**Chapter 12: Desperation in the Forest**
After 23 months of intense training and meticulously planned strategies, General Ricardo Alves and his task force were nearly ready to invade the VLp community. The mood was one of anticipation and tension as the soldiers, police officers, and detectives prepared for what could be one of the most critical operations of their careers. They had gathered valuable information, and their determination to bring Captain Arthur Mendes back was high.
However, what should have been a moment of preparation was abruptly interrupted by a call that made the General's heart race.
"Mendes, what is it?" he answered quickly, his voice revealing the concern he felt.
"Mendes, what is it?" he answered quickly, his voice revealing the concern he felt.
"You guys come quickly! They found out I'm talking to you! They're coming after me! Please stay away from me! Billy Killer and his community are hunting me! Shit! Let me go! Ahhhh!" Mendes' voice was filled with desperation and fear, and the General could hear the panic rising.
"Arthur, calm down! Try to stay safe. What's happening? Where are you?" The General tried to remain calm, but the feeling of helplessness began to take over. What could have happened to make Mendes so desperate?
"Stay away from me! They're coming! I can't… I can't get caught! Ahhhh!" The call cut off abruptly, and the General fell silent, the shock of what he had just heard filling the room.
"General, what happened?" one of the lieutenants asked, his gaze worried.
"Mendes is in danger. He said the VLp found out he was contacting us. They're after him," the General replied, his voice firm but shaky. "We need to act now! We can't wait any longer."
The command room turned into a frenzy of activity. The General began to coordinate the mobilization of the task force, every second becoming precious. "Gather the teams! We need everyone ready for action. Quick!"
The soldiers hurried, putting on armor, checking equipment, and preparing for the mission. The General felt the pressure, knowing that time was running out. If Mendes was being hunted, they needed to find him before the VLp could do anything.
"We will follow the plan, but with a different approach. We have to be quick and silent. We need to rescue Mendes before it's too late," the General ordered, already preparing to lead the action.
Meanwhile, in the forest, Mendes struggled to stay out of sight. Fear consumed him, and he knew he didn't have much time. The feeling of being watched made him shiver, and he couldn't let the community find out what he had done. He remembered what Billy Killer had said about betrayal and the consequences that would come with it.
The shadows moved around him, and the tension grew. Mendes hid behind a tree, breathing heavily, listening for any sound that would indicate they were approaching. What he didn't know was that the task force was about to enter the forest, armed and determined to find him.
"Please stay safe, Arthur," he muttered to himself as fear and uncertainty enveloped him. He needed to stay strong. He needed to hold out until his team arrived.
The operation was about to begin, and the forest was about to turn into a battlefield. The search for Mendes and the truth about the VLp was underway, and every decision made could determine the fate of everyone involved.