Is this a goodbye...?

They reappeared in the dimly lit infirmary, the air thick with tension and the sterile scent of antiseptic. With urgency in every step he took, Theo carried Elena to the triage and emergency section, the bloodied trail left behind a horrifying reminder of the seriousness of the situation.

Doctor Sinclair, the day's medical officer on duty, rushed to their aid, his stethoscope draped around his neck, ready to assess Elena's condition. Concern and a steely determination warred in his gaze.

In those moments, time seemed to stand still. The world dissolved into a blur of frantic movement, the only constant the white-knuckled grip Theo held on Elena's hand. A desperate current urging her to fight back the tide threatening to pull her under.

"What happened, Colonel?" the doctor in charge asked, his voice steady despite the urgency of the situation.