"Ah! Welcome back, Lieutenant! I'm eager to hear the good news!" Victor greeted Dialla.
"Mind your words, Victor. It's Captain, not First Lieutenant anymore. Hahahahaha!" Dialla said with a sinister laugh.
"Oh wow! Congratulations, Sir! As expected, but I'm still really happy for you!"
"You're not alone, Victor. I'm sure they will promote you as well. The ceremony will be held two days later, and Mr. President will attend it personally."
"What an honor! How about the General? Did he say anything?"
Dialla slammed both his hands heavily on the desk when he heard Victor mention the General. Victor's expression changed suddenly from happiness to complete shock and fear. Dialla stared at his desk with an angry expression, and Victor remained silent. After a while, Dialla regained his composure and began to speak again.
"General... He just kept giving me a dirty look... Do you know how ridiculous that is? He claimed he got hit by a tank before and was completely fine."
"Definitely an exaggeration, Sir..."
"He just sits in his luxury chair in that big office of his... I seriously doubt if he's ever been in battle or a war…"
"He can't stand anyone. That's what I've heard from others..."
"Isn't it? I was furious just thinking about his face! How dare he look at me like that!? Well, I'll make sure he regrets it someday!"
"Sir, we should think carefully before crossing the General..."
"Shut up, I don't need a coward like you telling me what to do!"
"My apologies, Sir..."
"Arghhh! Don't ever mention the General in front of me again!"
"Yes, Sir!"
"Victor! How is Captain Raynolds' family doing?"
"They are still in the military warehouse, and my men are taking good care of them."
"Great, just give me two more days... Then I'll meet them and inform them of their beloved one's passing. Hahahahaha!"
"That's cruel... Hahaha!" Victor also laughed sinisterly.
"Don't forget those who supported Captain Raynolds. I know they are searching for them right now. Although the warehouse is relatively a well-kept secret, still, make sure your men don't let their guard down!"
"Yes, Sir! But why did you decide to hide them in the military base? I think it's more dangerous..."
"Don't you know the most dangerous place can sometimes be the safest place in the world?"
"I think you're right, Sir."
Raynolds' wife and daughter were captured by Dialla and held as hostages to threaten Raynolds. They were blindfolded and handcuffed in an abandoned military warehouse known only to Dialla and Victor.
Despite the news of Raynolds' death being announced throughout Kothern, some soldiers, including Rosseaulyn, still believed that Raynolds was alive and continued their search for his wife and daughter.
"Give me the update right now!" Rosseaulyn demanded from her men.
"Lieutenant Winton! We have searched through all the possible locations that you provided, but we still couldn't find them," one of the soldiers reported.
"How could this be... Let me think about it one more time... I must keep my promise to Captain…"
"Ma'am… You haven't been resting since last night until now... We think you should get some rest and continue..."
"No! I can't. Their lives are in danger for sure."
"We are worried about you, Lieutenant!"
"Thanks, but not now... Where else could they have been hidden..." Rosseaulyn kept thinking and muttered.
"Lieutenant Winton! A soldier wishes to see you right now!" A soldier entered her office and reported.
"If it's not an urgent matter, please ask him to come another time."
"He said he has something very important to deliver to you and wishes to speak to you in person..."
"Huh? Something important for me?"
"Yeah... He... He looks a little strange... He appears extremely exhausted and is even carrying an infant with him. I can ask him to leave if you're not ready to see him..."
"It's fine, let him in. All of you, please wait outside and try to get in touch with every team still searching for them!"
"Yes, Ma'am!"
"Sir, this way please... You look exhausted... Perhaps you could hand over the infant to me first..." A soldier offered to help.
"Thanks..."
"Hmm? Your uniform... You're one of us too... Which division are you from?" Rosseaulyn asked the man, closely examining him.
"You must be Second Lieutenant Winton... This is the first time I've seen you in person... I'm from Division Twenty-One..."
"The division under Raynolds!? Did you just return from Nisaeria?!"
"Yes..."
"I heard all of you were annihilated... Are you the only survivor?"
"I think so... And Captain asked me to give this note to you."
"Let me have a look at it!" Rosseaulyn looked at the note seriously, and her face showed no expression after reading it.
"Ma'am… I must tell you about this! Lieutenant Dialla is the one who..."
"I knew... Did Captain say anything else to you...?"
"He said you will know what to do next once I pass this note to you..."
"He overestimated my abilities... Right now... I can't even find his wife and daughter yet..." Rosseaulyn muttered.
"Hmm? I can't hear what did you say… Ma'am, you look exhausted... Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"It's fine... You look more exhausted than me... I need you to get some rest first before I ask you more questions. Soldier, what's your name?"
"Jeff Leslie!"
"Alright, Mr. Leslie, please stay in this building until I falsified your identity records in our database. Does anyone else know you survived?"
"No, not even my family members. I rushed all the way here after deciding to leave the battlefield... The only one who knows I survived is the infant..."
"I see. By the way, where is the infant from?"
"We saved her from Nisaeria..."
"You may leave her with us. Please come to see me tomorrow as I still have a very important mission going on here."
"Roger, Ma'am."
"Soldiers, please take him to the guest room and let him rest. Do not let anyone else approach him besides us at all costs!"
"Yes, Ma'am!"
Jeff left the room, escorted by those comrades to the guest quarters. The weight of her mission had left Rosseaulyn feeling nearly overwhelmed, a desperate search for Captain Raynolds's family. She needed to clear her mind, find a moment of solace amidst the chaos.
