Echo and I moved stealthily through the forest, looking out for any kind of movement as we approached the village. Considering everything, I was pretty sure that we are already being watched by some of the dinosaurs, and knowing them, danger lurked around every corner. If by some bad luck, we alert the herders as we like to call the peaceful dinosaurs, then everything will go to hell since the prisoners would know we are here.
As we neared the outskirts of the village, we slowed our pace, blending with the shadows and staying low to avoid detection as for how we communicate, well we didn't speak so as not to be heard once again by either the wildlife or one of the patrols of prisoners that might roam the outskirts of the village.
After almost two hours of slowly advancing through the forest, we reached a vantage point where we could observe the village from a safe distance. We climbed on a tree, using its branches as cover while at the same time having a clear view of the area below.
I would lie if I were to say that I wasn't surprised to see McCreary in the center of the village, with his arm heavily bandaged. He was shouting, trying to rally his remaining men for an attack, most likely to get revenge on me for his missing arm.
"Get your weapons! We cannot let them take our rightful place! We will not be defeated by these savages! They will pay for what they've done to me!"
His men, though clearly shaken by their recent losses and the chaos that had unfolded, seemed to respond to his rallying cry. They hurriedly armed themselves, forming small groups and taking defensive positions all around the wooden wall that I had built. Echo and I watched from our perch in the tree, seeing how despite being less able to fight than before, the bloody idiot was still a pain in the ass, managing to rally up the people that were somewhat loyal to him.
As McCreary continued to shout, his voice growing hoarse from his fervor, I heard Echo whispering. "He's desperate, Leon. Desperate men can be unpredictable and dangerous. "
I knew that. I knew that way too well, but despite my wanting nothing more than to get rid of the bastard, my friends were still inside the village somewhere, being help prisoners. Even though I didn't respond, I kept surveying the surroundings, searching for any weaknesses in the prisoners' defenses. This was easier said than done, after all the wall around the village was made in mind to keep big and angry dinosaurs from breaking into it which means that it wouldn't be an easy siege if we were to attack the place like Octavia plans to.
"Echo, we need to divide and conquer," I whispered to her after I've made a plan. "If we can isolate McCreary and his key allies, we can undermine his authority and create confusion among his ranks."
"Agreed, but how do you plan to do that? There's a rather big wall between them and us, not to mention that it wouldn't be easy to sneak inside and get rid of them one by one, without alerting that man."
But I had an idea, a risky one that required impeccable timing and agility. And to be fair, this was probably the best bet we might have to get inside the village before they lock the whole place down and bunker down.
"At nightfall, when the prisoners are least alert, we'll scale the wall using ropes and grappling hooks. We'll aim for a section closest to one of the houses," I explained, mapping out the plan in my mind. "If we can breach their perimeter undetected, we can isolate McCreary and his key allies, leaving the grunts to fight amongst themselves."
"It's a dangerous move, Leon, but if we time it right and move swiftly, we might just succeed."
As we prepared to execute our plan, our eyes widened in surprise. At most 100 meters away from the gate ,a large group of prisoners, led by Dyoza, walked out from the shadows and marched toward the village gate. My heart sank as I recognized familiar figures being led inside, their arms bound behind their backs. Among them were Abby, Clarke, Zoe, and Sergey.
"What in the world?" Echo whispered back to. "What happened to them? Have the prisoners taken over Mount Weather?"
I didn't know what to say, but my mind was trying to make sense of the situation. The arrival of Dyoza and her group, along with our captured friends, made everything even harder, especially since this was by no means just a friendly visit.
After seeing Clarke, Zoe, Sergey, and Abby being led closer to the village gate by the prisoners, my heart sank even further. "I can do it, Leon. I'll find a way inside and locate Clarke and the others. But you need to be ready to provide backup and create a distraction if things go south."
Echo's suggestion made sense. She was a trained spy, skilled in infiltration and extraction. If anyone could go inside and make an opening for me to help, it was her.
Though, I swallowed hard, fully understanding the risks involved in sending Echo alone. But time was of the essence, and we needed to act swiftly before anything happens to them.
"Be careful, Echo," I whispered to her. "If anything feels off , retreat immediately. Our priority is to keep everyone safe, not to become heroes."
"I won't take unnecessary risks, Leon. Just be prepared to act if the situation demands it."
Though apprehension gnawed at my gut, I knew I had to trust Echo's skills and judgment. She had faced countless similar scenarios in the past, and while it wasn't exactly armed ex-convicts, I reckon she could deal with some people that were in ice for a hundred years or so.
After a few seconds I nodded at her as Echo silently climbed down from the tree and blended into the darkness.
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