Chapter 119: Run!

Chapter 119: Run!



Rourke and Sykes sprinted through the dense underbrush, their breath coming in ragged gasps. The thud of their footsteps was muffled by the thick layer of fallen leaves and soil. They had been on the run for nearly ten minutes, their senses heightened by the adrenaline pumping through their veins.

"How the hell did they find us?" Rourke shouted, glancing over his shoulder. The sound of rotors beating the air was unmistakable. Apache helicopters were closing in, their

searchlights slicing through the trees.

"I don't know!" Sykes shouted back, pushing branches out of their way. "But we need to keep moving. We're sitting ducks out here!"

The forest seemed to close in around them, the trees pressing closer together as they moved deeper into the woods. Every now and then, the blinding glare of a helicopter's spotlight cut through the darkness, making it impossible to see more than a few feet ahead.

"We have to find cover," Rourke said, trying to catch his breath. "They're going to spot us if we stay out in the open."

"Look a treeline!"

Rourke spotted a line of trees ahead and veered toward it, his heart pounding in his chest. The cover offered by the dense tree line was their best chance to evade detection. They sprinted across the open space, the searchlights of the Apache helicopters sweeping the ground behind them, their shadows growing longer in the bright beams.

Once they reached the treeline, they ducked behind the thick trunks and pressed their backs against the rough bark, trying to steady their breathing. The helicopters' rotors roared overhead, the noise almost deafening.

"We've got to stay low," Rourke said, his voice barely a whisper. "If we're lucky, the tree cover will help block their searchlights."

But-Despite their best efforts to stay hidden, Rourke and Sykes found their position illuminated by a persistent searchlight.

"The light is staying on us!"

Rourke's eyes darted around the treeline, desperately searching for any advantage. "Damn it, they've got us locked in. We need to move again, try to break their line of sight."

Sykes, breathing heavily, nodded. "The trees are dense here, but the light's still hitting us. We've got to make a break for the next cover. Maybe if we zigzag, they'll have a harder time tracking us."

Rourke glanced up, the spotlight slicing through the trees, creating shifting patterns of light and shadow. "Alright, on my mark. We run towards that cluster of boulders over there. Ready?"

Sykes nodded, his face set in grim determination. "Ready."

"Go!"

They burst from their hiding spot, sprinting across the open space. The searchlights followed them, the helicopters adjusting their positions to maintain a visual. The light beams swayed erratically, but Rourke and Sykes kept their course, weaving to avoid the most intense areas of illumination.

Five minutes later, the Blackhawk helicopter arrived at the forest clearing near the cave. "Alright, we're approaching the last known location of the targets," the pilot announced over the intercom. "Prepare for insertion."

The six soldiers, equipped with night-vision goggles and tactical gear, braced themselves as the helicopter hovered above the treetops. The night air was filled with the whop-whop- whop of the rotor blades, and the beam of the searchlight swept over the canopy below. "Rappel team, stand by," the team leader ordered, checking the harnesses and equipment of

his team.

One by one, the soldiers attached their harnesses to the rappelling ropes.

The team leader gave the signal, and the first soldier stepped to the edge of the helicopter, his

gaze scanning the forest below.

"Rappel down in three, two, one-go!" the team leader commanded.

The soldiers began their descent, sliding down the ropes. As they touched down on the forest floor, they quickly spread out.

The team leader, Lieutenant Harris, signaled for his squad to move out. "Eyes sharp, stay low, and watch your six. We're looking for two targets and they are inside the cave."

The team leader led the way into the cave, the dim light from their headlamps barely penetrating the darkness of the narrow entrance. The walls of the cave were rough and uneven, and the air grew colder and more damp as they moved deeper.

The team moved silently, their footsteps muffled by the thick layer of damp earth. Harris, with his night-vision goggles on, scanned the surroundings, noting the contours of the cave and any potential hiding spots. The rest of the team followed closely, their breathing steady but their senses heightened.

Then the team leader raised a hand to signal the team to stop. They huddled close, listening for any sounds that might indicate the presence of the targets. The only noise was the occasional drip of water from the stalactites above and the distant echo of their own

movements.

"What is it sir?" one of the soldiers asked.

"There are footmarks here and there," the team leader replied, pointing his fingers at the

mud marks on the ground. "They're fresh. We're getting close."

"They must be in that," one of the soldiers pointed at the small space.

"Very well, let's see."

The team leader motioned for his squad to move cautiously toward the small recess in the

cave's wall. The space was barely big enough for a person to crouch in, and it was obscured by the natural contours of the rock.