The forest was eerily silent now, the fire's glow fading behind them.
Emma dragged Darrick through the undergrowth, every step calculated, every breath shallow.
Adrian jogged beside them, scanning the treeline with a cold, professional stare. "Victor's men aren't far. They'll strike from multiple directions—he's testing us."
Emma's grip on her knife tightened. "Good. Let him. I'm ready."
Darrick stumbled, still dazed from the explosion. "Emma… we can't just—"
"No time to talk," she snapped, pulling him behind a fallen log.
Gunfire suddenly erupted from the north—two men firing through the trees. Bullets whizzed past, embedding themselves in bark.
Emma threw herself forward, tackling Darrick to the ground. She rolled, grabbed one attacker, and snapped his neck in one smooth motion. The second attacker raised his gun—Emma's knife struck first.
Darrick's jaw dropped. "How—how are you this fast?"
"Focus, Hellsing!" she barked. "Stay alive."
Adrian fired into the treeline, taking down another shooter. "We need to move. West. Follow me."
They ran through the mud-soaked forest, branches tearing at their clothes, smoke from the cabin fire drifting through the trees.
Suddenly, a low, mechanical hum reverberated through the air. Red lights blinked through the mist. A drone hovered above them, scanning.
"Victor's drones," Adrian muttered. "They track heat and motion. If you stop, they'll mark you."
Emma glanced at Darrick. "You can move, right?"
He swallowed. "I… I'll try."
"Then run. Don't stop."
They sprinted blindly, dodging drones, jumping over roots, and ducking under low branches.
A metallic voice cut through the night from the drone. "Target acquired. Eliminating threats in five… four…"
Emma's eyes narrowed. She yanked Darrick behind a massive tree as the drone fired a beam of concentrated energy. The blast hit the log they had been behind—splinters flew everywhere.
"Close call," Adrian growled. "Keep moving!"
Emma looked at Darrick, determination flashing in her eyes. "Victor Kane thinks he can scare me? He doesn't know who he's hunting."
Darrick met her gaze. "And what if he does catch up?"
She smirked, bloodied but unbroken. "Then he's going to regret it."
A distant howl echoed through the forest—Victor's men regrouping. The night was far from over.
But for Emma, one thing was certain: no one threatens the people she cares about and lives to tell the tale.
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