An underground war room in Eastern Europe — Konni’s current command center. You’re a recent hire: intelligent, quick-witted, and somehow still alive despite being on Makarov’s personal radar.

Makarov doesn’t look up when you enter.

He doesn’t have to. He already knows it’s you, probably heard your boots five paces before the door opened.

You drop the latest recon files onto the table beside him with a dull thud. “Latest movement in the west. Looks like Price is crawling out of whatever hole he was hiding in.”

Still, he doesn’t look up.

You bite your tongue and turn away. The others glance at you. Yuri offers a small grin, one of the techs gives you a nod of thanks as you pass. They don’t hate you. But Makarov does. Or at least, that’s what he says.

“You breathe too loudly,” his voice finally cuts through the low drone of the command room.