Chapter 11
His heart sank. Fear stole his breath. 200 meters of freefall without any equipment.
It was as if he were falling directly into death's embrace.
The ground was rushing towards him impossibly fast.He tucked his body, pinched his nose, and plunged into the water.
Now the sound of gunfire was gone.There was only the sound of water echoing in his ears. He kept sinking. Until he finally stopped.
He spread his arms and began swimming towards the surface.
The oxygen in his lungs was running out. No matter how much he flailed, he couldn't reach the surface. His veins bulged. His eyes were drowning in darkness.
He couldn't hold on any longer.His limbs went slack.
But he was close.Almost there. With the last of his strength, he flailed and broke the surface.
A deep breath. So deep it hurt his lungs. In and out.
He shouted:
· Liiiz! Jooeeee!
He raised his hand:
· Here! Over here!
He couldn't see,but he felt someone grab his hand. They pulled Jake up and into the boat.
Jake gasped for air.His vision returned. He saw Liz leaning over him.
Liz said:
· Are you okay, sir?
Jake said:
· Get us out of here. We have to go.
Jake lifted his head and saw the soldier who had jumped with them from the window,lying on the rocks by the riverbank. He was almost crushed. Jake couldn't see exactly what had happened to him, only the broken and protruding bones, as the soldier pushed the boat's motor to its limit.
The boat bounced across the river's surface,and the sound of gunfire filled the air. Jake stood up. The friendly boats were trying desperately to escape from about 8 Sensrif boats. Joe, Liz, Steve, and one other soldier were in the boat.
Joe said:
· There's no way we survive this heavy fire.
Jake said:
· Keep going. We have to escape.
He grabbed a rifle from the boat and started defending it.
The enemy fire was too heavy for proper aim.Jake relied on experience, popping up at the right moments to take out a target.
Suddenly,the boat jumped and slammed hard against the water's surface. Liz lost her balance and was thrown towards the edge.
Jake moved quickly,grabbing Liz's wet clothes and pulling her back into the boat.
Jake said:
· Are you hurt?
Liz said:
· Yeah, I'm okay, I'm okay.
Jake said:
· We have to endure. We're almost out of the city. Not much further.
Then he returned to his position and started shooting again.He aimed, and his bullet hit the chest of the driver of one of the enemy boats.
Suddenly Steve shouted:
· The riverbank! They're coming from the sides!
Jake turned his head.
Two vehicles were pursuing the boats from the left and right banks.
Joe said:
· My God, what do we do about them?
Jake said:
· Keep going. This road won't last much longer. It'll end soon.
Over the radio,Mack's voice came through, mixed with gunfire, explosions, and the sound of his boat's motor:
· Sir, our casualties are mounting. We're losing everyone.
Jake said:
· All we can do is keep going. We will succeed. Keep going.
Suddenly,a bullet hit the head of the soldier steering the boat. Jake had no time to check if he was alive; he pushed the corpse aside and took the wheel himself.
He ducked his head and used the motor's full capacity.The boat felt like it was about to take flight.
It sped forward at full speed.
Liz was facing Jake.Jake tried to see how many groups were pursuing them. The boats and vehicles were still swiftly chasing them from all sides.
Suddenly,Liz cried out:
· "Aaaahh!"
Jake turned.Liz had fallen to the bottom of the boat. Drenched in blood. Seeing this scene made Jake's head spin for a moment. Steve said over the radio:
· Liz is hit! Liz is hit!
Jake went to Liz.One hand on the throttle, the other shaking her:
· Liz! Liz, are you okay?
Jake's voice was trembling as he said this.He was scared.
Liz raised her hand and placed it on her wound:
· My shoulder! My shoulder, sir.
Jake said:
· Hang on. We're almost there.
But it was Will who reported the worsening situation:
· Helicopters! Enemy air force is in the sky! Watch out!
Jake looked at the sky.Now he was beginning to doubt. (Can we really escape?)
The boat still raced on. Bullets and shells hit the hull. If this continued, the hull wouldn't hold much longer. Now, even the rain wouldn't let up on the beleaguered team. They entered the forest. The water current was faster than ever.
The sound of gunfire pounded their ears.Jake was scared. Not for himself. For the responsibility he bore for the others. Liz lay bleeding in front of him. Most of the soldiers were dead. He was lost in these thoughts when Will said over the radio:
· RPG. There's an RPG in your boat. Steve, use it!
