After the report to command, the team left the base and stopped. Rey broke the silence. "So, I'll see you tonight for..." He paused. "...for Alex's little farewell at our favorite bar." Elena nodded, while Luis let out a laugh. "Yeah, damn, Alex loved that place. We always went there after missions." Everyone smiled, except Jake, who was lost in thought, staring into the distance. His gaze seemed far away, as though he were searching for something in the horizon, something he couldn't reach. "Yeah, see you tonight," he said, getting into his car and driving off. Elena sighed, a sad but understanding expression on her face. "It'll take him some time, and us too," she said. Rey and Luis nodded before getting into their cars and heading home.
Jake drove with the wind blowing through his blonde hair, his face streaked with tears he couldn't stop. He couldn't shake the thoughts of the tragic mission. "Fuck… fuck!!" he shouted, slamming his fist on the steering wheel while tears streamed down his face. The pain of losing Alex was an open wound that wouldn't stop bleeding. He felt like he had failed, like he hadn't been enough, like every decision he made during that mission had condemned Alex. The images of that moment, Alex's smiling face now gone in an instant, haunted him, bouncing around his mind like an endless echo. Why couldn't I save him? he wondered, but the answer never came. There was no answer that could ease that emptiness. His mind wandered into the dark depths of the memories while driving aimlessly down roads that no longer made sense. After a few minutes, he parked the black jeep in front of the house and got out, closing the door with a sharp sound. He walked inside, greeted by the warmth of the house and the scent of lunch Sarah was preparing. He took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. "I'm home."
Sarah, hearing his voice, rushed to him and hugged him so tightly he almost couldn't breathe. "You're finally home!" Her voice was full of affection and relief. But Jake felt distant, as if an invisible wall had risen between them. "Did you have a tough mission, Jake?" she asked, noticing his red eyes. "One of those I'll never forget," he replied softly, looking at the floor. His mind still anchored to the mission, to the face of Alex, the one he would never see again. Sarah caressed his face, trying to reassure him. "I know, honey. But we're together, and everything will be okay." Jake forced a smile, but he couldn't believe it. Everything will be okay... But how could it, when Alex wasn't here anymore? His daughter entered the room, her beaming smile fading the moment she saw his expression. "Hi, Dad," she said shyly. Jake looked at her, his voice choked. "Hi, little one. How was your day?" "Pretty good," she answered, but noticing his state, added, "If you need to talk, I'm here." Jake kneeled beside her, hugging her. He felt her calm breath, her young body that didn't yet carry the weight of the world. How can I protect my family when I couldn't even protect my teammates? he thought. "Want me to go ahead with lunch, sweetie?" Sarah asked, trying to break the silence. "I'll be there soon," Jake replied softly. He sat at the table, but the food didn't taste good. Every bite felt heavy, but he didn't want to let his family know how much he was suffering.
A few kilometers away, Rey was already home, watching his children play in the garden. Their laughter, once full of joy, now seemed distant, almost muffled. He couldn't focus on them. The sound of their voices was background noise that didn't reach the wall of thoughts suffocating him. The death of Alex burned inside him. How could he look at his family and pretend everything was normal when a member of his team was no longer there? I can't do it, I can't ignore it, he thought, but still tried to force a smile. He joined his wife and kids, but his mind stayed stuck on Alex, with his eyes full of life and his untamed spirit now gone. Rey felt helpless, as if he had betrayed his friend by not protecting him. I should've done more, he repeated. But those words didn't make sense now. They couldn't change anything. They couldn't bring Alex back. They couldn't stop the pain that gripped him.
In a country house, Luis and Elena, unlike the others, didn't have families of their own. They had decided to spend this moment of grief together. "Elena, want a beer?" Luis asked. "Seems like the right thing to do," Elena replied with a small smile, as she sank into the couch. Luis took two beers from the fridge and handed one to her. "I still can't believe Alex is gone," Luis said, staring out the window while sipping his beer. "When I started, Alex was already a veteran. He was our rock." "I know," Elena replied, looking at the bottle as if she were searching for an answer in its reflection. "I remember the first mission when I became your commander. Alex gave me some advice, but he never seemed really worried." Luis smiled, recalling the moment. "He was our way of doing things, taking it easy, but with determination. He never really made us feel in danger." "Until that time," Elena added, her tone shifting, more serious.
Elena looked into Luis's eyes for a moment, an intensity she hadn't noticed before. Luis felt a sort of connection in that moment, something he hadn't explored before. He was perhaps realizing that their bond was different, but the sadness of the moment left no room for complicated feelings. In the silence, they exchanged a look that said more than a thousand words.
Night came, and while Jake was surrounded by the warmth of his family, a sadness clung to him, refusing to be hidden. His daughter's smile and his wife's words couldn't fill the emptiness Alex had left behind. His mind kept drifting to the mission, imagining Alex's face, now just a painful memory.
After dinner, Sarah asked if he wanted to rest, but Jake, without saying a word, stood up and walked toward the door. "I need to go," he said simply, and left. "Jake..." Sarah called, but he didn't stop.
A few kilometers away, Rey, despite the love of his family, felt the same distance. The smiles of his children, which once filled his heart with joy, now seemed hollow. He stood up from the couch, forcing a smile at his wife. "I'm heading to the bar tonight. I'll see you there," he said before walking out the door.
When night fell, the small bar where Alex had loved to spend evenings with his team was lit by a warm glow. The worn wooden counter was illuminated by soft lights casting long shadows on the walls, creating an almost surreal atmosphere. The sound of chatter from other patrons seemed distant, as if coming from another world, far away from the pain that hung in the air. The clinking of cups being placed on tables, the steps of waiters moving between tables, all felt muffled, as if the bar were in another dimension. The air inside was thick, imbued with a mix of beer, wood, and the faint smell of smoke that never quite went away, despite the ban. The scent of fresh beer mingling with the smell of the wood and timeworn walls filled the air, but it couldn't chase away the sense of loss that enveloped them. Every glance between the team members was a silent battle. Loneliness felt stronger in that small corner of the world.
Jake entered with a distant look, his face marked by the weight of painful thoughts. "Hey," he said, lowering his gaze to the beer Luis handed him. There was no need for more words. Alex was at the center of their thoughts, even though he was no longer there.
Elena glanced at the others, her face worn from emotional exhaustion. "For Alex," she said simply, raising her glass.
Rey approached Jake, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Jake, you know it's not your fault," he said, trying to comfort him. Jake didn't respond right away, staring at his beer. "I know... but I can't shake this feeling." Rey sighed, but there was nothing he could say to ease that pain.
Luis ran a hand through his long brown hair, staring at the now-empty glass. Elena didn't say anything, but watched him for a long moment. There was no need for words. The pain that connected them was so palpable that any words would only deepen the wound. For a brief moment, Luis found himself lost in Elena's blue eyes.
When she looked at him, Luis felt vulnerable. It was strange; he had never felt anything like this before. While the others continued to share painful memories of Alex, Elena and Luis remained silent. Luis couldn't find the words. Instead, he reached out his hand toward Elena's. The two exchanged a long look before Elena shook his hand, and they remained like that for the rest of the evening.
The silence between them was the answer no words could explain. A language without sound, but one that spoke louder than any conversation. For that evening, their connection was the only thing that gave meaning to the pain filling the air. Alex, wherever he was, would remain with them, in every silent memory, in every shared gesture.