Where the Sun meets the Star

4. The Secret Mission

Chapter 4: The Secret Mission

Dr. Amara Velasco’s POV

The call for help came through just as I was rechecking our supplies. I glanced up, catching sight of Kalix’s team preparing to head out for the other side of the island, where the aftershock had reportedly hit hardest. My heart skipped a beat. I didn’t want to admit it, but something in me tightened at the thought of him leaving, heading into yet another danger zone.

It was ridiculous. We’d spent less than a few days in each other’s company, and half of that had been spent arguing. And yet, there was something there—an invisible thread connecting us in ways I couldn’t explain. Maybe it was the high-stress situation, the adrenaline, the sheer proximity of life and death in a place like this. Or maybe, I thought with a frustrated huff, he’d just gotten under my skin because he challenged me. A lot.

Before I could talk myself out of it, I found myself walking over to him. He was speaking to his second-in-command, Argus Falcon, but he paused when he saw me.

“Doctor Velasco,” he said in that gruff tone of his, raising an eyebrow. “Thought you’d be busy preparing your own team.”

I crossed my arms, ignoring the amused look Falcon shot in my direction. “I wanted to say…good luck out there. And—” I hesitated, swallowing my pride. “And maybe try not to be too reckless.”

Kalix’s expression softened, and for a brief second, a hint of warmth flickered in his eyes. But just as quickly, his usual guarded look returned. “I could say the same to you,” he replied, nodding to the medical team behind me. “But…thanks, Doctor. I’ll make sure to return with everyone accounted for.”

And then, with a curt nod, he turned and walked toward the waiting vehicle, leaving me standing there, feeling as if I’d just been dismissed and oddly comforted at the same time.

Captain Kalix Santiago’s POV

As the jeep rattled down the rough, uneven path, my mind kept drifting back to Amara’s words. Her concern, though veiled in her usual sharpness, had come through clearly. And for the first time in a long while, I felt something shift inside me.

Argus noticed my silence. “What’s going on, boss? You’re quieter than usual.”

I shook my head, glancing out at the devastated landscape passing by. “Just thinking about the mission.”

“Or someone on the mission?” he teased, grinning in that way he always did when he sensed something deeper. “I saw you talking to Dr. Velasco before we left. She’s got a fire to her, that one.”

“Focus, Sergeant,” I muttered, but even I couldn’t deny the truth in his words. There was something about Amara that wouldn’t let me keep my usual distance.

As we reached the site of the aftershock, we were greeted by scenes of chaos. Civilians and volunteers rushed around, trying to dig through the rubble and pull out anyone who might still be alive. My training kicked in, and I motioned to Falcon and the rest of my team.

“Falcon, take Yolo and start clearing out the east side. Zandra, Tando, work the perimeter to check for aftershock risks. Lemuel, find a vantage point and cover us.” Each of them nodded, and I moved to join Falcon’s team, who were already at work.

As I helped pull debris aside, my thoughts kept flickering back to Amara. Her words, her determination—it was all embedded in my mind. It was a dangerous thing, this emotion that had crept in uninvited. I needed to keep it under control. Because out here, there was no room for anything other than survival.