Protocols & Hearts

Chapter 6

September 4, 20XX. Approx 12:35 p.m. Classified Military Base.

Aelia's stomach churned as she replayed the fraught exchange of yesterday yet again. Unable to focus, she'd forgone meals in favor of ceaseless analysis, to no avail. Today necessity demanded sustenance, despite her anxiety.

In the mess hall, old habits proved hard to break - eyes downcast, clutching her phone like a shield, Aelia shuffled forward waiting for the inevitable interruption. Yet instead, her frayed nerves were greeted by a rather.. annoying sight.

Across the room sat Ghost, poring over mission details with Sarah and this mysterious book. Though he seemed lost in strategic diagrams, Sarah remained tactile as usual, crowding far closer than operational protocol allowed.

Aelia hesitated, unsure whether to flee or fortify her reserves for yet another round. But as her gaze lingered, frustration mounted her. Pacifying hunger would have to wait; distraction proved counterproductive when answers eluded her grasp.

She darted back to her lab. A glance at scattered notes and diagrams sparked renewed determination however - she had not pursued this path so long to falter now. Snatching up the worn dossier, Aelia sharpened her focus, peering intently at the troublesome photograph within.

Though details remained indistinct, magnifying the mysterious book's spine revealed tantalizing hints of lettering beneath the grain. With deft keystrokes, she uploaded the image to run simultaneous ID searches whilst manually enhancing problem areas.

Slowly, surely, shapes resolved from the blur. Cross-referencing frequent leads uncovered a name, which in turn provided context for the scene as a whole. Piece by piece, she pieced together obscured facets of the greater puzzle, edging closer to discerning truths hitherto obscured.

Where before frustration reigned, now flowed solutions - and answers demanded further seeking.

After about an hour of research, she figured out the book title. Шарить. She translated it in her computer. It meant be adept at something. Of course... She wrote this down quickly, both the Russian lettering and the English translation. She then started looking up bookstores in the area, seeing if any of them would have this book. Bingo!

Determination surged through her as her search bore fruit - the key to unlocking new details seemed within reach. Scribbling notes feverishly, she paid little heed to her surroundings until a subtle shift stirred the atmosphere.

She grabbed her notepad and stood from her desk, packing her laptop into her book bag. Standing to grab her jacket off the chair, she jumped slightly in turning to find Ghost leaning quiet yet intent in the doorway. Aelia paused to gauge his unspoken thoughts. Gone was the easy repartee of partners; an undercurrent now flowed between them, churning the waters of their alliance.

She didn't know what to say and sort of froze, blinking a few times as she tried to process everything that was happening. Her mind was racing yet coming up blank at the same time. She couldn't get a good read on what Ghost might be thinking - his dark eyes were focused intently on her, but there was a sense of something else behind them - worry maybe?

An uncomfortable silence stretched between them. Aelia subtly shifted her weight from one foot to the other as she fought the urge to fidget under his gaze. Finally unable to take the quiet any longer, Ghost broke it with a plain question. "Where are you going?" he asked, a tinge of concern creeping into his usually guarded tone.

The question caught Aelia off guard after such a lengthy pause. Though she tried to keep her expression composed, she couldn't help blinking rapidly in surprise a couple times as she processed being addressed directly. With rising defensiveness, she shook her head at him, hoping to dismiss his concern without further discussion. "Nowhere, just gotta get some air," she lied, averting her gaze as she spoke. Without waiting for a response, she tried to step past him and head for the door, eager to escape the intensifying conversation.