Jake and Joe looked at each other.Steve went to the bow and moved a tarp aside:
· Yeah, there's an RPG here.
Jake said:
· Take out the boats.
Steve prepared the RPG.Meanwhile, Jake drew his sidearm and aimed at the vehicles. Several bullets from that direction hit the boat's hull, but Jake didn't stop aiming.
(Shot)
Missed.
(Shot)Missed again.
He aimed once more.The vehicle's tire was in his sights.
(Shot)
Boom.The tire burst. The vehicle began to skid, and after several attempts by the driver to control it, the vehicle tumbled and hit a tree.
At the same time,a sound scraped their ears.
(Whooosh)
The RPG had been fired. Everyone watched the missile's trajectory.
Boom.An enemy boat split in two, and all the soldiers on board burned instantly.
Mack said:
· Steve, you got it! Great job, man!
(Whooosh)
A missile fired from a helicopter hit one of the team's boats directly, destroying everyone in less than half a second.
Joe said:
· My God, the soldiers... We lost them all.
Will said:
· Sir, what do we do?
Jake said:
· It's our only way out. Steve, prepare the RPG again.
Jake aimed his rifle again at a vehicle firing at them.
Jake muttered under his breath:
· Pain in the neck.
(Shot)
But his shot missed.
He tried again.(Shot) (Shot) (Shot) (Shot)
All of them missed.The enemy fire was too intense, and he couldn't aim properly.
But he had to eliminate this vehicle somehow.This time, ignoring the gunfire, he aimed.
(Shot)
At the same moment,the boat jerked, and a bullet hit Jake's wrist.
Pain shot from his hand to his brain.A shock like an electric jolt.
(Whooosh)
(Boom)
Steve had destroyed another boat.Joe said:
· Great job, brother.
Jake looked at Liz.She was in bad shape. Jake was worried about her. Nothing should happen to her.
Jake lifted his head,but the vehicle beside them was gone. Had he hit it? How?
Steve had prepared the RPG.Will said over the radio:
· Mack Millan is wounded! He's wounded!
At that moment, a bullet hit Steve in the chest.
(Whooosh)
The missile launched but went astray,exploding by the riverbank. Simultaneously, three more bullets hit Steve in the chest.
Joe screamed:
· Nooo, Steeeve!!!!
Steve spat blood from his mouth and fell.Joe rushed to him, cradling him. He spoke through heavy sobs:
· Breathe, brother, breathe. You're okay, right? In and out, in and out.
But Steve was in worse shape than just needing to breathe.He was vomiting blood.
Joe placed his hand on Steve's stomach where he'd been shot.
One bullet in the rib.One in the stomach. And two in his chest.
Steve,with a half-alive voice and a sob from the pain, said:
· Brother... It hurts. It hurts so much.
Joe cried:
· Steve, please, hold on. We're almost there. Stay with me, little brother, please. Breathe.
But Steve was done.
The water current was very strong.The remaining enemy boats stopped. But the helicopters continued pursuing them.
Will said:
· Why did the boats stop?
Jake didn't answer.Suddenly, the turbulence increased. Will shouted:
· Waterfall! Watch out!
Jake moved towards Liz and held her close.When they reached the edge of the waterfall, they jumped.
He held Liz from behind and swam towards dry land. He reached the shore. He dragged the wounded Liz under a tree, all the while saying:
· Oh my God, Liz, hold on, please. Breathe, breathe.
He gently laid Liz under the tree and sat beside her.First, he took a general look. Her wet body and the blood she'd lost. He checked her pulse. She was breathing. He was about to jump back into the water when he suddenly saw the helicopters searching for the team. Jake stood up. The helicopters gained a bit of altitude but didn't leave the area. He saw Jake, Mack, and Will swimming and approaching him. Jake gave them his hand and helped them onto dry land. Jake said:
· Are you okay?
Mack said,coughing:
· Yeah, yeah, we're okay. Aaagh.
Jake said:
· Are you hit?
Mack said:
· No, just scraped up near my ribs.
Will said:
· Where's Joe?
Suddenly,Joe emerged from the water, still holding Steve's body.
