Chapter 13
2452words
Golden ginkgo leaves covered the paths of Central Park, couples whispered on benches, children chased pigeons, everything looked like the most heartwarming scene from a movie.
I held Leo's arm, resting my head gently on his shoulder, feeling like I had finally become part of this picture. We had just waited in line for half an hour to buy the most famous hot dogs in the city, and were now sharing this simple pleasure.
"Honestly, I don't understand why anyone would want to spend more than an hour watching men in tights jumping around." I complained with a mouthful of hot dog about last night's musical that had nearly put me to sleep.
"That's art, darling." Leo laughed, wiping sauce from the corner of my mouth with a napkin, "And you spent at least half the show sleeping on my shoulder, so you got your money's worth for half the ticket price."
"That's because your shoulder is much more comfortable than the theater seats." I winked mischievously, looking up at him.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled shadows on his well-defined face. I loved seeing him this relaxed, without the constant vigilance he had in Hadram, the sharpness in his eyes replaced by gentle amusement.
The shadow of war seemed to be gradually fading away, and we could finally enjoy the bustle and peace of this city like ordinary people.
Just then, Leo's phone in his pocket emitted a very slight vibration. His smile froze for a moment, and although he quickly returned to normal, I still keenly caught the fleeting change in his eyes.
Leo took out his phone, glanced at it, then quickly put it back in his pocket, his expression returning to calm, even with a hint of apology. "Sorry, Chloe, I need to go to headquarters."
"Meeting?" My tone was calm, but inside my heart felt like it had been gently pricked by a thin needle.
"Yes, an impromptu meeting," he said.
That word again, "meeting." Since returning to New York, this word had become an unspoken code between us. It meant Leo would once again briefly disappear from my world, entering a realm I couldn't reach, full of unknowns.
Each time he said he had to "attend a meeting," my heart would involuntarily suspend itself.
"Alright," I released my hand from his arm, trying to make my smile appear less forced, "work comes first."
"I promise I'll be back soon." Leo leaned down and planted a kiss on my forehead, his lips warm and dry. He gazed at me deeply, his eyes filled with apology, reluctance, and a hint of complex emotion I couldn't quite read.
Then, he turned around, quickly merging into the bustling crowd in the park, his tall, straight figure soon disappearing at the end of the throng.
I stood alone in place, the hot dog in my hand suddenly becoming tasteless. I stared at the direction where Leo had disappeared. The sunlight in Central Park was still bright, the laughter of children still crisp, but my world seemed to be separated by an invisible wall—on one side was the peaceful scene under the sun, and on the other, a storm I couldn't see.
---
In the upscale restaurant, crystal chandeliers refracted brilliant light, and melodious piano music flowed through the air. Eva nervously stirred the coffee in front of her; she rarely felt so restless. Sitting across from her was her father, a general with graying hair and eyes sharp as an eagle's. And Mark beside her, dressed in a crisp suit, sat formally upright, like a defendant awaiting final judgment.
"So, you're the Navy SEAL who has my daughter head over heels." The general's voice was deep and authoritative as he scrutinized Mark, his gaze seeming to penetrate to the bone.
"Yes, sir." Mark met his gaze with quiet dignity. "I love Eva, and I hope to gain your approval."
The general was silent for a moment, picking up his coffee and taking a sip. "My daughter is my only treasure. I won't let her marry a man who could die at any moment in some unknown corner of the world. This isn't prejudice, it's a father's most basic wish."
Eva's heart sank, and just as she was about to speak up, Mark placed his hand over hers.
"I understand your concerns, sir." Mark's expression was unusually serious as he took an envelope from his pocket and gently pushed it across to the general. "So, I've made my choice."
The general picked up the envelope and pulled out the documents inside. When he saw the contents clearly, those sharp eyes showed surprise for the first time. Eva also curiously leaned in to look - it was a retirement application. Captain Mark Bishop, citing personal reasons, was applying for retirement from the Navy SEALs.
"You..." Eva looked at Mark in shock, unable to speak for a moment.
