The deafening thump of helicopter blades filled the night air, drowning out everything else as the dark silhouette of an Apex chopper loomed overhead. Its searchlight cut through the dense forest, sweeping in wide arcs, hunting for them like a predator closing in on its prey.
Carter's heart raced as the beam of light danced dangerously close to where they crouched behind a cluster of thick trees. Sweat dripped down his forehead, his muscles tensed, ready to bolt. Maya was beside him, her rifle held tight, eyes narrowed as she tracked the helicopter's movements. Callum crouched low on the other side, the tension in his stance mirroring Carter's own.
"Elle," Carter whispered, his voice barely audible over the roar of the helicopter. "Tell me you've got something to get us out of here."
Elle's voice crackled in his ear, calm but laced with urgency. "I'm working on it. The chopper's equipped with thermal imaging—they'll spot you if you move too soon."
"Well, that's just perfect," Carter muttered, his grip tightening on his pistol.
"We can't stay here," Maya hissed, glancing at the sky where the helicopter continued its slow sweep. "If they send ground teams, we'll be pinned down."
"She's right," Callum added. "We'll be sitting ducks if we don't move fast."
Carter swallowed hard, his mind racing. The extraction point was so close—just a few hundred yards through the trees, where Elle had directed them. But with the helicopter overhead, every step they took would be in full view of Apex's searchlights. The weight of the situation pressed down on him, the danger palpable.
"Elle, options," Maya snapped, her patience wearing thin.
"There's a dense thicket about fifty yards to your right," Elle said. "If you can make it there without being spotted, I can guide you through a blind spot in their surveillance net. But you'll have to move fast."
"Fast, huh?" Carter muttered. "That's what we're good at, right?"
Maya didn't waste any time. "We move on my signal. Callum, you take the rear. Carter, stay close."
Carter nodded, adrenaline already coursing through his veins. His pulse quickened as Maya readied herself to move. The helicopter's searchlight passed over them again, dangerously close to revealing their position.
"Now," Maya whispered sharply.
They sprang into action, darting from behind the cover of the trees and sprinting toward the thicket. The underbrush clawed at their legs as they moved, the sound of their footfalls drowned out by the roar of the helicopter overhead. Carter's heart raced, each second feeling like an eternity as they dashed through the darkness, praying the searchlight wouldn't find them.
They reached the edge of the thicket, diving into the thick foliage just as the helicopter swung back around. The searchlight passed over them once again, but this time, the dense vegetation hid them from view.
Carter pressed himself flat against the ground, trying to steady his breathing. His chest heaved, the weight of the moment crashing down on him. They had made it—barely.
"Elle?" Maya's voice was strained, but controlled.
"You're clear, for now," Elle replied. "But Apex is deploying ground teams. They'll sweep the area within the next five minutes. You need to move."
Maya nodded, pushing herself up to a crouch. "We head for the extraction point. Keep low, stay quiet."
Callum and Carter followed her lead, crawling through the thick foliage, the sounds of the forest swallowing them whole. Every movement felt precarious, every second weighed down by the knowledge that their enemies were closing in. The distant hum of drones and the whirring of the helicopter blades above created an eerie symphony of tension.
As they crawled forward, Carter's mind raced, trying to piece together their next move. They were so close to the extraction point, but Apex was closing in faster than they had anticipated. The longer they stayed here, the less chance they had of making it out.
His thoughts were interrupted by the crackle of Elle's voice in his ear. "I've got something."
"What is it?" Carter whispered, his body stilling.
"Apex has deployed a secondary surveillance drone near the extraction point. It's small—won't be easy to spot—but if it picks up any movement, it'll relay your location to the ground teams."
Maya cursed under her breath. "Great. Any way around it?"
"I'm already working on jamming its signal," Elle said. "It won't be perfect, but it should give you enough time to slip past."
"Should?" Carter echoed, raising an eyebrow. "Not exactly the confidence boost I was hoping for, Elle."
"Just move," Elle replied, her tone unamused. "You've got a narrow window."
--
The dense foliage made it difficult to move quickly, but Maya kept them on course, her eyes sharp as she guided them through the forest. Carter could barely see more than a few feet ahead, the shadows thick and oppressive, but he trusted Maya's instincts. She moved with purpose, her every step calculated, even as the sounds of approaching Apex soldiers echoed faintly in the distance.
"How much further?" Callum asked quietly, his voice strained from exertion.
