**Chapter 13: The Hunt in the Forest**
The forest throbbed with the intensity of a drumbeat, a dark echo that mingled with the rustling of leaves. Captain Mendes, exhausted and wounded, ran through the twisted trunks, smelling the wet earth and the fear that surrounded him. The arrows, with their black feathers, cut through the air like warnings of a cruel fate, and he knew that each one brought with it the promise of an end.
Pain exploded in his leg as an arrow finally found its mark. Mendes fell, the impact of the fall reverberating through his broken ribs, a consequence of the brutality he had faced at the hands of the leader of the Masked Rabbits, Billy Killer. The image of Billy, with his blue rabbit mask and malevolent smile, fixed itself in his mind like a persistent shadow. The 55-year-old man, wrapped in a black jacket covered in spikes and carrying an equally menacing club, was the embodiment of the terror that Mendes had awakened by betraying the group.
Dragging himself with difficulty, Mendes found shelter behind an ancient tree, its roots entwined with pain and despair. The sound of laughter and screams echoed in the distance; the Masked Rabbits were close, hunting him like a predator in a maze of shadows. He needed help, but his contact with General Ricardo Alves, a longtime friend, seemed increasingly distant.
With a trembling hand, Mendes reached for the cell phone that had almost slipped from his pocket during his escape. The screen illuminated his pale face, and he hesitated for a moment, wondering if there was still time. The General, on the other hand, believed that everything was under control—a mistake that could cost Mendes his life.
"General Ricardo?" he gasped when the call finally connected. The General's voice, steady and calm, echoed from the other side.
"Mendes? What happened? I thought you were on your way to a rescue," the General said, concern beginning to seep into his words.
"They're hunting me, General! The Masked Rabbits have discovered the betrayal. I need help, now!" Mendes' voice was shaking, not only from the pain, but from the desperation that consumed him.
"Calm down, Mendes! I already knew about the VLP group. I was planning an approach, but I didn't count on your betrayal. What did you do?" Anger and disbelief mixed in the General's tone.
"I never wanted to betray them! I was forced to talk to you! They're after me, and Billy Killer is determined to end me!" Adrenaline coursed through his veins, each word a cry for help.
"Where are you?" The General's tone had changed; now there was a palpable urgency.
— In the forest, near the old tree... — Mendes could barely finish the sentence when a noise to his left made his heart race. The Masked Rabbits were approaching, their high-pitched laughter echoing like a courtroom, ready to condemn him.
— Mendes! Listen to me! — The General insisted, but the connection was cut off by a distant scream, a dark warning that the hunt was about to intensify.
Mendes had no more time. He had to get up, he had to fight. With a superhuman effort, he leaned against the tree and stood up, feeling the pain throb, but his determination ignited a spark of hope. As the shadows approached, he knew that the battle was only just beginning.
**Chapter 13: Part 2 - The Invitation to the Storm**
The sun set behind the forest tree line, casting long, unsettling shadows that seemed to twist in the wind. At the headquarters of the Zombo army, General Ricardo Alves was surrounded by officers, police officers, and detectives, all aware of the weight of the mission they were about to undertake. The mystery of the forest, which had consumed so many lives over 27 years, needed to be solved, and Mendes, his friend and brother-in-arms, was in danger.
"We need to solve the disappearances," the General began, his voice firm and authoritative. "What happened here is not just a case of fugitives. It is a matter of honor and responsibility. Mendes may be in danger, and we need to bring him back."
The faces around him were serious, the atmosphere thick with the anticipation of the coming battle. General Alves knew he was not dealing with any outlaw group; The VLP community, led by the fearsome Billy Killer, was a force to be reckoned with. Mendes had warned about the group's combat skills, using arrows and medieval weapons, transforming the forest into a deadly battlefield where few emerged alive.
"We need a plan," said one of the officers, adjusting the sights of his weapon. "They are experienced in ambushes and know the terrain like no one else. We cannot underestimate their capabilities."
