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.

They reached the boulders and ducked behind them, their breathing heavy and labored. The large rocks provided a partial shield from the searchlights, but the persistent noise of the helicopters continued to bear down on them.

"How are they still seeing us?!" Rourke roared, frustration evident in his voice.

Sykes, panting, tried to peer around the boulders. "I don't know. We're doing everything we can, but it's like they know exactly where we are."

Rourke glanced around, searching for any advantage. "The trees were supposed to help. If they're still picking us up, we need to move somewhere else. We can't stay here."

The noise of the helicopters seemed to grow louder, the searchlights casting long, dancing shadows around them. Rourke's mind raced, trying to come up with a new plan. "Let's try to get further into the underbrush. Maybe if we find a more concealed spot, we can throw them off."

Sykes nodded, looking around nervously. "Alright. But we need to move quickly. If they're closing in, we won't have much time."

They carefully moved away from the boulders, slipping back into the dense underbrush. The thick foliage provided better cover as they pushed through the tangled branches and undergrowth. They kept low, trying to stay out of the path of the searchlights.

As they advanced deeper into the forest, the beams of light seemed to shift, still occasionally slicing through the trees but less frequently. The noise of the helicopters remained constant, but it felt as though they were moving further away.

"We need to find somewhere we can hide for a while," Rourke said, trying to catch his breath. "A place where they won't be able to spot us so easily."

Sykes looked around, his eyes scanning the dense forest. "There's a small cave up ahead. It's not much, but it might be enough to get us out of sight for a while."

Rourke nodded, his determination renewed. "Let's head for it."

They moved cautiously toward the cave, pushing through the underbrush. The entrance was partially obscured by dense foliage, making it difficult to spot from a distance. When they reached it, they slipped inside, out of view from the searchlights.

Inside the cave, they found a small, cramped space that offered some protection from the outside. They sat down, their bodies trembling from the cold and exhaustion.

"We should be safe here for a while," Sykes said, trying to catch his breath. "At least until they move on."

Rourke nodded, his face grim. "We've bought ourselves some time, but we can't stay here forever. I'm sure that metallic flying beast knows we're in this cave," he said, his voice low and strained. "We need to figure out our next move. We can't just wait here indefinitely."

***

Meanwhile, at the City of Ferm, one Blackhawk helicopter was preparing for departure. The sleek, black aircraft stood ready on the tarmac, its rotors beginning to spin with increasing speed. Inside, six soldiers, clad in tactical gear, checked their equipment and communicated through headsets.

"Listen up," the pilot announced over the intercom, his voice firm and focused. "We've been tasked with locating the two unknowns reported to be in the vicinity of the cave. They've been evading the Apache's searchlights, so we'll nab them and find out what they are doing. Eta five minutes!"

The soldiers nodded, their expressions set with determination as the Blackhawk lifted off, its powerful engines roaring against the night sky. As they gained altitude, the pilot adjusted their course, heading towards the dense forest where Rourke and Sykes had been last seen.

From the cockpit, the pilot could see the thick expanse of trees below, the moonlight casting shadows over the landscape.

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.