Halle hesitated, her mind screaming at her to disengage, to stop letting herself get dragged into anything involving Terence. The less she knew, the easier it would be to move on.
But her body betrayed her, refusing to move. Instead, her head nodded ever so slightly.
Darlene smiled knowingly and began recounting the past, her voice tinged with fondness.
“When Terence first joined, he was just a rookie, but he had this unshakable energy about him. He was ambitious, a bit cocky, and had a perfectionist streak a mile wide. If there was a chance to take first place, he wouldn’t settle for second. Honestly, his arrival saved the rest of us a lot of effort. Captain Howell even said he was a natural talent, someone with real potential.”
She paused, her expression turning more serious. “But then came his first real mission. He pushed himself too hard, got severely injured, and had to be carried back. That’s when Captain Howell realized Terence’s relentless drive could end up costing him his life.”
Third Person's POV
Halle’s expression shifted to disbelief.
A young man in his early twenties charging headfirst into danger, even when faced with bullets, defying every instinct of self-preservation—it seemed unreal, almost inhuman.
But Darlene’s next words unraveled the mystery.
“That boy,” Darlene said, “had nothing but hatred in his eyes when he looked at those poachers.”
Her voice softened as she continued, “Later, we found out it was tied to something from his childhood. Terence once had a pet dog named Lucy. After his parents divorced, it was just the two of them, relying on each other to get by.”
With a sad smile, she continued, “He was malnourished back then—thin, pale, and an easy target for bullies at school. One day, those bullies set their sights on his dog and when it was finally found, it was already too late.”
Darlene paused, her tone heavy. “Terence told us those poachers are no different from those cruel people. They skin innocent animals and take their lives for profit. To him, they’re monsters who deserve nothing but death.”
A cold wind swept past them, but Halle’s heart felt warm.
So that’s why Terence threw himself into this dangerous line of work with such reckless abandon. She’d been wrong. Someone as brilliant and driven as him wouldn't stop for her.
The realization stung, but it also brought clarity.