2 – NO

owed them in

the sounds of engines, shouting, and gunfire fading into layers of trees. Dr. Mara Vale stayed close, moving faster than

, Ethan slowed. Af

Mara froze instant

Insects. Distant thunder that

sh, rifle raised. The forest felt ali

ack there," he said qui

r cheek, her eyes steady. "Because Kand

," Ethan said, glancing over his

r jacket and pulled out a slim, lam

– SPECIAL MON

led sharpl

arian observer," she said, "

wed. "You knew

n't the first team

y?" Etha

immediately. That

tarted moving aga

acility. Underground. Abo

a long

foot," she replied,

ng. "Then you better

s. "There's a supply road. I

utomatic fir

heir heads had been seconds earlier. He rolled, fired twice with

rom the smoke, spreading out, ri

eeping," Ma

alm now, focuse

e second turned, startled, before a shot found its mark. The third barel

etting sun casting long shadows between twisted trees. Dust rose behind

ze," she said, voice low, "once we reach O

ould imagine involved blood, betrayal, and impossible choices. "Yea

the road, kicking up dust. Ethan raised hi

we take it, they'll

to the road. The truck screeched to a halt. Insid

his head. Three s

im to fire a shot through the windshield. Chaos erupted. Tires squealed, bullets ricocheted, and in the

gunpowder smoke, dust, and the smell of burnt engine oil. Mara clung

Ethan said. "O

like a ribbon through a valley of shadows. Somewhere in the distanc

ally spoke. "I need to know why you're doing this.

shadow a potential threat. "I don't care about him," he said finally.

lightly. "Then we'r

Not while the sound of distant a

idden under overhanging branches. Ethan kept watch while Mara scouted the pe

nly ones headed for the facility," she said. "T

other magazine into his rifle. "

howl split the night. Ethan thought about his team

tomorrow-the facility underground, the s

d his grip

but steady, "we make sure no

me that night, there was some

ver. But at least, for

omewhere in Kandara, a secret powerful enough to change the w