The Siberian cold enveloped the team, but there was no time to linger on the desolation of the landscape. Behind them, the Russian base was already a distant memory, but not for long. The sound of enemy jeep engines continued to roar, threatening, while the flashing lights of the vehicles pierced through the fog.
"There are no roads," Luis said, his face tense as he looked at the endless expanse of snow and ice stretching before them. "We can only run, but it won't last forever."
Ethan nodded, his face pale from the cold but determined. "The extraction point is 70 kilometers away. Every step has to be perfect. If we stop, they'll catch us."
Rey looked at the horizon. "The only way we have is forward. We can't get caught."
There were no signs of life, only an unsettling silence. But the biting cold and their labored breathing were their only companions as they ran through the shadows of the tundra. The fog wrapped around them like a veil, but they knew it wouldn't cover their tracks forever. The sounds of the enemy jeeps were getting closer. The lights of the jeeps flickered like hungry eyes in the dark.
"Let's move!" Jake exclaimed as he turned to Ethan. "I can hear them. They're behind us."
"We'll never make it," Luis whispered, stopping for a moment to look at the vast snow field. His breath condensed in the cold air. "The destination seems farther and farther away."
Ethan gave him a determined look. "Don't think about that. Look ahead, not behind. Every step brings us closer."
But his words weren't convincing, not even to him. The truth was, they had been running for hours, never stopping to rest, and the extraction point was still far away, a mirage on the icy horizon. The wind lashed at their skin, while the sound of enemy jeep engines echoed behind them, a noise that seemed to follow every breath they took.
"We left the drones behind, but how much time do we have left?" Rey asked, his face marked by exhaustion. His words were a whisper, almost fearful of hearing the answer.
"I don't know," Ethan replied, looking beyond the fog, staring at the horizon as if he could see the future. "But we need to hurry. If we stay here too long, they'll find us. And if we don't reach the extraction point, then... then it's all over."
The landscape seemed to challenge every hope they had. The frozen land was flat, interrupted only by occasional protruding rock formations and skeletal trees, bare in the chill. No shelter, no landmarks. Just snow, ice, and emptiness.
"Every step feels like the last one," Jake said, with a nervous laugh that couldn't hide his anxiety. "These damn Russians never give up."
Luis didn't answer, but his expression said it all. He was tired, at the edge of his strength, yet he knew he couldn't stop. He had to keep going. There was no other choice.
Hours passed, and the fog seemed to envelop the entire world. The blinding whiteness of the landscape and the monotony of walking made it hard to keep track of time. Occasionally, the sound of enemy engines filled the air, but it seemed like the team was managing to evade their pursuers, at least for now.
"If we survive this, I want a beer," Rey said, trying to ease the tension with a tired smile.
Ethan nodded without words, his mind focused on a single thought: the goal. "Just a little more... we just have to hold on."
But the dense fog left them no escape. Every now and then, a drone flew overhead, but the team knew they were well hidden among the rocks and snow. The strategy was simple: don't run in a straight line toward the extraction point, but follow a serpentine path, trying to confuse the enemy. But even that wasn't without risk. The constant fear of being spotted by another drone or falling into an ambush lingered.
"Look over there," Jake said, stopping suddenly. His gaze was fixed on a group of distant trees. "We need to be careful. I don't know if we'll make it."
Ethan stopped next to him, and together they looked at the horizon. The fog seemed to thin for a moment, and through the clarity appeared a small hill. The goal was near. The extraction point was only a few kilometers away, but the enemies were closing in.
"Let's move," Ethan said, shaking his head. "We can't wait."
They had just crossed a wide snowfield when a distant, but clearly audible sound interrupted their path. A helicopter. It was approaching rapidly.
"There's no cover!" Luis exclaimed, desperately scanning the landscape. "If it sees us, it's over!"
The snow seemed like a white, pristine carpet, but in that moment, it was the most treacherous thing they could wish for. "Let's use the rocks," said Ethan, diving behind an ice boulder. The group followed immediately, but the helicopter was getting closer, the sound of the blades growing louder and louder. Everyone's breath stopped for a moment, and the tension was palpable.
The aircraft passed just above them, only a few meters away, lighting up every corner of the snow. An eternal moment where no one breathed. The helicopter flew over the area but didn't stop. The team remained still, frozen like statues.
