Mackenzie placed a hand on my shoulder, his grip firm and reassuring. "We'll complete this mission, Karim," he said, his voice low. "We've faced worse."
I nodded, appreciating his attempt to bolster my spirits, but the knot in my stomach remained. "Yeah," I replied, though the word felt hollow. I knew we had faced worse, but this time it felt different. The stakes felt higher, the risks felt more personal.
Finally, I stood up, the weight of the mission pressing down on me. As I made my way out of the conference room, my thoughts returned to Kristen.
I had two weeks to prepare, two weeks to say goodbye, and I had no idea how to do it.
As I walked through hallways of the base, the gravity of the situation settled on my shoulders like a heavy cloak.