Jake said:
· Will, watch them. I'm going for him.
And he jumped back into the water.He swam. Got closer. He could hear Joe's voice. The sound of his mourning. It was as if he didn't want to accept it:
· Steve. Steeeve. Brother, please breathe. Open your eyes, bro.
Joe could barely speak.He was drowning. Jake grabbed him from behind. Joe seemed to have no strength left to resist.
Joe cried:
· Please, my brother is there. Let me go. I have to look after him.
Jake said:
· Calm down, man.
They reached the shore.Jake dragged Joe towards the others and collapsed himself. Joe also fell. He could no longer stand on his own feet.
Will said with profound sorrow under his breath:
· My God, Steve.
Mack said:
· Sir, what do we do?
Jake,who had gone to check on Liz, didn't answer at first. He was scared for Liz. Then he pulled himself together and said:
· We have to get away from here and head to Team Charlie. We mustn't waste time. The longer we stay, the more likely the Sensrif forces will find us, or even find Team Charlie.
Jake,in his wet, heavy clothes, stayed by Liz's side:
· Liz. Liz, can you hear me?
Liz didn't answer.Jake was scared. He said again, his voice trembling:
· Liz? Are you with me?
Liz's lips moved slightly,and she opened her eyes with difficulty. Jake was relieved:
· Oh, thank God. Are you in pain?
Liz couldn't speak.Jake checked her wound again. She was bleeding, but it seemed the bleeding had slowed somewhat. Jake tore a piece of his own clothing and tightly bandaged Liz's wound, then said softly:
· Liz, listen. You're bleeding, okay, but you're stable now. I've bandaged your wound. We need to escape now. We have no time. Hang on, I'll get you out of here.
Then he turned to the others and said:
· Get up. We have to go.
Mack stood up.Will tried to get Joe up, but he wouldn't rise. He kept saying:
· Will, brother, he's under the water. Please, let me get him out.
Will replied,choked up:
· We have to go. There's no time. Leave him, man.
Jake gently lifted Liz and held her in his arms.His hand hurt terribly, but he endured it. Liz was more important to him now.
They moved.Will supported Joe, and Mack walked while holding his ribs. Everyone was exhausted. Their wet clothes multiplied their weight. Walking had become difficult for them. The psychological shock of losing the entire team, especially Steve, and the jump from the window and the waterfall, was driving them insane. Suddenly, Mack said:
· Sir, behind us.
The sound of vehicles filled the forest.The faint lights of Sensrif vehicles were visible in the distance through the dark night.
Jake said:
· We have to go. They're coming after us. Run!
Running was hard for them.Besides the wet clothes, mud from the rain clung to their feet. Jake was mindful of Liz. He tried not to jostle her while running, so as not to hurt her or increase her bleeding.
At that moment,something caught Jake's attention. A light was coming from almost directly ahead. Jake stopped. Mack came to his side and said in disbelief:
· My God, are they coming from the front?
Jake said:
· We have to lose them. This way.
They changed direction to the left.Will, who had fallen behind because of Joe, tried to catch up. Mack was wounded but still helped Will move faster. Joe had somewhat recovered and was now moving quicker. Now everyone was moving with Jake. Will said:
· We're getting closer to the river. We need to go north, but we're heading west.
Jake didn't answer.Will said again:
· Jake Walker, we're moving away from the target. We're moving away.
Jake said sharply:
· I know. We're circling them. Stop talking nonsense for two minutes and let me think.
Everyone was panting.The weight of Liz bothered Jake, but he didn't care. He had to get the few survivors to safety safely.
The darkness of the night made finding the way harder for them.The wet plants bothered them, and the mud, deepening by the moment due to the rain, made running even more difficult. The lights of the soldiers' flashlights had diminished. But the sounds echoed in the forest, sending shivers down Jake's spine. If they were found, there would be no way back, no salvation. The entire team was destroyed. Alpha and Bravo were completely wiped out. The plan was successful, but at what cost???
They reached some rocks.The river was at a lower elevation. A cliff leading down to the river.
Mack said:
· Where are we?
Jake still didn't answer.
They climbed the rocks.It was a difficult path, but manageable. They progressed through the rocks. Through small caves and paths that were like stairs and places where they had to help each other up. At one point, Joe muttered something to Will.