"Two hundred yards," Elle answered. "But you're running out of time. The ground teams will be on top of you in three minutes."
Carter's mind raced, panic bubbling just beneath the surface. His muscles ached from the constant tension, every nerve on edge as they pushed forward. The sound of branches snapping and distant voices reminded him just how close they were to being caught.
Maya glanced back at him, her expression unreadable. "Stay sharp. We're almost there."
Carter gave a terse nod, though the knot in his stomach tightened with every step. The extraction point had to be close—so close he could almost taste freedom. But something about the whole situation felt off. Apex had moved faster than they'd anticipated, their response too coordinated, too precise.
He could sense it—something bigger was coming.
They finally broke through the thick underbrush and emerged into a small clearing, where a narrow dirt path led to an old, abandoned supply road. The extraction point. Carter could see it now—a small, concealed clearing where a vehicle could easily land undetected.
"We made it," Maya whispered, relief evident in her voice.
But the relief was short-lived. The moment they stepped into the clearing, a high-pitched beep echoed in the air—an electronic sound that sent a chill down Carter's spine.
"Elle," Maya snapped, her rifle up in an instant. "What is that?"
"The surveillance drone," Elle said, her voice suddenly laced with tension. "I tried jamming it, but it must've recalibrated. It just detected movement."
Before Carter could react, the distant thud of boots hitting the ground reached his ears. Apex soldiers—closing in, fast.
"We need to move!" Callum barked, his voice hard as he scanned the perimeter. "Now!"
Maya didn't hesitate. She was already running toward the far end of the clearing, her rifle raised as she motioned for Carter and Callum to follow. Carter sprinted after her, his breath ragged, his heart pounding so hard he could barely hear anything else. The sound of the helicopter overhead grew louder, its searchlight sweeping dangerously close once again.
"We're out of time, Elle!" Carter shouted into his earpiece as they reached the far end of the clearing. "Where's our extraction?!"
"I've got an emergency plan," Elle said, her voice a little too calm for the chaos unfolding around them. "I'm rerouting one of Apex's air transports—they won't even know what hit them."
Carter glanced at Maya as they ducked behind a large boulder for cover. "Did she just say she's hijacking one of their choppers?"
Maya didn't even blink. "It's Elle. Of course she is."
--
The roar of the helicopter overhead intensified as it circled closer. Carter pressed himself against the boulder, every muscle in his body screaming to run, but he knew better. They needed a plan—needed Elle to pull off whatever crazy stunt she was about to try.
"Elle," Maya said, her voice tight as she peeked out from behind the rock. "You better make this quick."
"I'm patching into their transport system now," Elle replied. "You'll have air support in less than sixty seconds. Just keep your heads down."
Carter's heart hammered in his chest as he watched the sky, his nerves frayed from the constant threat of discovery. He could hear the Apex soldiers now, their voices sharp and commanding as they spread out through the clearing, weapons drawn.
"We can't let them box us in," Callum whispered, his eyes scanning the tree line for any sign of movement. "If they surround us, it's over."
"I know," Maya said, her voice steady but tense. "Stay low."
Carter glanced at her, his pulse racing. "And if Elle doesn't pull this off?"
Maya's eyes flicked to his, a small smirk playing at the corner of her mouth. "Then we improvise."
Suddenly, a loud whoosh filled the air as a second helicopter appeared in the distance, cutting through the night like a silent predator. The sound of its blades grew louder, and within seconds, it was directly overhead.
"That's our ride," Elle said.
Maya didn't waste a second. "Go!"
They bolted from behind the boulder, sprinting toward the extraction point just as the helicopter descended. The Apex soldiers were closing in fast, but before they could react, a burst of gunfire erupted from the chopper, scattering the soldiers and buying them precious seconds.
Carter didn't look back. He just ran, his heart thundering in his chest as the chopper touched down. Maya was already climbing aboard, her hand outstretched to pull Carter up after her.
He grabbed her hand and hoisted himself into the chopper, collapsing onto the cold metal floor, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Callum was right behind him, slamming the door shut as the helicopter lifted off the ground, rising high into the night sky.
Carter stared out the window, watching as the Apex soldiers grew smaller and smaller beneath them, their searchlights fading into the darkness. For the first time in what felt like forever, he allowed himself to breathe.
They had made it. Barely.
Maya sat down beside him, her rifle resting across her lap as she glanced over at him. "You good?"
Carter nodded, his pulse still racing. "Yeah. I'm good."
For now.