Author's Note: Unedited Chapter
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As the military personnel swiftly loaded the injured onto the waiting aircraft and choppers, a sense of urgency pervaded the air.
Suddenly, that urgency turned to dread as a deep, guttural growl echoed through the trees, chilling everyone to the bone.
Dennis, who had just been introduced to Sergeant Braun, the officer in charge, snapped his head toward the source of the sound. His instincts, honed by countless encounters with danger, flared to life.
Sergeant Braun wasted no time. "Weapons hot!" he barked as his voice cut through the growing tension.
The officers quickly armed themselves with advanced technological weapons, forming a defensive line between the beast and the injured civilians still on the ground.
"Hurry up with the evac!" Braun yelled to his team, the urgency clear in his voice.
Meanwhile, the officers began firing toward the menacing sound emerging from the underbrush.
