For half a second—
everything stills.
Then Mila steps forward.
Eyes sharp.
Focused.
“Then we break it.”
I glance at her.
There’s fire in her expression.
Controlled.
Calculated.
“You got a plan?” I ask.
She almost smiles.
“Always.”
And just like that—
we stop running.
36
Mila
Location: Forest Ridge — Active Engagement Zone
Time: 10:33
They think they’ve got us. That’s the first mistake.
I scan the terrain in one sweep—ridge line, slope, tree density, angles of approach. My brain maps it instantly, the same way it used to at thirty thousand feet. Only difference now? I’m the one in the crosshairs.
“Two lines,” I say, low and fast. “Front and rear. They’re trying to compress us.”
Jase steps in beside me. “Options?”
I point slightly to the left. “Slope drops there. Narrow choke point. If we move right, they tighten the net. If we push forward blind, we get pinned.”
Cal glances ahead. “So we’re boxed.”
“No,” I reply, shifting my stance as the plan locks into place. “They think we’re boxed.”
That gets their attention.
Ronan watches me closely. “You see a break.”
“I see a weakness,” I correct.
I look at Jase. “They’re expecting us to keep moving. Stay defensive. Retreat.”
