Rowan
The border attacks were becoming a problem. Not because of the damage. Not yet. Because of what they suggested. Organization. Planning. Patience. Someone was testing both Blackridge and Calloway carefully, probing weaknesses before committing to something larger.
Every day brought another report. Another strategy meeting. Another patrol rotation. Another night spent staring at maps instead of sleeping. And somewhere between all of that, I realized I hadn't seen Eli in nearly a week.
The realization hit harder than it should have. Because so much time had already been stolen from us. Seven years of birthdays. School events. First words. First scraped knees. Seven years I could never get back.
Now I was missing days again. Different reasons. Same result. I stared at the patrol repo