The frost on the general's face seemed to melt a little as he put down the application and looked at Mark again. "I've heard of your combat record, 'Hardess.' You're among the best. Is it worth giving up the career you've fought for half your life for a woman?"
"For me, nothing is more important than spending the rest of my life with Eva." Mark firmly held Eva's cold hand, his gaze incredibly determined. "Sir, I've not only submitted my retirement application, but I've also accepted a directive from the Pentagon. I'll be taking a civilian advisory position there. I won't be going to the battlefield anymore."
The general finally nodded, he looked at his daughter: "It seems you have found a man who is willing to give up the whole world for you. I have no reason to object anymore."
Dinner ended in a strange atmosphere of harmony. Walking out of the restaurant, the night wind of New York carried a chill. Eva remained silent until Mark excitedly pulled her into his arms.
"We did it, Eva! Did you hear that? Your father agreed!"
"Let me go!" Eva suddenly pushed him away, her voice carrying suppressed anger and trembling.
Mark was stunned. "What's wrong? We should be celebrating."
"Celebrate? Celebrate that you gave up your dream? Celebrate that for my sake, you turned yourself into an office coffee-drinking bureaucrat?" Eva's eyes reddened as she looked in disbelief at the man she loved deeply. "Mark, do you know what I fell in love with? I fell in love with that invincible 'Hardess' on the battlefield! That warrior who would fight for his beliefs and honor! I never wanted you to give these things up for me! I love you as a whole, not someone who breaks his own wings for the sake of love!"
"But your father——"
"My father was just testing you! He wanted to see if you would submit or stand up for your career! True love isn't sacrifice, Mark! It's not about giving up what makes you who you are just to please me!" Eva's voice grew hoarse with emotion. "What you're doing isn't loving me—it's insulting me, and insulting yourself too!"
The smile completely disappeared from Mark's face, his facial muscles twitching, his eyes filled with hurt and confusion. "I gave up everything... just to be with you peacefully... is that wrong?"
"Yes!" Eva's tears finally broke through the dam, "You handed the decision over to my father, not to ourselves! You'd rather believe an old general's worldly prejudices than believe I could handle the pressure of being a soldier's wife! You don't trust me, Mark!"
After she spoke, she turned and ran into the night, leaving Mark standing alone on the street. The evening breeze blew up the discharge application that he had treasured as proof of his love, the paper helplessly tumbling in the air, just like their love that had suddenly reached an impasse.
---
At the other end of the city, in an abandoned warehouse, the air was filled with the smell of blood and gunpowder. Leo pointed his gun at a man in the corner who was leaning against the wall with a bullet wound in his abdomen. The man was dressed in black combat gear, his face pale, but his eyes remained fierce like a wounded lone wolf.
"Andrei Petrov, SVR (Russian Foreign Intelligence Service) agent," Leo said coldly in Russian, "Your mission has failed."
"'Apollo'... I didn't expect to meet you here," Andrei gasped, his lips curling into a grim smile. "You don't seem to have aged a bit."
They had crossed paths before during an unofficial joint operation, and both had left strong impressions on each other. It was a special resonance between soldiers that transcended nationality and allegiance.
"Hand over what you've obtained, and I can call in medical backup for you," Leo maintained his vigilance.
"The thing is here." Andre painfully pulled out a miniature hard drive from his chest, "But it's not for you. This is evidence for our internal housecleaning, it must be delivered to my superior. Someone wants to silence me. Cough cough..." He began to cough violently, fresh blood flowing from the corner of his mouth.
Leo silently looked at him. He knew that if he turned Andre and the hard drive over to headquarters, he would be rewarded. But he also knew that Andre wouldn't survive the night, and the secrets on the hard drive would be buried forever. He and Andre were enemies, but they were also the same kind of people, walking in darkness, carrying out dirty tasks for their respective countries. At this moment, what he saw was not a Russian agent, but a soldier betrayed by his own organization.
"Where is your contact?" Leo suddenly asked.
Andre was stunned, then understood something, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. "East River, pier seventeen, midnight twelve o'clock."
