Gunfire cracks again in the distance.
Reality slams back in.
But this time—
It’s different.
Because now we know.
We don’t just fight side by side.
We choose each other.
And whatever comes next—
We’re not walking away from this.
38
Jase
Location: Lower Ridge — Adriatic Coast
Time: 11:02
Idon’t like the silence.
Out here, silence doesn’t mean safety.
It means they’re repositioning.
Watching.
Waiting.
“They’re not done,” I say, scanning the tree line again.
“No,” Ronan’s voice comes low through comms. “They pulled back too clean. This isn’t over.”
Of course it isn’t.
Nothing about this has been simple.
I crouch slightly, adjusting my stance, tracking movement patterns that aren’t there yet—but will be.
“They’ll try to flank again,” Cal mutters.
“Or funnel us downhill,” Lance adds.
I glance toward the slope—toward the water we saw earlier.
Too exposed.
Too open.
Dead zone.
“Not happening,” I say.
