The Darkness I Carry

Chapter 51: Collateral Damage

The silence that followed Leah's departure felt heavier than ever, pressing down on Caleb like the weight of a thousand decisions he hadn't made in time. He stood frozen in the empty room, his mind racing, heart pounding with the same urgency that had defined his every step since he first stepped into this nightmare. He had seen the cracks in her armor the ones she refused to let anyone see.

But the question remained: was it enough? Could he keep fighting for her when she no longer believed there was anything left to fight for?

His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden, sharp beep from the comm unit embedded in the wall. Caleb turned, startled by the intrusion. The cold, mechanical voice on the other end was the same as always, as if nothing had changed.

"Caleb West. You are required in the briefing room. Immediate assignment."

The words hit him like a punch to the gut. An assignment. Another mission. The weight of it crashed over him, but it didn't matter. He had no choice. He couldn't just sit here, wallowing in his failure. Not when the next mission was waiting. Not when

"Caleb," the voice came again, this time more insistent, pulling him back into reality. "Now."

With one last glance toward the door Leah had walked out of, Caleb turned, steeling himself. He didn't know if he was ready for whatever this assignment would bring, but he knew one thing: it was a distraction. It was something to focus on other than the gaping wound in his chest, the one Leah had carved into him with her words.

The briefing room was exactly as he had left it the day before sterile, empty, and impersonal. It felt like a place meant for machines, not people. As Caleb entered, his eyes immediately fell on the large table at the center of the room, where the usual dossiers, screens, and mission parameters awaited him.

A figure stood at the head of the table a man Caleb recognized, but couldn't quite place.

His face was cold, calculating, a perfect fit for the world they were all trapped in.

"Caleb," the man said, his voice devoid of warmth. "Take a seat."

Caleb obeyed without a word, the usual tension building in his chest. He had learned long ago that it was better not to ask questions. It only made things worse. The less you knew, the better. But today… today, he couldn't shake the feeling that this assignment would be different.

The man clicked a button on the screen, and a new image appeared a face Caleb didn't recognize. The person was young, around the same age Leah had been when they first met. The image was grainy, hastily taken, but Caleb could see enough: the face was familiar, the eyes full of fear and desperation.

"Your target," the man said simply, his tone almost dismissive. "No more questions. Get it done."

Caleb's heart sank as he studied the image. There was something wrong about it.

Something that gnawed at the back of his mind.

"Who is she?" Caleb asked, despite himself. He needed to know, even if it was a mistake to ask.

The man didn't flinch. "That is classified. You'll learn more once you complete the mission."

The coldness in his voice sent a chill down Caleb's spine. This was more than just a target. This was personal.

Before he could voice any further protest, another face flashed onto the screen. This one was far more familiar. Caleb's breath hitched as the image of Leah appeared her features as cold and distant as they had been the last time he saw her.

"She's part of the equation now," the man continued, his gaze piercing through Caleb. "You'll have to deal with both of them."

A lump formed in Caleb's throat. His pulse quickened. Leah wasn't just a target. She was an obstacle. A part of this mission. She had become the very thing he had sworn to protect her from.

The weight of the words crushed him.

"What do you mean, part of the equation?" Caleb asked, his voice trembling.

The man's eyes glinted with a brief flash of amusement, though it wasn't the kind of amusement that made anyone feel at ease.

It was the kind of amusement that only came from seeing someone finally realize they were nothing more than a pawn.

"You'll understand soon enough. You're the one who chose to be part of this, Caleb," the man said. "Now it's time to finish what you started."

The implications of the words hit Caleb like a freight train. This wasn't just about saving Leah. This wasn't about stopping some faceless enemy. This was a mission in which Leah herself had become the weapon. And Caleb he was the one who had to stop her.

The ride back to his quarters felt like the longest journey of his life. Caleb's mind was reeling, the weight of the briefing pressing down on him like an unbearable storm. He couldn't understand it. Couldn't understand how she had gone from the girl he loved broken, fragile, but still there to this. To this weapon. This target.

His heart twisted in his chest, the question burning inside him.

How did it come to this?

As he entered his room, Caleb's eyes landed on the small stack of personal belongings he had kept in the corner photos, mementos from a life that felt like it belonged to someone else. He picked up one of the pictures, the one from the first mission he had ever gone on with Leah. They had been so young then, so full of hope. Back when they believed they could change things.

Back before the world swallowed them whole.

A sharp knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. He didn't need to ask who it was. He already knew.

He opened the door to find himself face-to-face with the woman from the briefing room.

She wasn't a figure Caleb had encountered often, but her presence felt as familiar as the cold air he breathed. She was there on business, but the look in her eyes suggested there was something more.

"Caleb," she said, her voice smooth but commanding. "It's time to act."