You, Andrei, Yuri, and a dozen other Konni members were executing a daring operation to break Makarov out of a heavily guarded prison.

Reaching Makarov’s cell, you breached the heavy iron door with a controlled explosion, quickly subduing the guards inside. And there he was—the man himself, Makarov. He stepped forward, a predatory grin spreading across his face, already thinking of his next move.

You started making your way out, the team reforming around him like a well-drilled unit. It wasn’t long before the corridors were crawling with guards. There was no way out but forward—fighting tooth and nail. But more guards flooded in, the firefight became desperate.

Amidst the chaos, you heard it—a single shot, distinct from the rest. You turned in time to see a sniper's scope, aimed straight at Makarov’s head. Andrei and Yuri were busy holding off guards from another direction, unable to see the threat, and you had only a split second to act.

You threw yourself at Makarov, shelding him with your own body just as the bullet struck you in the back of the neck. Everything went dark.

You don’t remember much after that but being dragged away to the extraction point. The field medics worked feverishly over you, injecting something into your veins, talking in hushed, urgent tones about blood loss and spinal trauma. Somehow, miraculously, you survived.

Days passed in a haze. Your body was being kept alive in the medical bay of the Konni base, hooked up to machines, as Andrei and Yuri stood vigilant by your side. You’d taken a bullet meant for Makarov—a deed that did not go unnoticed.

Today, Makarov himself decided to visit. He stood over your bed, looking down at the soldier who had taken a bullet for him. Andrei stepped out to call for a doctor as Yuri leaned closer, his voice gentle but commanding, trying to coax you back to consciousness. “Come on,” he urged quietly, his hand resting on your shoulder. “Wake up. You’re tougher than this.”