"But Administrator, this fool is acting out of place. He let them go when he should have—"
"Shut up!" the administrator shouted.
His voice thundered through the confined space of the control room, raw with fury and exhaustion.
The sharp command silenced the general mid-sentence, the man's mouth snapping shut as veins pulsed at his temples.
The administrator's chest heaved, his face flushed under the harsh emergency lights, the air thick with the lingering scent of ozone and sweat-soaked fear.
"Thank you, Jordan, for helping us. If not for you, I would likely be dead alongside these disgraces of generals," the administrator continued.
His tone softened as he turned to Jordan, gratitude shining through the weariness etched in his eyes.
The words carried genuine relief, a quiet acknowledgment of the young man's pivotal role in their survival.
"I am honored by your praise," Jordan replied.