Will called out to Jake:
· Jake, we need to rest.
Jake didn't answer and continued on his way.Will signaled to Mack, and Mack said:
· Commander, we need to rest..... Commander... Commmander!!
Jake again said sharply:
· No, we can't. We have to keep going.
Will said:
· Jake, Joe isn't well.
Jake said ruthlessly:
· It doesn't matter. He's not the only one who's lost people. We've all lost people. If he can't walk, leave him!
Suddenly,Mack blocked Jake's path:
Jake said:
· Get out of my way, Mack. Now!
Mack said:
· That's enough. We need to rest.
Jake said:
· I'm the commander, and I say what we do.
Mack said:
· Joe is sick. He has a headache. His head might be injured.
Jake was about to answer Mack when suddenly Joe started vomiting.
Seeing this,Jake went to a corner and gently laid Liz on the ground. Everyone sat down, and Will was checking on Joe. Jake sat by Liz's head and checked her condition again. She still had a pulse, and the bleeding seemed to have slowed a little.
Jake said softly:
· Liz? Liz, can you hear me? Please answer.
Liz moved her lips.She was saying something unintelligible. Jake concentrated on what Liz was saying:
· "Waa...ter. Waa...ter."
Jake quickly went to Mack.He took the canteen from his belt without asking, almost angrily, and went back to Liz. He put the canteen's opening to her lips and gave her a very small amount of water. After she finished, Jake said:
· You shouldn't drink too much. You're still bleeding a little. We shouldn't aggravate it.
Liz forced her eyes open with effort.Jake said:
· Try to keep your eyes open as much as you can.
With his hands,Jake brushed aside some of the hair that had fallen over Liz's face. Liz, with a bloodied face, opened her blue eyes, but her eyelids seemed heavier than anything else.
Mack was watching Jake. He thought to himself:
My God, why is the Commander acting like this? He was never like this.
Then he looked at Joe.Will was tending to him. Suddenly, he saw Jake in front of him. Jake said:
· How is Joe?
Mack said:
· I don't know, but I think he hit his head.
Jake,without a word, went to Will and sat down beside them:
· How are you, Joe?
Joe didn't answer.Will said:
· He's getting better. We need to get him somewhere he can rest as soon as possible.
Jake said:
· Well, we've circled around the enemy. We're close now. We just have to keep going.
Will turned to Joe and said:
· Joe, did you hear that? Can you get up and walk?
Joe said,feeling unwell:
· Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I'm fine. We have to go. Let's go.
Will tried to help Joe up.Jake went to Liz. He lifted her into his arms again and got ready to move. Mack also stood up. They moved. The steep slope seemed to suck the soul from their bodies. Jake led the way, with Mack, Joe, and Will together behind Jake.
Will said:
· Is the Commander acting like this because of that girl?
Mack said:
· I've served with him for many years, and I'm telling you, this is the first time I've seen the Commander behave like this in such a situation. He's acting like this because..."
Will said:
· He's angry... yeah, I know. I've seen him in tough situations too. I don't know him that well, but I have enough experience to understand people. Our operation was successful, but these heavy casualties would drive any commander crazy.
Mack said:
· Team Atlas has been in situations like this before. Usually, Commander Simon and Jake would make decisions together, and it was great, like everything was optimized. He's under a lot of pressure now.
Will said:
· That girl. He's very worried about her.
Mack didn't speak.After a moment, he said:
· I wish Commander Simon, Caesar, and Victor were here. They could really help.
Will said:
· We have good people too. Commander John, Leo, and Michael are some of the best in the Ghost team. I really miss them. Especially Michael. I'm sure you like him, Mack.
Mack said:
· I hope this is all over soon and we can have a big celebration together.
Suddenly,a sound came. A human voice.
Jake said:
· Do you hear the Sensrif forces?
Mack said:
· Yeah, yeah, we hear them.
Jake said:
· They don't know where we are. Because we stopped, they got closer. We have to move faster.
After about 15 minutes,they emerged from the rocks and re-entered the trees.
They continued moving.Another slope.
