He nods once. “We don’t.”
“No,” I say. “We hit them where they’re not ready.”
Jonah exhales. “Which is?”
I point again, sharper this time. “We split their front line before the rear can close. Fast. Aggressive. No hesitation.”
Lance frowns. “That’s a gamble.”
I meet his eyes. “Everything is.”
Then I look back at Jase.
He doesn’t hesitate. “Do it.”
That’s all I need.
“Jase looks at Ronan, you stay high. Pick off anyone trying to flank. Cal, Jonah—push right, draw their fire. Make them think we’re breaking that direction.”
Cal grins slightly. “I like where this is going.”
“Don’t get shot,” Mila shot back.
“No promises.”
Jase turned back to me. “You’re with me.”
“Wouldn’t be anywhere else.”
“On my mark,” he says.
I’m tracking movement ahead, counting timing, controlling my breathing.
“Three… two… one… move.”
Everything explodes.
Cal and Jonah break right, firing hard. The enemy reacts instantly, shifting toward them just like I knew they would.
“Now!”
Jase and I surge forward—low, fast, precise.
The front line isn’t ready.
Not for this.
I take the first one clean—two shots, center mass. Jase drops the second before the man even clears his weapon. We don’t slow. We don’t stop.
“Push!” I call.
We drive straight through the weakest point in their line, forcing them to react instead of control. That’s the key. Always the key.
Gunfire erupts behind us. Ronan is picking them off from above. Lance and Jason cover the rear, keeping the second line from closing in.
“Left!” Jase snaps.
I pivot instantly. Another hostile comes into view—I fire. He drops.
