C457 In The Forest

Everyone aimed at the closest vehicle chasing us. “Fire!” We opened fire together. Several rounds struck the pursuing vehicle. The driver lost control, swerved violently, and was forced off the road. The vehicle crashed into the side of the road and stopped. For a few seconds, we finally had some relief. But it didn't last long. Within minutes, two more vehicles appeared from opposite sides. They came toward us quickly, trapping us between them. Then they opened fire. Bullets flew past our vehicle. I ducked as several rounds struck the side of the car. “Cipher! Drive!” I looked behind us. “They have reinforcements!” Cipher tightened her grip on the steering wheel and accelerated. But it was already too late. More vehicles appeared behind us. Then another. And another. They were still coming. The road was becoming crowded with vehicles chasing us, and every one of them seemed determined to stop us.

We continued firing back whenever we had a clear shot. Cipher looked at us. “What do we do?” Pixel immediately answered. “We have to get back to Scotland.” Kiddo nodded. “Let's get to the jet.” Survivor shook her head. “No.” Everyone looked at her. “If we go directly to the airbase, they'll follow us there.” She pointed behind us. “They already know we're trying to escape. They'll follow us to the airport and shoot the jet down before we can take off.” Chipmunk looked through the rear window. “They're still communicating with someone.” She watched one of the men in a pursuing vehicle speaking into a radio. “I think they're calling for even more reinforcements.” I looked at Cipher. “Wife.” She glanced at me. “You've always been a great driver.” I smiled despite everything happening around us. “Save us today.” Cipher shook her head. “That isn't an answer.” She kept her eyes on the road. “Tell me what we're going to do.” I thought for a moment. “Where did we leave our jet?” “Private airport.” “Are there any bushes or forests around it?” Cipher nodded. “Yes. There's a wooded area behind the private airport.” I looked at everyone. “Then that's where we're going.” Cipher understood immediately. I continued. “Stop firing.” Everyone looked at me. “We're wasting ammunition.”

I pointed toward the forest. “We learned to work together as a team. Now we're going to use that training.” Cipher nodded. She understood the plan. She pressed harder on the accelerator. The vehicles behind us continued firing. Bullets struck the car. The windows began to shatter. Glass flew through the vehicle. Everyone ducked. Another bullet struck the side of the car. Then Cipher suddenly screamed. “Damn it!” She looked down at her arm. A bullet had grazed her. “I'm hit!” She immediately looked at everyone. “Everyone stay down!” I moved closer to her. “Wife, are you okay?” “I'm fine!” She kept both hands on the steering wheel. “Just stay down!” We continued driving. The private airport was getting closer. Behind it was the wooded area we had been looking for. Finally, Cipher turned off the main road and drove directly toward the forest. The pursuing vehicles followed. As soon as we reached the trees, we jumped out. Everyone grabbed their weapons and quickly moved into position. Cipher looked at us. “Lions!” Everyone turned toward her. “Remember our last training session with Hammer's group.”

She looked toward the approaching vehicles. “We're going to fight back the same way we did during training.” She handed me two grenades. “We'll use these if things become too intense.” She pointed toward the private airport. “They'll be our window to escape.” I nodded. Cipher continued "Kiddo You will go and inform the pilot to start the plan. Chipmunk and Pixel use your snipers. The rest of us will keep shooting." Kiddo immediately ran toward the airport. “I'm going to help the pilot start the jet.” She disappeared through the trees. A few moments later, she reached the aircraft. She climbed inside and helped prepare it for departure. Then she opened one of the windows, took out her rifle, and aimed toward the approaching men. Back in the forest, we positioned ourselves. Pixel and Chipmunk moved into sniper positions. Survivor, Cipher, Bighead, and I took positions with shotguns. I kept the grenades ready. Our plan was simple. Hold them back. Create an opening. Run to the jet. Then get out of Colombia. Around twenty vehicles eventually stopped near the edge of the forest.

One after another, armed men jumped out. They began spreading through the trees. They were trying to find our tracks. They had no idea we were already watching them. Cipher raised her weapon. “If you have a shot…” She paused. “Take it.” Everyone remained silent. Then she repeated the order. “If you have a shot, take it.” The men moved deeper into the forest. Suddenly.. Bang! Chipmunk fired first. One of the men dropped. The others immediately stopped. “What was that?” Before they could react.. Bang! Pixel fired. Another man fell. The remaining men looked around in panic. “Snipers!” One of them shouted. “They're here somewhere!” Another man pointed toward the trees. “Watch out! They're using snipers!” Pixel looked toward Chipmunk. “There are too many!” Chipmunk wiped the sweat from her forehead. “We're never going to make it out alive if we confront all of them.” Cipher heard them. She knew they were right. There were too many enemies. But there was no other way. They had to fight. Several men were already getting close. Cipher raised her shotgun. “Now!” Bang! Bang! Two men dropped. The others immediately scattered. “Watch out!” “They're everywhere!” Another shot came from the airport.

Kiddo had joined the fight. Bang! Her sniper round struck a man moving toward our position. I looked toward Cipher. “Wife, we need to run!” Cipher kept firing. “Not yet!” The enemy continued advancing. Pixel and Chipmunk were still positioned farther away, using their rifles to keep the men from surrounding us. But there were simply too many. Bighead raised his shotgun. Bang! Another man fell. The enemy became furious. They began firing in every direction. Bullets tore through the trees. We ducked behind cover. Some rounds struck the ground only metres away. Others ripped through branches above us. We moved from tree to tree, trying to avoid being surrounded. But the enemy kept closing in. Cipher looked around. “We're running out of space!” I looked toward the airport. The jet was waiting. But there were too many men between us and it. Cipher fired again. Then she shouted at me. “Cracker!” I looked at her. “The grenades!” I pulled the two grenades from my gear. Cipher looked toward the advancing men. “This is our window!” I pulled the first grenade from my hand. The Lions prepared to move. The enemy was only seconds away.