The Tactical Operations Center at the Contingency Operating Base was a masterclass in controlled, claustrophobic panic.
Buried deep within the perimeter of the Hesco bastions, the massive, reinforced canvas structure was a sensory assault of harsh, flickering fluorescent light and the relentless, freezing blast of overworked industrial air-conditioning units. The air inside tasted of ozone, stale instant coffee, copper, and the distinct, metallic tang of raw adrenaline. It was a room entir