The air was thick with the scent of burning ozone, a signal that something was about to break. The smoke from the Watcher's device hung heavily in the air, swirling like ghosts on the hunt. Aiden could barely see through the fog, but he could hear everything—the helicopters above, the creaking of branches, the crunch of boots in the snow. He could hear the faint hiss of the Watcher's breathing, just ahead of him, but he couldn't get a clear view.
Everything had changed. The forest no longer felt like a refuge, but a battleground. They were no longer the hunted; they were the predators, fighting for their survival.
Aiden's hand instinctively reached for his sidearm, the weight of it familiar against his palm. Serena was beside him, her movements silent but precise. They'd trained for moments like this. They knew what to do.
But what they didn't know was how much longer they could hold on. The helicopters weren't just looking for them now—they were actively hunting them. The sound of their rotors had become a constant, like a dark omen hanging overhead.
The Watcher stopped suddenly, holding up a hand to signal for silence. Aiden froze, his eyes scanning the dense trees. Every instinct screamed for him to move, to get out of there before they were spotted again, but the Watcher's silence was deafening.
The helicopters had moved off for a moment, but their heavy presence was still felt in the distance, waiting, circling, like vultures. They'd be back soon enough. The Watcher was calculating their next move, and Aiden knew that the clock was ticking. They had to make their move now, or they wouldn't survive the night.
"We need to split up," the Watcher's voice came from the shadows, low and deliberate. "It's the only way."
Aiden tensed. The Watcher's words weren't a suggestion—they were a command. "What do you mean? We can't—"
"It's the only chance we have. Trust me," the Watcher interrupted, his voice steely. There was no hesitation, no room for argument. He'd already made up his mind.
Aiden's pulse quickened. He hated the idea of splitting up. It didn't feel right. They'd been together through this whole ordeal, and now, when they were so close to the end, they were being told to go in different directions? It felt like a betrayal.
But he knew better than to question the Watcher now. The man had kept them alive this long, and in this moment, there was no one else Aiden trusted more. Still, the thought of separating made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.
"How do we—how do we even survive this?" Aiden asked, his voice barely a whisper.
The Watcher didn't answer immediately. Instead, he gave Aiden a long, searching look. It was the kind of gaze that said everything, but nothing at all. Then, in a voice colder than the wind howling through the trees, he finally spoke.
"You survive by being smarter than them. By making them think they've won."
Aiden's heart skipped a beat. What was he talking about?
Serena's voice cut through the tension, her words filled with doubt. "What do you mean by that? How do we trick them? We're already being hunted."
The Watcher nodded, understanding. "You're right. But it's not about running anymore. It's about getting them to think you're already gone. Disappear. Leave no trace. Force them into a corner."
Aiden felt his gut twist. The plan was reckless. But maybe it was their only chance.
"You have a way to make that happen?" Aiden asked.
The Watcher's lips curled into a smile, a thin, dangerous thing. "I do."
Without another word, he dropped to a knee, pulling something from his pack. It was a small, sleek device that he placed against a tree, its surface reflecting the faint light of the moon. Aiden didn't know what it was, but the Watcher's confidence made him trust that it was exactly what they needed.
The Watcher turned to them. "This will draw their attention. It'll send a signal. They'll follow it, thinking you're still here. But I need time. A few minutes. And you need to move fast."
Aiden nodded, a mix of hope and dread churning in his chest. Time. They needed time.
He turned to Serena, who was already crouched low, her face a mask of determination. Her eyes met his, and for a moment, the world around them fell away. There was no more talk of survival or splitting up. It was just them, the cold, and the Watcher's plan.
"We'll make it out of this, right?" Serena asked, her voice barely audible.
Aiden gave her a faint, reassuring smile, though doubt lingered in his chest. "We will."
But even as he spoke the words, the sound of the helicopters returned, louder this time, closer, the whirring of the blades breaking the silence like a storm.
"Go," the Watcher commanded. "Now."
And just like that, they were off. Aiden and Serena darted through the trees, moving with purpose, their bodies low, blending into the shadows of the night. The sound of the helicopters grew fainter as they pushed deeper into the forest, but Aiden knew it was a trick. They weren't truly escaping—they were merely buying time.
The Watcher's plan was their only chance.
Minutes passed, and the pressure mounted with each step. Aiden's heart thudded in his chest. His eyes flicked from side to side, watching for any sign of movement, any indication that they were being followed. But there was nothing. Just the wind, the distant rumble of helicopters, and the cold, unforgiving silence of the forest.
Then, without warning, a bright light flared up behind them. The helicopters were following, their searchlights cutting through the darkness like the hand of God reaching down to strike them. Aiden's blood ran cold. They were close now. Too close.
But they had to keep moving. There was no turning back.
Serena was at his side, her eyes sharp, her every step precise. Aiden could feel the tension building in the air, like the calm before a storm. The Watcher's plan had to work. If it didn't, they would all be dead.
They ran for what felt like hours, the wind biting into their skin, the sound of the helicopters never far behind. Every step, every breath felt like a countdown to something inevitable.
Finally, they reached the edge of a cliff, a sheer drop that led to a river far below. The sound of rushing water filled the air. Aiden barely slowed his pace, instinct driving him to the edge. Serena came up behind him, breathing heavily.
"This is it," she said, her voice strained.
Aiden looked down at the raging river below. The drop was treacherous, but the alternative was worse. They had no choice.
"On three," Aiden said, gripping her hand.
Serena nodded, her gaze steely.
"One… two… three!"
Without looking back, they leaped off the edge, their bodies plunging into the freezing water below. The force of the impact hit them like a brick, knocking the breath out of their lungs, but they fought against the current, pulling themselves toward the far bank. The helicopters' searchlights flashed overhead, but the cold water muffled their sound. They were safe, for now.
They pulled themselves onto the riverbank, soaked, shivering, and exhausted. But they were alive.
For now.
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