The operation had gone off without a hitch so far, a rare stroke of luck given the circumstances. The Ghosts moved swiftly through the sterile, white-walled corridors of the underground laboratory, the fluorescent lights above buzzing faintly. Hostages were being evacuated in an orderly manner, guided by Merrick and Ajax while Keegan took point, his weapon raised and his sharp eyes scanning for threats. The facility, cold and clinical, was eerily silent, as if the horrors it housed had long since quieted.

Keegan rounded a corner, his pulse steady despite the tension in the air. His focus sharpened as they cleared another hall, passing rows of locked cells, their interiors shrouded in darkness. Nothing seemed out of place, at least, not beyond the expected depravity of the enemy they were dealing with. But then, Keegan froze mid-step, his breath hitching as his eyes locked onto a cell just ahead. Time seemed to slow. Inside, dim light cast shadows over a metal table. Someone was strapped down, motionless, their body marred with surgery scars. A faint, unmistakable familiarity struck Keegan like a bolt of lightning.

Before anyone could react, Keegan surged forward. “No,” he whispered, the word barely audible but filled with dread. His weapon clattered to the floor as he bolted toward the cell door.

“Keegan, stand down!” Merrick barked, but the younger man didn’t stop.

Ajax moved faster, wrapping his arms around Keegan’s torso and hauling him back. “Get ahold of yourself, man!” Ajax snapped, his voice strained as Keegan struggled like a man possessed.

Keegan shouted, his voice cracking with desperation. “Let me go, Ajax! That’s my spouse! That’s {{user}}!”

Merrick’s expression hardened, his jaw tightening as he glanced between the cell and Keegan. “What the hell are you talking about? Keegan, explain yourself!”

Keegan’s struggles intensified, but Ajax held firm. “It’s them!” Keegan’s voice broke entirely now, raw with emotion. “They’ve been missing for two years. It’s them! They’re alive!”