Our arrival back at the base camp was met by the perimeter guard. Hawk and Gregson were waiting just behind them, along with a full medical team.

The guards were tense for obvious reasons. This is supposed to be an easy day for all. But the emergency call flare was always a bad sign and they were ready for trouble. The fact that we are ready to ghoul would only make things worse, that was not expected by anyone.

Gray quickly went over to Hawke and began to brief him on what she had found in the zone. I was handed over to the medical team. My injuries have slowed us down but not too badly, getting out of the zone was a great motivator.

The medical team quickly studied the injuries on my back and arm. Due to the risk of infection, they had to be treated right now. They didn’t mess around and I was treated right there and then in front of everybody. Honestly, it was a blur as I was just going through the motions at this point. The pain was a constant hot throb in my back now and was all I was focused on.

My injuries were stitched and I was shot up with various drugs and painkillers. This took the edge off the pain of course but not enough to hinder my ability to function. No magic fairy pills for me today!

I was soon whisked away to the decon tent. Hills just behind me but I was put in first as my injuries dictated that I had to be treated quickly. My armour and equipment were quickly removed by the decon team. I was quickly hosed down with surprising care to my back and arm.

I was soon in the generic grey tracksuits they give us after a shower. I was drying my hair slowly onehanded as I did not want to aggravate the injuries on my back and both arms were not happy. Hills went through her decon and join me in a matching tracksuit.

“Well, that was unexpected.” I said to her. When she had come in, I notice that she was very hesitant around me. So, I decided to break the ice as they say, small talk was never my strong point with women. Technically we’re not to talk to each other until after the debrief but screw that it’s been one of those days.

“The Ghoul. It was so fast I never saw it coming.” I could see that the grave chill was getting to her now. It’s now after the fighting and the adrenaline that it gets to you and messes with your head. To be honest it was messing with mine but I recognised it for what it was and had learned to work around it. She had never been exposed this badly before. The physical effects are easier to understand, the mental had to be experienced first hand.

“I know what you mean. I acted before even realised what was going on. Sorry for knocking you over by the way.” She smiled weakly at my apology.

“You surprise me doing that.”

“I thought I might have. Were you injured?”

“A few bumps and bruises but I’m okay.”

“That’s good.”

“But what about you? What it did to your back and arm. I saw injuries you must be in terrible pain?” She asked worriedly with obvious concern. The depression brought on by gave chill causes you to focus on yourself. That’s why it’s so easy to spiral into a dark place under its effects.

“I won’t lie to you Hills it hurts like an absolute bitch. But the sad truth is I’ve had far worse.” I could lie to her and tell her that it was fine that it was just a flesh wound and I will walk off but no, I was not going to start lying to her now. The base medical wing will be housing me again for a few weeks.

Her expression showed that she was mulling over what I had said to her. She was finally now understanding what it took and what it cost to be a zone operative. That it was ultimately not a pretty or pleasant thing.

Gregson entered the tent then. I decided not to continue with our conversation as it was heading into territory that was going to depress us both even more.

“Ready John?” We both knew what was coming next. “Command tent first.” Okay, that was new.

“No, but let us get it done.” He nods lifting the tent flap as I get up off the chair sitting on and walk out slowly. He steps in behind me as we walk to the command tent.

“Command tent?” I had to ask the question.

“Hawk is checking the perimeter of the zone. He will move us to another location for the debrief when he is sure that is secure.”

“Fair enough.”

The command tent was a hive of activity. The Intel people inside were studying laptops talking to each other and on phones. The presence of the ghoul had thrown this entire operation into confusion. And from what I learned about Hawk he hated confusion in his operations.

We found him standing with Walker at the map of the zone. They were discussing the location of the ghoul attack and where it might come from. I gathered from listening to conversations happening around me that a lot of the security perimeter guards walking the boundary of the zone.

Ghouls don’t just appear at random. Its appearance was unknown which could jeopardise future missions into any grave-type zone. So, Hawk was eager to find out how a Ghoul had appeared here.

He noticed our approach pausing in his conversation with Walker. They both turned to look at us well me mainly. I was moving slowly and carefully due to my injuries. The medical team had told me that not as deep as they originally feared and I had been stitched up. They told me to take it easy. So, I was moving very slowly from my normal walking pace.

“Harrington would ask how you’re feeling I saw your injuries are you up to your debriefing?” Hawk asked.

“Sure, let’s get it done.” I have found it is best to just get it over and done with.

