thinking about what happened. About Kane.
As we unload, Lieutenant Kane strides over, his expression as calm as ever. It's like nothing happened. Like he didn't just send an entire squad to their deaths.
"What's the situation?" he asks, his voice flat.
I bite back the surge of anger rising in my chest. "1st Squad is gone. The URF hit them hard—armor, heavy resistance. We were too late."
He nods, his face unreadable. "I see. I'll inform Command. In the meantime, secure your squad and await further instructions."
That's it. No questions. No shock. Just… cold detachment.
As Kane walks away, I can feel the tension building inside me, like a coil winding tighter with every second. He knew. He had to know. There's no way he didn't.
I glance at Santiago, who's watching Kane as he heads into the command post. He catches my eye, and I can see the same suspicion written on his face.
"We need to talk," I say quietly, nodding toward the barracks.
Santiago doesn't hesitate. "Yeah. Let's go."
We gather Dash and O'Neill, making our way to the barracks in silence. Once inside, I close the door behind us, the tension palpable.
"What the hell was that?" Dash blurts out, his voice thick with anger. "We walked right into that ambush. Kane knew. He had to."
I nod, my mind still racing. "It wasn't just bad intel. He sent 1st Squad to their deaths, and we were supposed to be next."
O'Neill shakes his head, his brow furrowed. "But why? What's he playing at?"
"I don't know," I admit, pacing the room. "But something's not right. He's been acting weird for weeks, and today… today was too much. He knew that ambush was coming."
Santiago leans against the wall, arms crossed. "If that's true, we're all in danger. If Kane is working with the URF, who knows what else he's planning."
The thought makes my blood run cold. Kane's been giving us orders, sending us on missions, controlling everything. If he's leaking intel to the URF, we've been walking blind into their traps.
"We need proof," I say, stopping to look at the others. "We can't just accuse him without it. If we go to Command now, they'll shut us down. We need to figure out what he's up to—and fast."
Santiago nods, his expression grim. "We'll need to keep our heads down, act like nothing's wrong. But we'll watch him. Every move he makes, every order he gives, we'll be there. And when the time comes, we'll take it to Command."
There's a long, tense silence as we all absorb the reality of the situation. We're not just fighting the URF anymore. Now we're up against one of our own.
"We'll stick together," I say firmly. "We'll figure this out."
The others nod, their faces set with determination. Whatever Kane's plan is, we're not going to let him get away with it.
The rest of the day passes in a blur. I go through the motions, following orders, checking gear, but my mind is somewhere else. The weight of 1st Squad's deaths hangs over everything. And the knowledge that Kane is somehow involved makes it all worse.
As the sun begins to set, I find myself standing near the edge of the base, looking out over the horizon. The war feels endless sometimes—like we're caught in a loop, fighting the same battles over and over again. But now, there's something different. Something darker.
I think about Emily, about our date the other night. For a brief moment, I felt like there was something good, something worth holding onto. But now, with all this hanging over me, it feels like that moment was a lifetime ago.
I hear footsteps behind me and turn to see Santiago approaching. He stands next to me, looking out at the same horizon.
"We'll get him," he says quietly, his voice filled with quiet determination. "Kane won't get away with this."
I nod, but the weight of everything feels heavier than ever. "Yeah. We will."
But deep down, I know this isn't going to be easy. Kane's careful, methodical. And if he's working with the URF, we're up against more than just one man.
We're walking a dangerous line, and the stakes have never been higher.