Chapter 3

The battle at the ridge had taken its toll. Alpha Team was battered and bruised, barely holding on after hours of relentless enemy fire. The sun had set behind the mountains, casting long shadows over the battlefield, but the sounds of war continued to echo in the distance—gunfire, distant explosions, the low hum of drones cutting through the air.

Sarah leaned against a tree, her rifle resting on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. The weight of the day pressed down on her, heavier than her gear. Her hands shook slightly, the adrenaline still coursing through her veins, but the exhaustion was beginning to set in. They couldn't keep going like this much longer.

"We need supplies. We can't hold out with what we've got," Rivas said, sliding down beside her. His face was smudged with dirt and sweat, but his eyes were sharp, scanning the treeline for any sign of movement.

"I know," Sarah replied, her voice quiet. "But we're cut off. Command's not sending reinforcements until we can secure the northern line."

Rivas let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. "Secure the line? With what? We barely made it out of that last ambush alive."

Sarah didn't respond. He was right, of course. They were stretched too thin, running on fumes, and the enemy wasn't letting up. Every inch they fought for was met with brutal resistance, and every time they pushed back, the cost in lives was higher.

The night air was cold, but it did little to numb the pain. Sarah could still hear the screams in her head—the civilians caught in the crossfire, the soldiers who didn't make it. She clenched her fists, willing the memories to fade, but they lingered like a dark cloud.

A crackle from her radio snapped her back to the present. "Alpha Team, this is Command. Do you copy?"

Sarah lifted the radio to her mouth. "Copy, Command. This is Alpha Team."

"We've picked up enemy movement heading toward your position. You need to fall back and regroup at sector seven. Reinforcements are on the way, but you need to hold until they arrive."

Sarah's heart sank. Sector seven was a good five kilometers from their current location, through dense forest and enemy-controlled territory. It would be a miracle if they made it without encountering resistance.

"Understood, Command. Alpha Team out."

She clipped the radio back to her belt and turned to Rivas. "We're moving out. Sector seven."

Rivas groaned but nodded. "Great. More running through enemy territory. Just what I needed."

Sarah managed a small smile. "Could be worse."

"Yeah? How?"

"We could still be stuck back at the ridge."

Rivas chuckled, shaking his head. "Fair point."

The team moved quietly through the forest, the sound of their boots muffled by the thick underbrush. Every rustle of leaves or snap of a twig set Sarah's nerves on edge, her finger resting lightly on the trigger of her rifle. The enemy was out there, watching, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

They walked for nearly an hour, the tension mounting with every step. The trees around them were dense, the moonlight barely penetrating the thick canopy above. Sarah kept her eyes forward, scanning the path ahead for any sign of movement.

Then, without warning, the silence was shattered by gunfire.

"Ambush!" Rivas shouted, diving for cover as bullets tore through the air.

Sarah dropped to the ground, raising her rifle as the enemy soldiers emerged from the shadows. The firefight was chaotic, the night exploding into flashes of light and sound as both sides exchanged fire.

"Hold the line!" Harper's voice rang out over the chaos. "We need to break through!"

Sarah's heart pounded in her chest as she fired back, the recoil of the rifle jarring her with every shot. The enemy was relentless, their numbers overwhelming. They were outgunned, outnumbered, and running out of time.

But they couldn't give up. Not now.

"Push forward!" Harper ordered, his voice steady despite the chaos. "We need to move!"

Sarah gritted her teeth and pushed herself up, sprinting toward the next piece of cover as bullets whizzed past her head. Rivas was right behind her, covering her as she moved. The enemy was closing in, but they had to keep going. They had to make it to sector seven.

The battle seemed to last an eternity, but finally, after what felt like hours, the gunfire began to die down. The enemy was retreating, disappearing back into the shadows as quickly as they had appeared.

Sarah lowered her rifle, her breath coming in ragged gasps. They had made it. Barely.

"Everyone alright?" Harper called out, checking on the team.

There were a few muttered affirmatives, but the toll of the battle was clear. They had lost two more men in the ambush, and the rest of them were barely holding on.

"Let's move," Harper said, his voice heavy. "We're not out of this yet."

As they continued their march toward sector seven, Sarah couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. The enemy was getting bolder, their attacks more coordinated. And as the war dragged on, the line between right and wrong was beginning to blur.

But there was no turning back now. They had a mission, and they would see it through. No matter the cost.