Loyce continued, "This whole thing was a setup. The enemy manufactured this crisis to spark a war. Lucian is the cornerstone of Harmony Country's military, which makes him Yale Nash's biggest threat. Taking him out was the only way their grand plan could move forward."
"But don't worry, Forrest," Loyce assured him. "It was a brutal trip, but I went in prepared. I had micro-cameras running on my gear. I have concrete evidence of their war crimes. Once my team extracts the data, I'll send it straight to you. You need to make sure it reaches the President."
Forrest glanced at Zeke, who gave a solemn nod. "Understood. Keep yourself safe. I'll handle the politics on this end."
After exchanging a few more words with Marcella and her second brother, Loyce hung up. She turned to Nightingale, gesturing for help getting into her wheelchair. She needed to check on Lucian.
"We arrived at this private hospital late last night," Nightingale explained as she pushed the chair. "They ran a full workup on him, but he only went into the OR this morning." She checked her watch. "It's been about seven hours."
One of the medics from the extraction team came sprinting down the hallway toward them, clutching a clipboard. Seeing Loyce was like seeing a savior.
"SaintHealer!"
He practically bowed as he shoved the clipboard toward her, his words tumbling out in a panic. "The nerve repair on the Admiral's leg failed. He's hemorrhaging badly. The surgical team is recommending immediate amputation to save his life. There's no other option. They need your signature."
The atmosphere in the hallway instantly plummeted to sub-zero.
"Where is he?" Her voice dropped an octave, radiating an overwhelming, suffocating pressure.
"OR 3. They're trying to stabilize him, but the lead surgeon already..."
Before he could even finish, Loyce cut him off. She looked back at Nightingale. "Take me there right now. No one is taking his leg."
She couldn't bear the thought of how devastated Lucian would be if he woke up missing a limb.

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