6 Another Force

3rd POV

6 hours later...

Deep in the forest in the late afternoon, a woman could be seen breaking branches trying to clear a path through the dense green life. Finding no difficulties of walking in the environment, as she is an expert with this terrain. 

She had a pair of antlers on her head. White-gold colour flowing down her medium length hair which she dons as a small ponytail. The features of the elafia (elk) race. 

"Firewatch, have you arrived at the location yet?" An icy feminine voice came from the walkie-talkie in Firewatch's hand. 

The elk woman clicks on the device and wasted no time to reply, "Yes, but there are no sights of Vida. " 

Despite her years of experiences in tracking people, the thick trees are giving her a hard time. Fortunately, she is short and has a slim body to squeeze through narrow spaces with minimal damage to her clothes. 

"Is your GPS tracker in a fine condition?" 

"I put it in my bag pocket, so it won't get any damage from sharp branches, " Firewatch holsters the device into her arm pocket for ease of carrying. 

"Good, we only have a few left of that fragile stuff. I don't want more of them to break, " A sigh came from voice. seeming to be remembering the broken walkie-talkies. 

"Roger that, continuing with the search, " She flatly answered. Not wanting a dragging conversation to distract her from the main task. 

Her hands reach out for the GPS tracker and pull it out from the bag pocket. A green dot displayed on the screen of the well-aged device. Indicating the location of Vida's flip phone. 

Even though the device was telling Firewatch that she is close to Vida. But, it was still inefficient in pinpointing the exact location because the scale of the device is too large. 

"The intel mentioned Vida got shot and fall off the mountain ledge..., " She muttered and gave in some thoughts for a few moments. 

"If she didn't stop at the lower range of the mountain. She's probably at around a few metres higher above this current range, " Firewatch continued before lifting her chin and glance at the steep area of the site. 

"Taken into consideration that, by chance, she wasn't completely knocked far away into the air from the building and rolled down like a ragdoll, " She picks up a long straight stick and points it towards the direction where the GPS has stated, at North. 

The elk woman took a few more steps towards a bush dense area. Using her knife to cut down the thick leaves from blocking her sights. 

"Something could have stopped her from rolling down... A rock, " She gazes above at a large rock protruding out of the steep part of the mountainside. 

A rock which was covered in a dry liquid of red. 

Firewatch slightly cringed from the strong smell of iron that entered her system. She saw a part of Vida's body at the edge of it. The pale deflated skin managed to stir a small reaction from her. 

'Relax Firewatch, you'll get more experience with this new job of yours' She composed herself.

"I found Vida's body, " She reported to her superior, as she stood behind a plentiful amount of bush. 

"Check her vitals, she might be still alive, " The voice ordered, with a tone of haste. 

Firewatch held doubts that Vida survived from a long fall. Much more of the amount of the blood loss that has dried up on the rock. 

A few unfamiliar voices resonate into her ears, causing her to be alarmed. As she slings out her large crossbow into her palms and stabs a pair of tweaks onto a bush. 

Her gaze glancing from a spot to another in an attempt to find the source of the sound. Before climbing up the tree nearby. Settling herself on a sturdy large branch and peeked out through the gaps of the tree leaves. 

"Miss, we found the escapee's body, " A man wearing a black suit said through a different communication device. Along with an associate beside him, wearing the same outfit. 

'The badges on their breast pocket. They belonged to the company Realistic... guards' She thought, taking a few seconds of confirming her suspicions. 

Firewatch angled her crossbow below the gap. Maintaining her focus on the guards and clicks on the handheld transceiver (walkie talkie), "...there are two individuals related to the company Realistic. They have the same task as mine-. "

"-Permission to engage in combat. "

"No, eavesdrop them and report any new intel to me, " The voice ordered as Firewatch subtly nods. 

"Affirmative, " She released the button and sat by the branch unmoving with one leg on top of the other. Observing the two guards with a passive gaze like a statue.

"This doesn't look good. She used the syringe that we were told to guard by Miss, " One of the guards was rubbing his cheek. As he picked the empty syringe into his hand. 

"Not to mention that the Z proteins in it, from the Spectra race, are rare like diamonds, " The other voiced out her concern. Holding her chin while checking for Vida's vitals. 

"Should we keep quiet about this? Telling Miss early or later won't matter if we end up dead after that. "

"No, we should tell her after this. The earlier the lesser the punishment. Besides, this woman is still alive, " The guard said while suppressing her shock. 

"How the hell? She fell around 30 metres and survived?" 

"Enough of that, I'm sure she injected herself with the Z protein so that she could survive. Miss would be happy to know the prototype syringe worked and lessen our punishment. "

"Woohoo! Not gonna lie, I'm quite glad to hear that. Even though it came from your mouth. "

"Buzz off, help me lift this blasted woman or else I'll demand your pay cut. 

Firewatch concluded that was the end of the valuable info from them. Staying silent would result in Vida getting kidnapped. And, it would be hard to retrieve her back. 

"Vida injected herself with the Z proteins and survived the fall, " Firewatch summarises the guard's conversation and reported it to the other side of the device.

"Z protein? One Spectra closer to their extinction..., " The voice sighs because the protein could only be obtained from a Spectra's heart. 

"...permission to engage in combat granted to operator Firewatch, aim to kill, " The voice continued. 

"Roger out, " Firewatch lifted her right leg on the tree and aligned her large crossbow with it. 

The tip of the bolt protruding out of the small gaps in between the leaves. 

Her right eye glaring through the scope as she aims at one of the guards' heads. Holding onto the foregrip as her right index finger gently touched the trigger. 

Blood spewed out from the female guard's forehead, painting the dry red ground with a fresh thick liquid. Her partner widened his eyes, shocked at witnessing her instant death. 

The male guard quickly took out his knife and quickly observed the area with a few glances. Noticing a pair of antlers behind a bush... which Firewatch set up as a decoy with using tweaks. 

His blood boils in anger as he dashes towards the decoy. Applying heat to his weapon with his originium arts and slash diagonally. Slicing the top part of the bush into two. Finding no one in it. 

Firewatch who was on the tree branch. Aimed at his head with her second bolt and clicked the trigger. 

The guard senses the incoming danger with his guts and takes a swift sidestep. Avoiding Firewatch's shot narrowly without any injuries. 

He traces back the direction of the bolt and spotted the elafia woman on the tree. Pulling out a few knives before throwing it towards her. 

Firewatch jumps towards the man and the incoming knives. Pulling her thick green cloak in front and shielded herself. Stopping the knives at its track. 

The guard threw a kick at Firewatch. But, she managed to grab it and twist her around on it. Applying her weight to throw him off balance and slam him to the ground. Restraining him against the ground. 

She took out her combat knife and point it at the back of his neck. 

"Please! I have a family-. "

Firewatch sliced his neck and stabbed it to confirm the kill. Staring at his twitching dead body before shaking her head. 

A bit of blood splattered on her cheeks. She wiped it off before picking up her crossbow back. 

"Hostiles eliminated. Requesting for support to extract Vida away, " Firewatch said through the device. 

"Well done, Firewatch. Now, I need you to guard Vida and secure the area, while I'll dispatch a team to retrieve you both, " A small clap could be heard from the voice. 

Firewatch was not swayed by the compliment as she took the empty syringe, and replied "Rest assured, Doctor. "