The world around me felt like a haze. Everything blurred—the shouts from Marcelo and Nina nearby, the muffled sound of footsteps and gunfire in the distance, and Clara lying on the ground, her blood slowly seeping between my fingers as I pressed against the wound.
“Clara, please, stay with me,” I whispered, my voice trembling with a desperation I had never felt before. “You promised.”
She opened her eyes just enough to give me a tired but determined look. “I... I’m here,” she murmured, her voice weak but laced with resolve.
Nina appeared by my side, her face tense as she quickly assessed Clara’s condition. “She needs medical attention now, or she won’t make it,” she said, her voice cold but efficient. “Marcelo, help me!”
Marcelo rushed over, sliding to his knees beside Clara. “We need to get out of here. Now.”
“Is Evelyn done with the data?” I asked, my breath coming in short bursts.
“Yes,” Nina replied. “But Richard’s sending reinforcements. We’re out of time.”
Marcelo and Nina took the lead, clearing the path while I stayed close to Clara, helping her walk as best as I could. Every step felt like an enormous effort for her, but Clara refused to give in.
“You don’t have to be so stubborn,” I murmured, my voice thick with emotion as I helped support her.
“Yes, I do,” she replied, offering a faint smile that didn’t match the gravity of the situation. “You’ve never liked quitters.”
Despite the fear, I couldn’t help but return a brief smile. “You’re impossible.”
“And you love me anyway,” she murmured back, her voice fading at the end.
“Yes,” I whispered, feeling tears threaten to fall again. “I love you.”
After what felt like hours, we arrived at the secondary rendezvous point, an old shelter camouflaged deep in the forest. Evelyn was already there, working frantically on her laptop. When she saw us, her eyes widened at the sight of Clara’s condition.
“Lay her down here,” she instructed, pointing to a makeshift mattress in the corner.
I helped ease Clara onto the mattress, my hands still trembling as Nina and Marcelo brought over medical supplies. Evelyn began preparing a cocktail of medications to stabilize Clara while I cleaned the blood around the wound.
“Will she be okay?” I asked, my voice barely audible.
“She’s strong,” Nina replied, her gaze fixed on Clara. “But we need to stabilize her quickly.”
Marcelo placed a hand on my shoulder, his voice calm but steady. “She’ll fight. Clara always fights.”
While Evelyn and Nina worked on Clara, Marcelo pulled me aside. “You need to get yourself together,” he said, his tone firm but not harsh.
“How can you expect me to pull it together?” I asked, my anger boiling over. “She took a bullet for me.”
“Because that’s what she does, and you know it,” Marcelo replied, his words hitting me like a slap. “Do you think Clara would hesitate to do what’s necessary? She put your life above hers. Now, you need to do the same.”
I swallowed hard, knowing he was right, but the weight of guilt was still crushing. “I just… don’t know what to do without her.”
Marcelo sighed, his expression softening. “You’re not without her. She’s still here. So fight for her, just like she fought for you.”
Later that night, when the adrenaline began to fade and exhaustion overtook the group, I sat beside Clara. She was awake but visibly weak. Her eyes met mine, and despite the pain, there was a glimmer of determination in them.
“You’re mad at me,” she said, her voice hoarse.
“I am,” I replied, holding her hand tightly. “But more than that, I’m scared.”
Clara gave a faint smile. “I’m fine, Bela. It was just a bullet.”
“‘Just a bullet’?” I repeated, my voice full of disbelief. “You almost died, Clara.”
“But I didn’t,” she countered. “Because you were there.”
The tears I’d been holding back finally spilled, and I shook my head. “I can’t lose you. Not now. Not ever.”
Clara squeezed my hand, her grip surprisingly strong given her condition. “You won’t lose me. I promise.”
While we were in that moment of reprieve, Evelyn rushed into the room, her expression alarmed. “We have a problem.”
Marcelo and Nina followed close behind, weapons at the ready. “Richard knows we’re here,” Marcelo said. “And he’s not coming alone.”
The fear returned with full force, and I stood, my body ready to fight despite the exhaustion. “What do we need to do?” I asked.
“Buy time,” Nina answered, her eyes dark. “Or we won’t make it out alive.”
Clara tried to sit up, but I immediately pushed her back down onto the mattress. “You’re not going anywhere,” I said, my tone unyielding.
“You can’t do this alone,” she protested, her voice filled with worry.
“I’m not alone,” I countered. “You taught me how to fight, Clara. Now let me fight for us.”
She hesitated but finally nodded. “Just… be careful.”
I leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. “I promise.”
As I left the room to join the others, I heard Clara’s voice, weak but determined: “I’ll be waiting for you.”
And with that, I walked toward the next battle, knowing that everything that mattered was in that room, waiting for me.