“Okay, this way please.”

The four of us left the command tent and headed to a nearby one. It was much smaller when we are on the winning side it had been set up and ready for the debriefing. A table with two chairs was located inside the tent with all the recording equipment set up.

Hawk set in one of the chairs and I slowly sat in the other. I made sure not to lean back. Gregson and Walker took up positions away from the table at the tent edge.

“The date is…….” Hawk switched on the equipment and began to go through the necessary steps for recording the debriefing. I zoned out as this was the information needed for filing the recording we were about to make.

“Operative Harrington. Can you tell us about the start of the operation please?” Okay, showtime for me.

I started my story at the beginning as expected. I explained how we went into the zone. I told them about how we followed the prearranged route to clear the zone of any possible threats. I noted in the report that I was happy with how Hills was moving and acting while on the mission. I walked through how we found and engaged each other skeletons in the zone.

I explained why I had Hills take out one by herself. I continued telling them how we went on through the area, sure that there were no other threats we could see until we reached the breach. We checked the breach and I had Hills fire the flare signalling that we had completed that part of the mission.

As apparently, we had completed the mission we started withdrawing from the zone back to base camp. It was then that we were ambushed by the Ghoul. I took them through the fight I remembered it. Hillside fired off the emergency flare calling in the support team. I tried to communicate to them to make them understand the speed and brutality of the fight. And ultimately how I killed the ghoul.

“It was then that the support team arrived and we were escorted back to base camp. My injuries slowed us down but we were not engaged by any other threats on the way you.” And so ended my report. The questions would soon begin.

“Did you encounter any tracks or indications that a ghoul was present for the engagement?” Hawk asked. We both knew that he was going to have to ask questions. So, I did not take it personally my anger, however.

Breathe.

“No. There were no tracks. No indications that a ghoul was present in the zone.” I finally gave voice to something that had been bothering me though. “We were ambushed near the edge of the zone and should have seen the ghoul at the breach. Not the place where we were hit.”

This was the question I realised that was nagging both Hawk and Walker. As far as we understood it is operative entering the breach bubble attracts every threat that is still active to it. It is a well-known and recorded fact, that if this was changing could mean a lot harder sealing missions in the future.

Hawk went on to ask me several more questions about the operation. But they were just filler questions for the reports to the bureaucrats behind the scenes.

I was soon released ready to head back to Zone Command. This was of course after they had debriefed Hills, I found somewhere to sit and wait. Gregson had gone again to get Hills. I saw him leading her into the debriefing tent.

Eventually, she reappeared with Gregson. I couldn’t tell if she had taken longer than me. They came over to me, Hills was still very hesitant in her actions. To be honest I could not blame her as your first debriefing is always a nerve-wracking experience.

“Transport has been arranged to head back.” Gregson told us.

“This is always good news. Okay, Hills it’s your first time in the isolation ward for you.” I told her.

“What! Why?” She asked shocked.

“Standard procedure remember?” Gregson answered her. She was not happy but remembered that this was standard procedure after a mission. Especially one that involved exposure to grave chill.

We went over to the waiting helicopters. The base camp was only a short distance away from the impromptu landing fields. Just off in the distance, we could see where the lorries that transported the bulk of the base camp equipment were parked.

None of the present helicopters spun their blades in preparation to leave. In the distance, I can make out another helicopter approaching. This was a smaller passenger model not the bulk transport ones in front of us.

It quickly landed in a nearby field and we were hustled into it. I back announced its happiness with me being strapped into the chair. And soon we were airborne and went back to Zone Command.

We hit several air pockets along the way jolting the helicopter. This increased the amount of unhappiness my back was letting me know about. Even though the painkillers I was wincing every time. The journey took just over an hour, a torture-filled hour.

We were back at Command as the sun started to set. We were quickly ushered into the medical buildings separated into separate rooms. It was said that the medical personnel began an in-depth evaluation of my physical condition.

I was soon a pincushion with all the samples of what they were taking. My back was checked extensively at the temporary stitches placed there were removed. My vitals were also now attached to several different machines. Thankfully it was all wireless technology these days.

Eventually, I called my mother to let her know I would not be home soon as I had been deployed. She had come to accept this finely and did not put up a fuss. I decided not to mention the injuries.

Dr Holland was around this time. You seem to take a growing interest in my medical condition. But for the life of me, I cannot figure out why it was a nagging concern for me.

So, with nothing better to do, I had to wait until release.