18 July 2037
07:50
SNA Airbase, Volgograd, Russia
Sohel and Mitali had arrived an hour earlier, both still stiff from the long ride in the transport helicopter that ferried them from the countryside. Their bodies ached, stitched with bruises, burns, and fresh cuts—the legacy of their last mission. Now, seated side by side in the airbase infirmary, the smell of disinfectant and the faint hum of medical machines filled the silence.
Two SNA medics moved briskly around them, wrapping gauze around Sohel's right arm and checking Mitali's pulse one last time. Their old civilian clothes had been discarded for the black t-shirts with SNA stamped boldly in sky-blue letters across the back and dark cargo trousers. Even stripped of armour and gear, they looked like soldiers—battered, but unbroken.
Sohel sat on his chair, phone in hand. He spoke briefly in low tones, the words almost drowned out by the hum of the air-conditioning. When he ended the call and slid the phone into his pocket, Mitali finally broke the silence.
"What did Mei say?" she asked. Her voice was cautious, as though bracing for an answer that might shift the ground beneath her again.
Sohel rubbed his jaw. "They're wheels up from Heathrow. Should be here by evening."
Mitali nodded faintly. "I see."
For several minutes, neither spoke. The silence grew heavier with every second until Sohel's chest ached with it. He finally drew in a breath, his voice rough when it came.
"Mitali… Can we talk?"
She turned toward him, forcing a smile that looked more like a wound than comfort. "Yeah? What is it?" She already knew. Somewhere deep down, she had always known.
Sohel's gaze fell to the floor, his hands clasped tightly together. "I realised… that you had feelings for me. Long before yesterday."
The words cracked something open. Mitali's eyes widened, the colour draining from her face. "Since when?"
"Six years ago," Sohel said quietly. "At Rooppur. The way you acted when I asked you to join the mission, the way you looked at Mei—those small things. I wasn't sure at first, but in D.C., when you said you wanted to be more than my childhood friend… I knew then."
Her hand shot up to her mouth, trembling. Her body shook as if each word stabbed deeper. "Why didn't you say anything?"
Sohel's chest tightened. He forced himself to meet her gaze. "Because I knew I couldn't give you the answer you wanted. You're… you're like a sister to me. I didn't want to hurt you. I didn't want to make things awkward between us."
The tears she had been holding back spilt over, silent but unstoppable. She shook her head, words catching in her throat. "You… I…"
"I'm sorry," Sohel whispered.
Mitali turned sharply away, blinking furiously as if to hide the storm raging inside her. Then, without another word, she stood and walked out of the infirmary. The door shut softly behind her, leaving Sohel alone with the smell of antiseptic and the steady beep of a monitor.
He leaned back on the chair, staring at the ceiling. Was it the right choice? Or just another mistake I'll have to carry?
18:25
The roar of engines thundered across the Volgograd airbase as the Athena descended gracefully, kicking up clouds of dust and exhaust. Sohel stood on the tarmac, squinting against the downwash as the giant VTOL's landing struts settled onto the runway. The ramp lowered with a mechanical groan, and figures emerged from the haze—Mei in the lead, followed by De Luca, Annabelle, Arina, and Elina.
Sohel stepped forward, clasping Mei's hand firmly. For a brief moment, fatigue, loss, and the shadows of war faded—this was his family, united again. Together, they walked toward the administration building while crews rushed past them to reload the goddess of war with fuel, ammunition, and supplies.
Inside, Mei wasted no time. "Cohen died before we could get anything out of him," she said bluntly. "So what's next?"
Sohel leaned against the table, arms folded. "It's fine. Liora knows where Kuroshima is. Once Athena is rearmed, we hit her. No delays."
Arina tilted her head. "Where's Mitali, ma'am?"
The question cut deep. Sohel's expression faltered before he forced a mask of calm back onto his face. "I don't know. She's somewhere around the base."
Arina's brows knitted in worry. "I'll go look for her." She hurried out before anyone could respond.
Mei turned back to the rest. "Get some rest. We've got a big fight ahead."
De Luca, Annabelle, and Elina gave crisp salutes, then dispersed.
Sohel lingered. He studied Mei for a moment before asking, "And you? Don't you need rest too?"
Mei shook her head. "I'll be fine." She hesitated, her eyes narrowing slightly. "But… can we talk?"
Sohel paused, weighing the unspoken tension between them. Finally, he nodded. "Come with me."
They climbed the stairwell to the terrace of the command building. The sky was a watercolour of fading oranges and purples, the last light of the sun clinging stubbornly to the horizon. They stood side by side at the railing, the cool evening breeze carrying the scent of jet fuel and iron.
Mei's voice was low. "Did something happen between you and Mitali?"
Sohel chuckled bitterly. "Was it that obvious?"
"You know I see right through you."
He sighed. The words came heavy. "She confessed to me."
Mei's throat tightened. She stared ahead, afraid to look at him. "And… what did you say?"
"I didn't have to. She knew I couldn't return her feelings." His jaw clenched. "But I told her I'd known about them for years. I think… I think that hurt her even more. Did I make the wrong choice?"
For a moment, the terrace was silent except for the hum of distant engines. Then Mei reached out, her hand resting gently on his shoulder. "No. You gave her the clarity she needed. Sometimes the truth is cruel, but it's still mercy."
Sohel exhaled, the weight on his chest loosening slightly.
Mei's gaze lingered on him, her eyes softening. She whispered almost to herself, "I guess… I need to be true with my feelings too."
"What did you say?" Sohel turned, confused.
Before he could ask again, Mei grabbed a fistful of his t-shirt, pulling him down until their faces were inches apart. Her lips crashed against his. For a heartbeat, Sohel froze, his eyes wide with shock. Then time seemed to stop—the war, the missions, the pain—all of it drowned beneath the fire of her kiss.
When she finally pulled away, her cheeks flushed, Mei smiled faintly. "Can't believe I finally did it. That's how I feel about you, Sohel."
Sohel stood motionless, processing. Then slowly, his lips curved into a smile. In a voice almost reverent, he spoke in flawless Japanese:
"わかってたよ. 僕も君を愛してる." (I knew. I love you too.)
Mei's breath hitched. "You… You never told me you knew Japanese."
Sohel smirked. "You never asked."
Her eyes widened. Memories of every private moment where she had spoken her heart aloud in her native tongue rushed back. "You mean all this time, when I…"
"I knew exactly what you were saying," Sohel said softly.
Her face turned crimson. Embarrassment bubbled into anger. She began punching his chest lightly with both fists. "You—schemer! Meanie!"
Sohel laughed, catching her hands and pulling her into his arms. "I'm sorry."
"You better be," she muttered into his chest.
The warmth of the moment shattered with a cough from the terrace door. Annabelle leaned against the frame, arms crossed, her grin wicked. "Sorry to interrupt you lovebirds, but Athena's ready to fly."
Mei snapped her head around, flustered. "How long have you been there?"
"That's a secret," Annabelle teased, already backing away.
"You—!" Mei shot after her, cheeks burning, as Annabelle darted down the corridor laughing.
Sohel chuckled quietly, his heart still racing. He straightened, adjusting his shirt, and walked back toward the door. Whatever tomorrow brought, tonight had given him something rare: clarity.
Clarity, and hope.