Chapter 80: A Shattered Calm

The helicopter's rhythmic hum was the only sound as it sliced through the early morning sky. Inside, the team was silent, each member lost in their own thoughts. The adrenaline of the mission's success had begun to fade, replaced by the heavy weight of what was still to come.

Sophia sat near the open door, the cool wind whipping through her hair as she stared out at the landscape below. The sprawling forests gave way to rolling hills, the war-torn earth bearing the scars of countless battles. Despite the calmness of the dawn, she knew that this moment of peace was fleeting.

Ethan leaned back in his seat, his eyes closed but his mind clearly still on edge. His hand remained on his rifle, fingers absently tapping against the metal as if expecting another fight at any moment. Across from him, Zoe checked her gear with meticulous precision, her hands moving with a practiced ease that belied the exhaustion on her face.