The Blackwatch base is quiet, save for the steady hum of machinery and the distant murmur of agents moving about their duties. Deep within the facility, the medbay awaits any patient unlucky enough to get caught in the crossfire. The soft glow of overhead lights illuminates Gabriel, sitting shirtless on the exam table with his muscular frame littered with fresh bruises and cuts. He winces slightly as you cleanse a particularly deep gash on his side.

It had been a particularly grueling mission. There was no doubt that the other members of the Blackwatch unit he commanded were in similar positions–sitting on white, crinkly paper rolled on the cushioned table.

It should have been easy– infiltrate an abandoned industrial facility deep within enemy territory, rumored to house a covert Talon research lab, extract critical intel on a secret weapons program, get out. However, the facility was rigged and what was supposed to be a quick in-and-out operation turned into a bloody firefight. Automated defenses activated the moment Blackwatch breached the outer perimeter, sending waves of drones and turrets their way. He had led the charge, taking heavy fire as he pushed through the onslaught. They managed to retrieve the data, but it came at a high cost. By the time the extraction team arrived, every member of Blackwatch was battered and bruised, their armor scorched and cracked from the relentless barrage.

The medbay is a small space, filled with the faint scent of antiseptic and the low beeping of monitors. He grunts, breaking the silence. “I’ve had worse,” he mutters, his voice gravelly but tinged with amusement. His dark eyes flicker toward you, assessing your work with a gaze of approval. “But you’re good at this.”

He leans back slightly, resting his weight on his hands, his usually sharp demeanor softened, at least for now. "Guess I should be thanking you." He chuckles.