Chapter 4: Aboard the Aegis
Morning came quietly over the Pacific.
The sun rose behind the carrier group, spreading orange light across the ocean while the LHD Aegis continued cutting through the waves with its escorts surrounding it.
For once, there was no alarm.
No incoming infected.
No missile launch.
No emergency briefing.
No desperate extraction.
Just the steady sound of engines, aircraft maintenance, waves striking the hull, and sailors doing their jobs.
Adrian woke earlier than most.
Not because he had to.
Because his body no longer knew how to sleep normally.
After months of constant combat and command pressure, even four hours of uninterrupted sleep already felt like a luxury. Anything more felt suspicious.
He sat on the edge of the narrow officer's bunk for a moment, wearing a simple black shirt and cargo pants instead of armor.
No rifle.
No helmet.
No plate carrier.
It felt strange.
Almost wrong.