Leo put away his gun, walked forward, tore off his first aid kit, and pressed it on Andre's wound roughly but professionally. "I'll take you there. But just this once. Next time we meet, I'll still blow your head off with a bullet."
"Deal." Andre smiled, smiling like a winner.
Leo supported Andre as they left through the warehouse's back door. However, as soon as they stepped into the alley, a barrage of bullets came at them from all directions. An ambush! And the firepower was fierce, leaving no survivors.
"Looks like your enemies have significant resources." Leo growled, pushing Andre behind a dumpster while quickly drawing his gun to return fire. Gunshots echoed in the narrow alley, bullets striking sparks on the walls. This was an unexpected encounter, and the enemy clearly knew their whereabouts perfectly.
Leo was suppressing the enemy's fire while dragging Andre toward the alley exit. Just as they were about to rush out of the alley, a bullet came whistling through the air and pierced Leo's side. The excruciating pain made him grunt, his body swaying slightly, but he didn't fall. Instead, he used his last bit of strength to push Andre into a black sedan waiting at the alley entrance.
"Go!" Leo shouted at the people in the car, then turned around, using his wounded body to shield against the pursuing gunfire. He dropped to one knee and fired his last magazine at the shadowy figures surging from the darkness.
More bullets struck him, and his body fell heavily backward, his consciousness rapidly fading through the intense pain. In his final moment before collapsing, what he saw was the black sedan disappearing into the night.
---
In the dressing room of the Presbyterian Hospital, I was preparing for the upcoming television program recording. I would be a special guest, sharing my rescue experience in Hadram. The makeup artist was doing the final touches, while an assistant was reviewing the cue cards with me.
"Dr. Stirling, you look fantastic, you'll definitely be the center of attention tonight," the program producer complimented with a smile.
I pulled at the corners of my mouth at my reflection in the mirror, a perfect, flawless smile.
However, my heart wasn't there. Leo said he would be back "soon," but now it was late at night, and he was still nowhere to be found. A familiar feeling of unease, like vines, tightly gripped my heart.
Just then, my phone rang frantically. It was a call from the emergency room.
"Chloe! Where are you? Come to the ER quickly! We just admitted a severely injured gunshot patient... it's Leo!" On the other end of the phone, my colleague's voice was anxious and flustered.
With a "boom", I felt my entire world explode.
Time seemed to freeze in this moment, the makeup artist's gasp, the producer's inquiries, all became distant and blurred background noises. I abruptly pushed away everyone in front of me and rushed toward the door desperately.
My high heels made hasty and chaotic sounds on the polished floor, the expensive dress on my body became a burden, I even tore off the necklace from my neck.
I ran, through the long corridor, my mind completely blank, with only my colleague's words "severely injured gunshot victim" echoing repeatedly.
When I finally burst into the emergency room, the pungent smell of blood instantly seized my breath.
I saw him.
On the rescue bed in the center, lay a person covered in blood. His military jacket was soaked with fresh blood, his face as pale as paper, eyes tightly shut, chest rising and falling weakly.
It was Leo.
My footsteps halted, and I felt all the strength in my body instantly drained away.
The world spun and collapsed before my eyes. I wanted to scream, but couldn't make any sound. I wanted to rush over, but my legs felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead.
I watched as doctors surrounded him, cutting open his clothes, inserting various tubes, the defibrillator charging... That familiar handsome face was covered in blood, without a smile, without warmth.
The elite doctor who just moments ago had been carefully dressing up for a TV program, at this moment, completely broke down.
I slowly sank to my knees, covering my mouth with both hands to prevent myself from sobbing aloud.
Large teardrops rolled through my fingers, crashing onto the cold floor.
Just then, an urgent alarm sounded from the emergency room.
"Blood pressure dropping rapidly! Prepare for defibrillation!"
"Heartbeat stopped!"
The monitor drew out a piercing flat line.
Chloe suddenly lifted her head, watching helplessly as the group of doctors began frantically compressing Leo's chest.
No.
She couldn't just watch him die like this.
She abruptly stood up and rushed toward the door of the emergency room.
