We break through the line clean.
“Move to the slope!” Jase calls.
We hit the incline fast, boots slipping slightly on loose dirt, but momentum carries us through. Behind us, chaos spreads exactly the way I planned.
“They’re scrambling,” Cal’s voice comes over comms.
“Good,” I reply.
Because now they’re reacting.
And that means we’re winning.
We reach the lower ridge and regroup quickly. Everyone accounted for. No major hits.
I finally let out a breath.
Just one.
Jase steps in close, his eyes locked on mine, something intense burning there.
“That was insane,” he says.
I shrug slightly. “Worked, didn’t it?”
A corner of his mouth lifts. “Yeah.” His voice lowers. “You always like that?”
I hold his gaze. “Only when it matters.”
His eyes darken just slightly. “Good. Because it matters.”
Gunfire echoes faintly in the distance. They’re still out there. Still hunting.
But now?
We’re not running anymore.
We’re ahead of them.
And for the first time since this started—
We have the advantage.
37
Jase
Location: Lower Ridge — Adriatic Coast
Time: 10:47
The Adriatic coastline stretches out below us—rugged cliffs cutting into dark blue water, dense forest swallowing the ridge behind us.
Beautiful.
And completely unforgiving.
Out here, there’s no backup coming.
