Where the Sun meets the Star

6. The night under the star

Chapter 6: The Night Under the Stars

Dr. Amara Velasco’s POV

The night felt endless as I watched Kalix fade into the dim glow of the makeshift camp, his silhouette blending with the shadows. Despite the hard conversation, something about him lingered—his unwavering commitment to duty, his steady presence. I wanted to keep my focus solely on the patients, on the needs piling up by the hour, but his words echoed in my mind, just as stubborn as he was.

“Dr. Velasco!” Nurse Janine’s voice pulled me back, her urgent tone cutting through the silence.

I turned to see her approaching with another nurse from our team, Nurse Chanyeol. They were guiding an elderly man who looked barely able to stand, his face flushed with fever. He trembled under the camp lights, his breaths coming in shallow gasps.

“Another case?” I asked, glancing down at the man’s sunken cheeks. My heart sank as I noticed the telltale signs of the virus: the rapid breathing, the glassy eyes, the unmistakable pallor.

“He came from the northern village,” Nurse Chanyeol replied. “They said he’s the only one who managed to escape the landslide. The others... didn’t make it.”

I swallowed hard. Every new case weighed on us like another stone added to our backs. But with this one, there was also a glimmer of hope—if he was from the northern village, he could hold valuable information about the outbreak’s origin.

“We’ll keep him isolated,” I said, motioning toward a tent we’d recently prepared for new arrivals. “Let’s do a full workup—blood samples, vitals, the works. If he’s survived this long, we might learn something new.”

Just as I turned to lead him to the isolation tent, a deep voice sounded behind me.

“I’ll take it from here.”

I whipped around to see Kalix, his face set in that determined expression of his. He was flanked by two of his team members—Sergeant Argus Falcon and Specialist Santaniel Lauriel, both standing alert, their eyes scanning the camp.

“Captain Santiago, we can handle this,” I said, my voice laced with exhaustion and a hint of exasperation. “I don’t need you taking over every aspect of our operation.”

He didn’t flinch, meeting my gaze with a calm intensity. “I’m not here to take over, Dr. Velasco. But if he’s a new arrival from the north, he needs to be quarantined with strict supervision. We can’t risk the possibility of him carrying something more virulent.”

I sighed, realizing his concern was valid. But still, his military presence felt overwhelming, like a constant reminder of the limitations we faced. “Fine, but my team will monitor his condition closely. We need to learn as much as we can.”

Kalix nodded, his gaze softening for a brief moment. “Agreed. I’ll have my men keep watch around the tent to ensure no breaches.”

With a resigned sigh, I motioned for Janine and Chanyeol to proceed, and we escorted the man into isolation. But as we tended to him, I couldn’t shake the feeling of Kalix’s eyes on me, his unspoken worry pressing down as heavily as my own.

 

Captain Kalix Santiago’s POV

The weight of this mission felt heavier with each passing hour. Every time I looked at Amara, standing tirelessly by her patients, her face a mask of exhaustion and unwavering resolve, I couldn’t help but feel an ache of frustration. She was risking herself in ways that bordered on reckless, but I knew I’d be wasting my breath if I tried to stop her.