With delicate grace, she prepared a cup of red tea, blending its rich flavors with a swirl of her favourite creamy milk. Pouring the soothing elixir into a polished thermos flask, she carried her refuge into the nearby public rose garden.
Nestled in the garden's heart, she found her sanctuary. The midnight wind whispered its secrets, chilling the night air, but the warmth of the tea, like a loyal friend, caressed her soul. The heavy military jacket, once a symbol of duty and responsibility, was set aside, granting her a fleeting respite from her world.
With each sip, she savored the harmonious blend of flavors, the subtle bitterness of the tea mingling gracefully with the creamy sweetness of milk. It was a dance of contrasts that mirrored her own inner balance, a moment of perfect equilibrium.
Sitting amidst the fragrant blooms, Rosseaulyn gazed upward at the dark, cloudy sky, her thoughts still consumed by the urgency of her mission. Yet, in this tranquil moment, she found a brief escape, a chance to breathe.
Suddenly, as if the heavens themselves sought to ease her burden, the sky ignited with a dazzling display. Meteors streaked across the expanse, cloaked in aurora-coloured flame, casting an ethereal glow upon the garden. The breathtaking spectacle stirred something deep within her, a connection to distant memories from her childhood.
A distant memory resurfaced in Rosseaulyn's mind as she sipped her tea. "Rosse! Why did you return home so late?" Her mother scolded her, and she could almost hear her mother's voice echoing in her thoughts.
"I'm sorry, Mom... I went to the other town with the kids, and then I got lost and couldn't find my way home..." Rosseaulyn apologized, her voice carrying the weight of her past.
"How could you leave Carmella alone in the house? She's still so young!"
"I'm sorry..."
"How did you manage to find your way home?"
"I don't know... I wandered through the woods, and then I saw a meteor streaking across the sky. So, I followed its direction until it disappeared... After that, I suddenly realized I was back at our front door..."
"Seriously?! Next time, ask someone for help if you're unsure of your whereabouts! Especially when you have Carmella with you. Got it?"
"Yeah... I'm sorry, Carmella... I didn't mean to leave you alone..."
Carmella smiled in response to Rosseaulyn's apology.
A sudden gust of wind swept through the garden, interrupting Rosseaulyn's reminiscing. The meteors had vanished behind the clouds, hidden from view. Yet, her once-stressed expression had softened into one of warmth.
"What a bittersweet memory... Sorry, Carmella... I've left you alone once again," Rosseaulyn whispered to herself.
The fatigue from her duty, however, proved relentless. Not even her beloved tea could ward off her exhaustion. Her head drooped, and she found herself drifting off to sleep in the midst of the rose garden.
The garden lay deserted, shrouded in the quiet of the midnight hour, until a mysterious figure approached Rosseaulyn. Silently, the silhouette, a lady, gently placed Rosseaulyn's jacket back over her shoulders. She whispered softly near Rosseaulyn's ear.
"You're doing a great job. Take care of yourself... It's so cold. Let me wrap this up for you... And perhaps, our paths will cross again someday." With a kind smile, the lady wrapped a scarf around Rosseaulyn's neck before leaving the garden.
The thick military jacket and the scarf provided the warmth Rosseaulyn needed on that cold night. As the hours passed, and dawn approached on the horizon, Rosseaulyn stirred from her slumber. Her mind felt refreshed and reenergized. She noticed the unfamiliar scarf wrapped around her neck, a gift from a kind stranger who had crossed her path in the dead of night.
"Hmm? A scarf? Who wrapped it for me?" Rosseaulyn puzzled as she felt the soft fabric around her neck. She couldn't recall anyone being present while she slept. The mystery of the scarf intrigued her, but her thoughts soon shifted as the night sky once again illuminated with the presence of a meteor.
This time, the heavens offered a clear view, devoid of any clouds. Rosseaulyn followed the meteor's brilliant path as it streaked across the firmament, moving from east to west until it vanished from sight.
"Follow the meteor, and I can find my way home... That direction... I remember there's a military camp over there as well... Military... Oh! How could I have overlooked this possibility?" She murmured to herself, her face now alight with newfound understanding.
Energized and determined, Rosseaulyn gathered the scarf and headed back to her office. She summoned her weary comrades, their expressions clouded by the early hour.
"Ma'am, the sun has yet to rise. Why have you summoned us so early?" one of the soldiers grumbled.
"I believe I've identified a potential location where Dialla may be holding Captain Raynolds's wife and daughter, but we must act swiftly," Rosseaulyn explained, her voice filled with urgency.
"Where could they be, Ma'am?"
"Our own military base and camp."
"Is that even possible? Our military installations are swarming with personnel. It'd be nearly impossible to hide someone there."
"Never underestimate Dialla's cunning. We must consider all possibilities. Now, we will focus on the west military camp."
"The west camp? Wait… That does make sense... It's the nearest military camp when they were kidnapped by Dialla's men."
"Three of you will infiltrate the west camp quietly. If you locate them, do not engage. Retreat immediately, and we will mount a rescue mission tonight."
"Yes, Ma'am!"
"Excellent. Prepare yourselves to sneak into the west camp. We must move quickly."
"Understood, Ma'am."
"Even though I now lead Luthernza, I cannot determine which of our own may be in league with Dialla. Our only choice is to infiltrate ourselves."
"We comprehend the risks, Ma'am."
"Good. Now, move out!"