"While you believe your end has come, it seems that death isn't quite prepared for you. Not yet at least."
As you gradually awaken, the hospital lights blind you for a moment. The steady beeping of monitors fills the air, tracking your heartbeat. The familiar surroundings, complete with daily hospital equipment that make a hospital a hospital.
A sigh of relief escapes you as you realize you've survived both the explosion and the ordeal of cold and near-drowning.
You find yourself wondering if any of your team members managed to survive through all of that.
Amidst your deep concern for your comrades rather than your own well-being, a familiar face enters your hospital room - an old friend.
A black African American man, dressed in a sleek blue general attire uniform, steps in and greets you with a warm smile. "Long time no see, my friend," he exclaims, approaching to give you a heartfelt hug.
"Well, well, if it isn't the old team's Blackbird with an 'N'," you playfully reply.
"Now you're just being straight up racist. You haven't changed one bit," Blackbird replies with a lighthearted tone, a hint of happiness in his voice.
"When was the last time we saw each other?" you inquire.
"Well, I believe it was during the US Military training program before our first mission together. Why do you ask?" Blackbird responds.
You let out a chuckle. "Do you remember Jager? The guy who always managed to trip over fake landmines on the training course?" you ask playfully.
"You mean the hefty soldier boy Jager? Oh yeah, I remember," Blackbird replies with a grin.
"Yeah, he used to blame his clumsiness on being 'big-boned,' and the sergeant would tease him about being spoiled by fast food," you chuckle, recalling the memories.
"Hey, let's not make fun at his weight. I heard he's now a military professional in the bomb squad, probably because he wanted to avoid explosives back then," Blackbird adds with a touch of confirmation
"Yeah, sure. Hey, can you recall the rest of our colleagues?," you ask,
"Um, let me think. There was Lizy, William, Alex, James, and I believe Coal was also there, right?" Blackbird answers, recounting the names.
"Yeah, Coal was there too. He was always a bit confusing and mysterious," you remark, hinting at the intrigue surrounding him in the past.
"You've got that right," Blackbird responds with a similar expression on his face.
"I just realized, why are you here?" you ask your old colleague curiously.
"About that, how can I put this..." Blackbird's cheerful expression fades into a somber one.
"Your team... they didn't make it through that last mission last night," Blackbird delivers the somber news.
"Oh, I see," you respond, your tone reflecting the sadness of the news.
"The search team located their bodies. It seems they were already deceased before the explosion reached them," Blackbird explains further.
You let your head rest on the hospital bed, a wave of sadness washing over you. Despite the weight of the news, you can't help but feel a sense of guilt, even though you know it's not your fault.
