Chapter 332
[ 497 words ]
Chapter 332:
K. C. Bell was standing guard twenty feet down the hall, his back currently turned as he checked something on his datapad.
Caroline opened the door slightly wider, intending to call out to him in a low whisper.
Just as she leaned forward, K. C. turned around and spotted the flash of movement out of the corner of his eye.
His gaze locked onto Caroline. He registered the oversized military shirt, and even though her legs were covered by the wool blanket, the improvised nature of her attire was unmistakable. The image of the Colonel’s wife standing in the hallway wrapped in his shirt and a field blanket struck him like a physical blow.
Absolute, unadulterated panic exploded in K. C.’s brain. The “Black Code” protocols screamed in his head.
He knew with terrifying certainty that if any other soldier saw the Colonel’s wife dressed like that, in Jarrod’s clothes, her hair wet, her state of undress obvious despite the blanket, Jarrod would slaughter them. Literally.
“Ma’am! Code Violet! Get back inside!” he roared, simultaneously slamming a red alert button on his wrist-mounted datapad. It was a localized lockdown protocol, designed to seal the command sector from an internal threat.
Before Caroline could process the order, the heavy steel door to Jarrod’s quarters slammed shut with a definitive clang, its external lock glowing red. She was locked out. A split second later, heavy blast doors at the end of the corridor began to slide shut with a deafening groan, sealing the entire hallway.
𝖱𝘦ad 𝗳𝗋e𝘦 𝗻𝘰𝘷𝗲𝗹𝘴 on 𝘨𝘢lո𝗼𝗏𝖾lѕ.co𝘮
K. C. was on the other side, his face a mask of horror as the gap closed, cutting him off completely.
She slowed to a halt, her bare feet freezing against the polished concrete floor.
She looked around at the completely unfamiliar sector markers on the walls, realizing her critical mistake.
She wrapped her arms around her shivering body, the borrowed shirt and wool blanket providing little warmth, and understood she was completely and hopelessly lost in the maze of the JSOC base.
Caroline leaned against the cold concrete wall, her bare legs trembling violently in the freezing draft of the corridor.
She rubbed her arms, the thick sleeves of Jarrod’s shirt providing little warmth against the industrial-grade air conditioning.
The sound of heavy, rhythmic combat boots approached from the far end of the dim hallway.
Caroline shrank back into the shadows of a recessed doorway, terrified of encountering a group of unknown soldiers.
A single figure rounded the corner, holding a tactical flashlight and a slung rifle.
The flashlight beam swept the corridor and stopped abruptly, pinning Caroline’s shivering form in its bright circle of light.
Corporal Evan Riley froze, his hand instantly dropping away from his weapon as he recognized her face.
His eyes widened as he took in the oversized olive-drab shirt and her completely bare legs.
Remembering Dr. Reed’s terrifying warning and his own survival instincts, Evan immediately averted his gaze, locking it firmly on the wall just past her shoulder.
He stood rigidly at attention, addressing the wall loudly. “Mrs. Romero? Do you require assistance?”
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