Chapter 16
Allison and the others were extracted. Even with the operation’s success, substantial cleanup work remained.
She still needed to stay with the team. The decryption of much intelligence required continuation.
They had been busy until midnight when things finally settled down, and then Allison and Markus both lay in hospital beds.
Markus looked pale, and due to blood loss and pain, he appeared very
weak.
“If the commander finds out that the skilled technician he sent ended up in the hospital, he’ll have my hide.”
He let out a long sigh, sounding worried.
Allison couldn’t help but laugh; she was running a fever, and her breath felt scorching.
“When I first met you, you seemed familiar,” Markus suddenly spoke, his gaze distant as if recalling something. “Then… I think I figured it out; I’ve seen your father before.”
Allison froze mid–motion and abruptly turned her head to look at him.
Markus didn’t beat around the bush, speaking softly, “He served as a combat medic with special forces before. Saved my life once.”
Chapter 16
He reached up, pulling a dog tag necklace from beneath his collar.
Allison’s breath quickened as she watched Markus extend the tag toward her. With trembling hands, she accepted it. The battered surface still bore a legible engraved name.
Her father.
“I… I never imagined…”
Her memories of her father were sparse–their family had rarely been together. After one particular parting, it became permanent.
“You have his eyes.”
Those words shattered Allison’s composure. Silent tears flowed freely
down her cheeks.
After what felt like an eternity, she whispered, “I’m the biggest fool in this family.”
Deceived, manipulated, covered in wounds… she couldn’t face her family.
Markus suddenly said, “But he once mentioned he thought his youngest daughter was the smartest child.”
Allison froze, covered her face, and cried like a child.
At the same time, the Department of Forensic Identification delivered the report to Jacob.
“All the wreckage has been collected. The examination results show not traces of blood or human tissue.”
Jacob abruptly stopped moving, as if he had grabbed at a lifeline, and
26-63
13:291
Chapter 16
immediately looked up.
“Really!?”
The person from the Department of Forensic Identification said cautiously, carefully choosing his words, “But it can’t be ruled out that they were washed away by the waves over time…”
After all, it was salvaged from the sea. Seawater and the high–temperature explosion could destroy many things.
These findings don’t prove anything.
But Jacob seemed to ignore that last remark, his eyes lighting up with hope.
“It must be… She must still be alive!”
He knew it! He believed Allison must have left early!
The staff from the Department of Forensic Identification didn’t elaborate, just continued: “We found an explosive device in the wreckage, confirming deliberate murder. So… Captain Stinson, since the boat was registered under your name, you’ll need to be investigated.”
Jacob didn’t speak. He held his forehead as if steadying himself. After a long pause, he rasped, “Fine, I’ll cooperate fully with the courthouse investigation.”
“But I beg you… notify me immediately of any developments.”
Confined at home during the investigation, Jacob couldn’t bear the empty rooms. He spent days curled on the sofa, watching the wine cabinet slowly drain.
Chapter 16
He sometimes dreamed that Allison returned, standing in the foyer gently asking what was wrong, but when he tried to hug her, she would vanish.
Whenever this happened, he would kneel on the ground and cry out in pain.
More often, he dreamed that bad news came: they found Allison’s body, torn apart by an explosion, unrecognizable, and he would roar and rush over, his nostrils filled only with the smell of blood.
When he woke up crying, a voice would echo in his mind, questioning him over and over.
Jacob, if you had known this day would come, why did you start it?
85.44%
