Chapter 302 - FELL IN LINE OF DUTY

Gabriel was unconscious for two days and during this time, Annie was the only one who took care of him. She stayed beside him, worried that someone will come and attack him while he was unconscious.

Gabriel could sense someone moving in the same space as him. He slowly opened his eyes and found Annie walking to and fro at the foot of his bed.

"What are you spacing about?" Gabriel asked in his hoarse and weak voice.

"Thank goodness you're awake." Annie walked to his side and looked at him. "Are you feeling dizzy? Should I call the doctor?"

"I'm fine." Gabriel was about to move his body when he noticed a hollow space. He sat up on his bed immediately and touched his lower body. "I lost it. Hahaha. In the end I still lost it."

Annie cried while watching him laugh hysterically. She knew he was sad knowing that his leg was cut off. She was sad for him.

Gabriel looked at the sobbing Annie beside him. "Hey Annie, why did I have to lose it?"

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Annie bowed his head deeply in apology. She did it multiple times to atone for her mistake. If it wasn't for her, he wouldn't lose so much blood, he wouldn't get his wounds infected. He wouldn't lose his leg. Annie regretted her incapable self so much.

Gabriel reached out his hand and messily rubbed the girl's head. "Don't worry about it. You saved me back there. It wasn't your fault." He might be sad for losing a leg but that wouldn't stop him from doing his duty.

Annie stopped crying and sat on the chair beside his bed. "Are you hungry? Are you thirsty?"

"Hn. I'm thirsty." Gabriel admitted. "Can you get me a glass of water? And can you call the doctor as well?"

Annie nodded her head immediately. She poured him a glass of water using her left hand since her right shoulder wasn't healed yet. Gabriel noticed it, too.

"Did you hurt your right hand?"

"A little bit. It's treated already and the doctor said that it will heal in a few days." she handed him the glass of water before she walked out of the room. "I'll be right back with the doctor."

Gabriel was looked at his right leg and thought about his missing foot. Back in the 'torture' house, he was ready to give up his life but since Annie saved him, he didn't want to waste the fight and effort she exerted.

'I guess I'll just have to inform Calhoun about this. No one else need to know about my situation aside from him. He needed to send help, too.' Gabriel made up his mind while he waited for Annie and the doctor.

It didn't take five minutes before Annie came back. The doctor was following closely behind her.

"How are you?" the doctor asked Gabriel.

"A little bit sad about my leg but I am doing fine."

"I'm really sorry to have cut off your leg. It was the only way to save your life and body. Your little sister was begging us to save you as well."

'Little sister?' Gabriel asked himself while he looked at Annie. "My sister was scared when she found out what happened."

"Hn. That's normal. In our place, fighting became a norm already. We always wanted to make peace but it always failed. I heard that soldiers came to negotiate but they were ambushed. I think the government will think of a way to wipe us out soon."

"That won't happen." Gabriel stated in serious voice. Annie believed in him because he was one of those soldiers, the only one who survived.

"I hope so. " the doctor sighed and checked his vitals. "Later, I'll ask someone to bring you some broth to eat. Don't eat to much food yet."

"Uhhmm..doc, can I borrow your phone? I need to make a call." Gabriel asked hesitantly.

"Sure." the doctor gave him his phone before he continued checking on him. Annie knew that it was an important call so she asked the doctor to leave with her, using an excuse that she needed to get the food for Gabriel. "I'll accompany your sister to get the food. I'll be just get my phone when I get back."

"Thanks doc."

Gabriel waited for them to leave his room before he called Calhoun.

Inside the military camp, in his office, Major General Calhoun was having a headache. Thirty-five of his men died for stupid negotiations. Their families were mourning and he was still having a hard time in taking their bodies back. He wasn't even sure if their bodies can still be found.

He was raking his brain for different ways but he was afraid to send his men to retrieve the bodies. He didn't want anymore casualties in his men. Even if they were not under his special force, they were still part of the military. That included Gabriel.

Gabriel may not have family of his own but, there's the Avery and Madrigal family who kept nagging him to find his body. Most specially, there's Winter who refused to rest despite the dangerous missions she took one after another.

"This is making me crazy!" Major General Calhoun felt so helpless this time. Just as he was about to leave his office, his personal phone rang with a string of unfamiliar number.

Back in the hospital, Gabriel waited for Calhoun to pick up his call. "This is Major General Calhoun of Special Task Force." Gabriel heard the strength in his voice as well as the worry and sorrow that accompanied it.

"This is Brigadier General Colton."

Calhoun was shocked beyond belief that he was talking to the person who was deemed dead. "Gabriel! God! Where are you? What happened? We couldn't get in touch with you at all."

Gabriel took a deep breath and released it. "Gabriel fell in line of duty. Together with his comrades, he died in the hands of the enemies. His body couldn't be found. You can make this story, right?"