When the helicopter finally flew away, a collective sigh escaped from them. No one spoke, no one dared to say a word. They were alive, but they knew this was only a temporary reprieve.
It was only when the snow began to thin and the cold air became sharper that the team realized they were close to the goal. A wide clearing opened up in front of them, and in the distance, a familiar figure appeared. It was another member of the extraction team.
"We made it!" Ethan said, with a tired smile but clearly relieved. "We've arrived."
But before they could take another step, the sound of engines was heard again. They were coming. It wasn't over.
"Run!" Jake shouted, as the extraction team's vehicle stopped at a safe distance. The team rushed toward it, as the sound of the enemy behind them grew louder. "Hurry up!"
"Hurry, Ethan!" Rey yelled, with his gun in hand, ready to cover their backs. "We can't stop now!"
One last sprint. One last effort. And then salvation.
The sound of the engines was getting closer and closer. The cold wind lashed at their faces, but the sound of the enemy jeeps and combustion engines echoed in the distance. The helicopter was there, stationary, but the last stretch seemed endless. Ethan felt his heart beat faster, a sound that seemed to drown out every other noise. The idea of a successful escape no longer felt as certain as it once did. Every step toward the helicopter was a step toward salvation, but also a step closer to failure if the enemies reached them first.
"They're catching up…" Rey whispered, looking behind them. "We don't have enough time, Ethan!"
But Ethan didn't stop. Every step was a fight against time. The sound of the enemy engines grew louder, more threatening. His thoughts overlapped, his breath heavy. The thought of seeing that helicopter take off without them tormented him.
Luis, though tired and unable to hide his distress, shouted, "Come on, damn it! Don't screw this up now!" His labored breathing echoed in the cold air.
"We're almost there!" Ethan exclaimed, his gaze fixed on the helicopter waiting for them.
The sound of the enemy jeeps grew louder. Now they were too close. They could hear it. The first shots started ringing out, the bullets whistling past them, but they didn't stop. They were too close to salvation.
One last burst, and they finally reached the helicopter.
"Get in, get in!" the pilot shouted, with the door open and ready to take them aboard.
Ethan was the first to jump in, followed by Rey, Luis, and finally Jake. The helicopter lifted abruptly, the engines roaring as the cold air wrapped around them.
But as they began to gain altitude, the team paused for a moment to look down. The white snow below them, the Russian base slowly disappearing from view. The feeling of being finally free, of having made it, was surreal for a moment. They all remained silent, except for the sound of the engines.
Luis, the first to break the silence, let out a sigh of relief. "I'm not stepping foot in Russia for a long time, I'll tell you that," he said, laughing for the first time in hours. "This land is too cold and too... dangerous for me."
Rey gave him a tired smile. "Yeah, Luis, it's not exactly the charm."
Jake, still anxious, looked out the helicopter window. "I wouldn't be surprised if there were more surprises lurking."
"We've had enough for a lifetime," Ethan replied, his eyes fixed on the horizon as the helicopter pulled away from the Russian base. "We just have to hope this war doesn't really explode."
Luis, however, seemed to have found a way to lighten the tension. "Well, at least we don't have to worry about nuclear warheads anymore, right?"
Everyone laughed, though it was a nervous laugh, but finally lighthearted.
Luis, seemed to have found a way to lighten the tension. "Well, at least we don't have to worry about nuclear warheads anymore, right?"
Everyone laughed, though it was a nervous laugh, but it was the first real laugh they'd shared in hours. Slowly, the tension seemed to lift, even if just a little. The helicopter's engines hummed in the background, a steady reminder that they had made it out—this time. The bitter cold, the relentless pursuit, and the endless miles behind them were now fading into the distance, but the scars of what they'd just survived would linger.
As they soared higher, Ethan looked out at the vast, empty expanse of white beneath them. It was strange, he thought. For all the danger, all the fear, there was something oddly peaceful about the emptiness. It wasn't over yet, but for the first time in what felt like forever, they had a chance to breathe. A small victory in a much larger war.
"We did it," Rey whispered, more to herself than anyone else, as the Russian base disappeared from view.
And Ethan, for the first time in what felt like an eternity, allowed himself to close his eyes, letting the hum of the helicopter and the weight of what they'd survived settle into something that, however fleeting, felt like peace.