Suddenly,a man ran out of the forest and with a shout, struck Mack hard in the back with the butt of his rifle. Mack cried out and fell. Another man charged at Will. Jake turned. Will let go of Joe, and Joe fell to the ground, managing to defend against the attacking Sensrif soldier. Will and the Sensrif soldier fell to the ground. Will recovered quicker, got on top of the soldier, and started punching him in the face. He punched with all his pent-up rage and remaining strength. He made a sound with each punch. Suddenly, the first soldier who had attacked Mack came at Will, and Jake shouted:
· Behind you!!!
Will snatched the soldier's sidearm from his holster,aimed, and fired before the soldier could reach him. The gunshot echoed through the forest. The fallen soldier tried to get up, but Jake approached him; he couldn't do much because of Liz, but he kicked the soldier in the face.
Will turned and put a bullet in the soldier's brain.
For a moment,everyone was in shock.
Jake said:
· You fired. They know we're here now. We have to go. Run.
Will went to Mack.He was conscious but completely dazed. Will slapped Mack's face a few times, shaking him until he came to. Jake went to Joe and tried to get him up with words, but Will arrived and lifted Joe from the ground. Will and Joe moved, and Mack, staggering and dazed, moved with difficulty. They ran with all their might. Jake could hear the Sensrif soldiers:
· They're here! Kill them! This way!!
Jake encouraged the men,urging them to run, when the first shots were fired at them.
Will said:
· Oh my God.
Jake said:
· Run! It's not much further. We're almost there. Team Charlie is up there on the road, waiting for us. Hold on!
Pant,pant, pant. Their lungs ached.
Bullets continued to whiz past them like lightning.Suddenly, Will cried out:
· Aaaah, my God...!
Jake turned and saw Will's leg had been hit. He slowed down a little but saw Will was still running. Will shouted:
· No, don't stop! We have to keep going! Run!
Jake listened to Will and kept running behind him.Will limped slightly from his wounded leg but didn't slow his pace.
Suddenly,soldiers appeared in front of them. Jake's heart sank. But one of the soldiers said:
· Commander, this way!
Jake felt relieved.He said:
· Come on, friendlies are here.
Everyone ran past the friendly soldiers.After they passed, the sound of gunfire and explosions intensified behind them. Jake and his companions reached the road and saw the vehicles waiting for them. Jake could no longer feel his arms. His muscles were completely numb. They approached the vehicles. Will and Joe got into one vehicle, and Jake, Liz, and Mack got into another. Jake sat in the left rear seat and laid Liz down so her head was on his lap. Mack sat in the front, waiting for the vehicles to move.
Finally,the soldiers arrived and got into the vehicles. The Sensrif soldiers were still pursuing them. Three soldiers from Team Charlie were killed coming towards the vehicles, but the rest managed to get in.
They moved off.They drove at full speed. The sound of bullets hitting the vehicle body filled the cabin.
Jake looked back and said:
· They're following us.
The soldier commanding the team said over the radio:
· Get ready, they're coming after us.
Jake was exhausted and disoriented.Suddenly, the vehicle began to shake. They had crossed a wooden bridge. After the last vehicle crossed, the bridge exploded, and one of the Sensrif vehicles that was mid-bridge fell into the ravine.
They had finally escaped.
They were on their way. Jake had rolled down the window. The sound of tires on the muddy road reached his ears. The drizzle hit his face. Liz's head was on his lap. He looked at her. His heart beat fast. He looked at Mack. He was leaning his head back, eyes closed.
Jake was nervous.Very nervous. He had lost an entire team. Steve was dead. His brother, who was in very bad shape and grieving, was acting as if Steve's death didn't matter to him at all. He felt guilty. This guilt was eating away at Jake from the inside.
He thought to himself:
What have I done??? Why did I plan it like this? I lost everything. I've made dozens of families mourn their children and spouses. All of this is my fault. Their blood is on my hands. Me, I... Oh my God. How can I look Simon in the eye? What will I say to him?? Tell him I lost two whole teams because of my stupid strategy??
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Hello friends,
Thank you for taking the time to read my story.
The story is updated every Wednesday, but I missed one Wednesday because some personal issues came up and I couldn't find the time to write and upload.
I am very, very sorry to everyone. I don't want to be an irresponsible person, and I'm also upset with myself for the delayed upload.
This chapter is also a bit short. I am doing all I can and planning so that the next chapter will be to your liking.
Thank you for your support, and if you haven't supported me, that's okay too.
I would do anything for your happiness...
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