"I agree," replied the General. "Mendes reported that the community seems normal at first glance. Children playing, adults hunting; but do not be fooled. Billy Killer may be a charismatic leader, but he is brutal. He has one rule: no killing of children or the elderly, but he will not hesitate to eliminate anyone who poses a threat."
Murmurs of agreement spread throughout the room. Everyone understood that if they were prepared to enter hostile territory, they would have to adopt a strategy that combined force and caution.
— We will split our teams, — ordered the General. — One group will go after Mendes, while the other infiltrates the community. We need to understand their structure and find out what is really happening.
The teams began to prepare, grabbing their weapons and adjusting their equipment. The tension was palpable, but there was also a determination that pulsed between them. General Alves, with his determined gaze, watched the team's movements and reflected on what Mendes had said. The Vlp community was not just an isolated group; it was a living city, with its own dynamics and customs. The rabbit masks they wore were a barrier between what was normal and what was dark.
"Remember," he warned as they organized themselves, "whatever we find out there, we cannot forget that we are dealing with lives. There are children who need to be rescued, and we cannot allow fear to blind us. We need to act intelligently."
When the team finally dispersed, each felt the weight of what was to come. The forest awaited them, a labyrinth of mysteries and dangers, where past and present intertwined in a macabre dance.
Meanwhile, in the darkness of the forest, Mendes prepared to fight for his life, knowing that his friends were on their way. And in Billy Killer's mind, the strategy to protect his community was being developed. What seemed like a simple rescue could turn into a battle that would decide the fate of everyone. The storm was approaching, and the forest, with its secrets and shadows, was about to reveal its true face.
**Chapter 13: Part 3 - The Price of Betrayal**
Pain pulsed through every fiber of Mendes' body as he dragged himself toward the road, his only hope of finding help before Billy Killer decided it was time to finish him off. Every movement was a struggle against desperation, and the sound of the forest seemed to mock his fragility. The sound of arrows cutting through the air still echoed in his mind, and he felt the weight of them on his back and arm, as if they were chains that bound him to his own doom.
As his strength began to fail, a shadow projected itself in front of him. Two Masked Rabbits, with cold and despicable looks, approached. The Brown Rabbit, with an ax in his hands, looked at Mendes like a predator watching its prey.
"You will pay for your betrayal, you bastard!" he shouted, anger evident in every word. "We will take your head to Billy Killer. He'll know it was us and he'll give us a family for killing you!
Mendes tried to respond, but the words wouldn't come out. Pain and exhaustion consumed him, rendering him incapable of any reaction. He knew he was at a disadvantage, the life slowly draining from his body.
The Brown Rabbit prepared to deliver the killing blow, raising the axe above his head. A moment of silence hung in the air, the tension palpable, and then, suddenly, a thunderous sound echoed through the forest. A shot split the space, and the Brown Rabbit fell, the axe slipping from his hand and disappearing into the grass.
His partner, a Red-Masked Rabbit, stared in shock at his companion's body, but before he could react, a second shot hit his leg. He staggered, but did not scream. With fierce determination, he turned and began to run, disappearing into the trees, even as the pain racked him.
Two detectives, armed and ready for combat, emerged from the shadows, rushing toward Mendes, who was falling to the ground, barely alive but still breathing. The men's faces were a mix of concern and determination.
"Mendes!" one of them shouted as he crouched down beside him, quickly assessing his injuries. "We're here! You're going to be okay!"
As the detectives tried to stabilize him, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed in the distance. General Ricardo Alves was approaching, leading his team with fierce determination. He had received the message that Mendes was still alive, and there was no time to waste.
"Mendes!" the General called, his voice ringing with a mix of relief and urgency. "What happened?"
Mendes, his vision blurred and the pain still burning, managed to lift his head a little. He saw the General's firm expression and knew that help had arrived.
"Billy Killer..." he mumbled, his voice barely able to come out. — They... they're after me...
