The hospital room was quiet again. The police officers had already left, leaving a heavy silence hanging in the air.
Anastasia stood rooted near the door, eyes still wide, heart pounding in her chest.
"Captain?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.
Santiago let out a small sigh and glanced at Garbi, then back at Anastasia. He sat up gently, holding his side where the bandage covered his fresh wound.
"You both deserve to know the truth now," Santiago said softly.
Anastasia moved closer and sat on the edge of the chair while Garbi pulled another chair beside her. Neither of them spoke. They just waited.
"I'm an undercover officer," Santiago began, his voice calm but laced with weight. "I've been working with both the Australian and Filipino governments for a while now… on a classified task force."
Anastasia blinked, her brows furrowed. "What kind of task force?"
