Fatigue and Recovery

With each step, Hffyl's fatigue seemed to grow.

"Ugh, my head's spinning a bit," he muttered, his hand instinctively reaching for his forehead.

Farid, who was beside him, squinted in concern. "You good, kid?"

Hffyl nodded slowly, but his steps were a bit unsteady. "Just...tired, I guess. And my nose... it feels weird. Kinda itchy."

Asif frowned, looking over at him. "You sure it's just fatigue? This place... it's old. Lots of dust and stuff. Could be that."

Arash smirked, "Or maybe all that history's finally getting to your head. Too much for a young mind." He laughed, trying to lighten the mood.

Hffyl chuckled weakly. "Maybe, but I doubt it's the history."

Farid shook his head. "We should speed up a bit. Get you back and rest up. Last thing we need is you fainting on us."

They continued their way through the terrain, the air thick with a sense of urgency. Hffyl tried to keep up.

Hffyl squinted into the distance, his already wearied senses straining to make out the figures. His heart sank as he recognized the uniforms of the AASOC. They seemed to be holding some of their own captive.

Farid, following Hffyl's gaze, whispered, "Isn't that...?" His voice trailed off, the weight of the realization evident.

Asif's voice had an edge to it. "They've got some of their own. What's going on?"

Arash added, "Could be an internal conflict. Politics within the AASOC? But we can't just storm in there."

Hffyl sighed, pressing his fingers to his temples. "We can't engage them now. Especially not in my state. But... Liv should know about this. She might want to get her people out."

Farid raised an eyebrow, "You think she'll listen to you after... you know?"

A hint of regret washed over Hffyl's face, "I don't know, but she deserves to know. It's about her team."

Asif pulled out a compact radio. "You want to call her?"

Hffyl hesitated for a moment before taking a deep breath. "Yeah, pass it here."

Asif handed the device over, and Hffyl dialed the frequency. There was a brief static before a familiar voice came on, "This is Liv. Speak."

"Listen, there's something you need to know," Hffyl began, carefully choosing his words. "It's about your team. The AASOC... whatever they are... they have some of them."

There was silence on the other end for a moment. "Are you certain?" Liv's voice betrayed no emotion, but Hffyl could sense the underlying concern.

"Yeah, I think I saw them." Hffyl replied, exhaling slowly. "You should... you should act fast. I thought you might want to know."

Liv's voice came through sharp and clear. "Thanks. We'll handle it from here."

The call ended. Farid turned to Hffyl, his expression thoughtful. "You did the right thing."

Hffyl nodded but looked distant. "I just hope she can trust the information."

They resumed their trek, the fate of the captured squad members heavy on their minds.

As the group made their way back to the caves, the air was thick with anticipation. The weight of their discoveries at the Maqbara of Sayyid was heavy on their shoulders. The mountainous terrain of Afghanistan provided a rugged backdrop, and the distant murmurs of the PAF, Hizb al-Thabat al-Shari'ah, and MV Sirena crews echoed in the distance.

"Didn't expect to find all that," Farid mumbled, kicking a stone away from his path.

Hffyl, his eyes downcast, replied, "Neither did I, but it's what we needed."

Arash, scratching his beard, added, "There's a lot more at stake here than we originally thought. That Maqbara... it's more than just old stones and tales."

Asif, adjusting the strap of his bag, piped up, "And what about that call, huh? Those Juliet folks. They seem in deep trouble."

Hffyl took a deep breath, "We informed Liv. It's in her hands now. I hope she manages."

Farid shot him a glance, "Still got that thing against her, huh?"

"It's not that," Hffyl quickly responded, "I just... can't forget. But I respect her. And I do hope she finds her team."

They walked a bit more in silence, the distant sounds of the camp growing louder. As they entered, the hustle and bustle of the MV Sirena crew preparing for the next move became evident.

"Back so soon?" Mei Ling raised an eyebrow, approaching them with her usual tech gear in tow.

Hffyl rubbing his own head, "Well, someone's got to keep you lot in check."

She laughed, "And here I was thinking you went on a holiday!"

Arash gestured to a nearby tent, "We should debrief. There's a lot to discuss."

As they gathered around a makeshift table, a map of the region spread out, Hffyl's mind raced. The information they had, the challenges ahead, and the unresolved tensions - all combined into a storm of thoughts.

Hffyl, still trying to catch his breath after their recent escapade, found himself fumbling with an old piece of paper containing some intel. Karim, always tinkering with his gadgets, was nearby, soldering something that emitted faint blue sparks.

"Y'know, if we're aiming for Zarabad," Karim began without looking up from his work, "we're going to need more than just a piece of paper and sheer guts."

Farid, who was sharpening his blade, chimed in, "He's right. That place is swarming. We'd be walking into a lion's den."

Hffyl nodded, rubbing his temple. "It's not just about rushing in. We need... something more."

Karim put down his soldering iron, his face lighting up. "You remember those drones I was working on? Those could give us a bird's eye view, let us know what we're walking into."

Arash, pouring himself a cup of tea, remarked, "That sounds good, but intel alone won't cut it. We need firepower too, just in case things get dicey."

Karim smirked, "Got that covered too. Been working on some mods. Not to brag, but they're kind of... explosive."

Asif, always the light-hearted one, stretched out his arms, "As long as it doesn't blow us up, I'm all in."

Amidst the laughter, the familiar aroma of freshly cooked rice wafted through the air. Suresh from the MV Sirena crew, was serving dinner. Hffyl's stomach growled, a reminder of the little he'd eaten all day.

Karim, catching the sound, laughed, "Guess we better fuel up before diving into plans, eh?"

Arash chuckled, "One thing at a time. Let's eat first. We'll need our strength."