The General nodded to the detectives, who were ready to act. — We need to get him to safety. Whatever happened, we'll figure it out.
Mendes felt the detectives' firm hands holding him as they carefully lifted him to his feet. The world around him was beginning to fade, but the presence of the General and his team was a reminder that the fight was not over yet. The mystery of the VLP community and the shadow of Billy Killer were far from solved, but the first victory had already been won.
As they were led to safety, Mendes knew that there was still much to face, and that the forest, with its gothic secrets and the brutality of the Masked Rabbits, would not rest so easily. The battle was only just beginning, and he was determined to uncover the truth, not only for his own salvation, but for all the lives that hung in the balance.
**Chapter 13: The Last Stand**
The helicopter hovered over the forest, its blades cutting through the air and bringing a sense of relief to everyone on board. Mendes, still in critical condition, was carefully placed in the cockpit, while General Ricardo Alves and his men prepared for the retreat. Tension still hung in the air, but hope that the worst was over began to blossom.
However, this hope was quickly dashed. As the helicopter began to gain altitude, a rain of fire arrows shot out from the forest canopy, striking the fuselage with a deafening boom. The General tried to shout to his men, but was interrupted by the deafening sound of explosions.
"Fire!" he shouted, but it was too late. The incendiary arrows penetrated the helicopter, and flames quickly began to consume the interior. Mendes, trapped in his grief, could do nothing but stare at the chaos that unfolded.
The helicopter began to shake and fall, and the screams of despair mixed with the sound of the twisting metal. The General crouched, trying to avoid the arrows that continued to fly, hitting police officers, soldiers and detectives around him, who were struggling to protect themselves.
When he finally stood up, the scene before his eyes was terrifying: some of his men were lying on the ground, others screaming in agony as they tried to put out the fire that was consuming their clothes. The helicopter was in flames, and smoke spread through the air.
"Mendes!" the General shouted, his voice full of despair. He saw the helicopter begin to plummet towards the ground, and a feeling of panic took hold of him. Before he could do anything, the helicopter crashed into the ground in a colossal explosion, a wave of heat and destruction that threw the General and several other soldiers to the ground.
The impact was devastating, and the General slowly got up, dazed. He stared at the burning helicopter, the smoke rising into the sky and mixing with the dark clouds. His heart broke as he realized that Mendes had not survived, that the friend he had promised to protect was lost.
But before he could allow himself to sink into grief, a shadowy presence emerged from the flames. Billy Killer, wearing his blue mask, appeared like a macabre vision, his imposing figure standing out against the glow of the fire. He was untouched, as if the heat and destruction around him had no effect on him.
The General's eyes widened in shock and fear. Billy Killer was a legend, a being beyond what anyone could imagine, and now he stood before them all, smiling malevolently.
"You shouldn't have come here," Billy Killer's voice echoed, thick with contempt. He raised his spiked club, the sound of metal against the fire like the tolling of a death knell.
The arrows began to fly again, and the Masked Rabbits, emerging from the shadows, advanced with unparalleled ferocity. The ensuing battle was pure chaos: the soldiers and police began to fire, but the strength of the Masked Rabbits was immense. General Ricardo Alves, determined to protect his men, shouted orders as he fired at the attackers.
The fighting intensified, and the sound of arrows, screams and gunshots echoed through the forest. But the General knew that defeat was imminent. He prepared for what could be his last act of resistance when, suddenly, an explosion of flames illuminated the scene.
The helicopter, still on fire, collapsed under the impact of the fighting, and the explosion was so gigantic that it threw the General and several others to the ground again. He stood up, stunned, and looked around, realizing that the battle was not just for survival, but for something much deeper.
Billy Killer was there, watching, waiting. And General Ricardo Alves knew that, for those who were still left, the real fight was just beginning, and that the terror of the VLP community extended far beyond the forest, rooted in the shadows of a past that could not be forgotten.
**End**