I was swimming in a giant lake. My lungs were burning, but no matter how fast I swam, the surface never got any closer. Underneath me, a bright light shined, making it impossible for me to see what was lurking on the lake’s floor.

A figure appeared in the gloom, its hand outstretched in my direction.

I reached for it, but it was too far away. My body felt like it was being sucked back into a vortex, a whirlpool opening up at my feet.

When I looked down, the water had turned to blood, and I was drowning in it.

* * *

I woke up with a start, gasping for air. My eyes were flooded with a bright light as I looked around, trying to get my bearings.

“Kirk…” a soft, angelic voice sang to me.

When I looked to my left, Sidney was sitting by my bedside, a concerned look on her face.

“What’s wrong?” I asked her, reaching out my hand to caress her cheek.

“Never scare me like that again.” She suddenly had her arms wrapped around me, pulling me into a tight, back-breaking hug.

“Scare you?”

“Do you not remember?” she asked, pulling back, her frown deepening.

I blinked. My temples throbbed as I tried to recall, but somehow, through the haze, my altercation with Van came back to me. The man who had killed my brother – who had nearly killed the love of my life.

“Where is he?” I growled.

“He’s being detained at a high-security facility. Nothing will get to him.” Martin walked in with a can of Mountain Dew in his hand. “I thought you might want something to cheer you up. Unfortunately, they told me you couldn’t have beer.”

I rubbed my forehead, my arm being followed by a plethora of needles and medical wires. “I don’t understand… what happened? How did you find us?”

“We followed you,” Martin answered, opening the soda for me. “Like I said, I knew you were going on a suicide mission. I managed to convince the commander to let you be the bait we needed to get to Van.”

I groaned. “So now you get all the credit for taking him down, don’t you?”

“No.” He grinned. “You do. You’re being honored as a hero. Also, since you got shot in the line of duty and you now have a few fractured ribs as well as a busted hand, they’ve deemed you unfit for duty. You’ll be discharged with an early pension and benefits. You get to go home and enjoy the rest of your life while the rest of us have to continue sleeping on dingy cots as the ocean rocks us to sleep.”

“Unfit for duty… what are they talking about? I’ll be as good as new in no time. You know that, Martin. Tell them.”

He frowned, placing a hand on my shoulder. “I’m sorry, buddy. There’s nothing I can do. Take my advice and just enjoy your life.” He paused before reaching into his pocket. “Oh, and one more thing. You won’t have to go on a wild goose chase after your brother anymore.”

“What do you mean…?” I whispered, my heart quickening. Had they finally found him?

With a somber expression on his face, Martin pulled out a pair of dog tags. “We found these in one of the holding cells. It has his name and number on it.”

I took the tags, feeling numb. They were cool to the touch, making me shiver. After all this time of searching, this was all I had to remember him by.

“He died with honor. The Medical Examiners found evidence of quite a few traumatic injuries to his skeleton. He was tortured, but as far as we know, he didn’t tell them a thing.”

I thought about what my brother must have gone through in his final days. Alone. In pain. Still, he managed to stay strong through it all. A true soldier, through and through. I clutched the tags in my hand, holding it up to my heart before I smiled at Martin. “Thank you.”

“Of course. Those were supposed to go into evidence, but I snagged them before anyone could file them. Don’t tell anyone, okay?” He winked.

“Wow, Martin breaking protocol. Is hell freezing over?”

He chuckled. “You know I’d do anything for you, brother.” With that, he patted me on the shoulder before stepping outside.

Now alone with Sidney, the silence felt like a heavy fog that made it hard to breathe.

On one hand, I should have been ecstatic, but somehow, the moment felt bittersweet. After so many years searching for my brother, my search had ended in failure. My brother had been killed, years ago. After years of heartbreak, I was finally able to mend that wound, to lead a happy life with Sydney, and yet, I hesitated.

“You want to stay, don’t you?”

I looked at her, my heart heavy. Slowly, I nodded. “But, they’ll never let me back on the force.”

“Doesn’t mean you can’t stay.”

“What?” I asked, my brows furrowing together in confusion.

“You may have completed your mission. You finally know what happened to your brother. But, I’m still looking for answers. My article isn’t going to write itself, you know. The world still needs to know what’s really going on in this country.”

“So, what do you want me to do?”

“Well, when you’re out of that bed and fully functional again. I wouldn’t mind a strong, sexy bodyguard by my side as I travel through the jungle, searching for answers.”

“Are you seriously going to risk your life to write this article?”

“I’m a journalist. That’s what we do.” She grabbed my hand, squeezing it gently. “You know I’ve always wanted to make a difference in the world, and this is the only way I know how. Won’t you help me?”

She offered me a warm smile that melted my heart. I didn’t deserve her, but now that I had her, I knew I would never let her go.

“There’s no need to ask.” Before she could say something, I grabbed her hand in mine. “I only joined the Navy so I could find my brother… now that I know he’s dead… the only thing I have to live for is you. And, I’ll be damned if I let you wander around the jungle by yourself while I’m at home watching TV. I might as well put my skills to go use.” I leaned forward, kissing her lips ever so gently, feeling like I never wanted to pull away.

Too soon, she broke the kiss, holding me at arm’s length. “Are you sure? ”

I nodded as much as I could, considering the brace around my neck. “I love you, Sidney, and now that I’ve found you again, I’d follow you to the ends of the Earth just to be with you.”