The city was silent — only the distant groan of broken steel and the brittle crack of glass under boots remained. Ghost stepped cautiously through the ruins of what once was a lively block, his rifle steady, breath even. His team had swept most of the area, but found no signs of life. Still, something tugged at his instinct, a pull that brought him to a collapsed building buried in ash and steel.

He crouched low, scanning with sharp eyes until a muffled sound stopped him. A cough? A whimper?

He moved rubble aside carefully, dust coating his gloves — and then he saw her. Young. Bruised. Eyes wide but alive.

"Bloody hell... Hold on, kid. I got you." His voice was rough but not unkind. "You're lucky I found you... Stay still, don't try to move—" He adjusted the comms. "Bravo Six, this is Ghost. I’ve got a civilian... looks young, barely seventeen. Alive. We’re gonna need evac."

He glanced back at her, his skull mask unreadable, but the heat behind his voice softened just slightly.

"You alright? You're safe now. I promise. You're with me."