RAGE

“Did you hear that?” Marcus whispered, his hand reaching for the gun at his side. His eyes scanned the darkening trees, every muscle in his body tense.

Evelyn immediately straightened, her own senses going on high alert. “No. What is it?”

“I don’t know yet. But something’s not right.”

Evelyn followed his gaze, scanning the treeline. “Do you think they’ve found us?”

Marcus clenched his jaw. “If they haven’t yet, they will soon. We need to move.”

He stood, pulling Evelyn up with him. His team was scattered by the riverbank, a few of them trying to rest, but most were alert, their eyes scanning the perimeter just like Marcus had taught them. He moved quickly toward them, signaling for silence.

“We’re not safe here,” Marcus said in a low, urgent voice. “I think Kane’s men are closing in.”

Jason, his second-in-command, looked up from where he had been crouched by a rock, sharpening his knife. “You sure?”

Marcus gave a sharp nod. “I’ve got a feeling. We need to get out of here before they have us surrounded.”

Jason cursed under his breath. “Where to?”

“There’s a cave a few clicks north,” Marcus said.

“We’ll regroup there. It’s defensible. But we need to move fast.”

The rest of the team, already on edge, sprang into action. There were no complaints, no hesitation. Everyone trusted Marcus’s instincts, and when he said move, they moved.

“Keep your eyes open and stay close,” Marcus said as they began packing up. “We’re in for a rough night.”

Evelyn walked beside him, her hand brushing his every now and then. She didn’t say anything, but he could feel the tension in her posture, the same worry that gnawed at him.

As they set off into the thick woods, Marcus kept his voice low but firm. “Stick together. Don’t make any unnecessary noise. They’ll be hunting us.”

Jason nodded, taking point with another soldier, Chris, as the rest of the team fell into formation behind them.

They moved quickly but cautiously, the dense undergrowth slowing their pace. The sounds of the forest—small animals rustling in the bushes, the creak of tree branches swaying in the wind—filled the silence, but Marcus couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched. Every step they took seemed to echo, as if something was waiting for the right moment to strike.

Evelyn whispered from beside him, “You think Kane’s already got people watching us?”

“I wouldn’t put it past him,” Marcus muttered, his hand never leaving his gun. “He’s always one step ahead.”

Suddenly, Jason stopped in his tracks, his fist shooting up in the universal signal to halt. The whole group froze, barely daring to breathe. Marcus immediately crouched, pulling Evelyn down beside him.

“What is it?” Marcus whispered, his eyes scanning the darkness ahead.

Jason pointed silently into the trees. “Movement. About 50 yards ahead.”

Marcus strained his eyes but couldn’t see anything. His heart pounded in his chest. “How many?”

Jason shook his head. “Can’t tell. Might be a scout.”

Marcus cursed under his breath. “We can’t afford to engage. We need to move around them.”

Jason nodded, signaling for the team to spread out and move silently through the trees. Marcus glanced at Evelyn. “Stay close to me. No heroics.”

She shot him a look but nodded, gripping her weapon tightly as they followed the others through the dense forest, circling around the spot where Jason had seen movement.

They made it about 20 yards before a branch snapped loudly to their right.

“Get down!” Marcus hissed, pulling Evelyn behind a thick tree trunk just as gunfire erupted. Bullets zipped through the air, splintering bark and whizzing dangerously close.

“We’re pinned!” Chris shouted from somewhere ahead.

“Return fire!” Marcus ordered, his voice calm despite the chaos.

The team sprang into action, laying down suppressing fire as Marcus assessed the situation. He could see flashes of movement through the trees, Kane’s men closing in on their position.

“We’re outnumbered,” Jason growled from beside him. “We’ve got to fall back!”

Marcus cursed under his breath, but he knew Jason was right. “Everyone, fall back! Keep low, stay moving!”

The team began retreating, firing in controlled bursts as they moved. Marcus grabbed Evelyn’s arm and pulled her along with him, his heart racing as bullets tore through the trees around them.

“We’ve got to get to that cave,” he shouted over the din of gunfire.

“I’m right behind you,” Evelyn replied, her voice breathless but steady.

They ran, weaving through the trees as gunfire followed them. Marcus’s mind raced, calculating their next move. They couldn’t keep running forever. Sooner or later, Kane’s men would catch up.

As they neared a small ridge, Marcus spotted a narrow ravine cutting through the landscape. It was steep and treacherous, but it could give them a momentary advantage.

“This way!” he yelled, guiding the team toward the ravine.

They scrambled down the rocky slope, the uneven ground threatening to send them tumbling, but they made it to the bottom with only a few minor scrapes and bruises.

“Keep moving!” Marcus urged, his voice tense.

Suddenly, a burst of gunfire tore through the air, hitting the ground just inches from Evelyn’s feet. She stumbled, gasping as she lost her balance.

“Evelyn!” Marcus shouted, grabbing her arm before she could fall.

She looked up at him, her face pale but determined. “I’m okay. Let’s go.”

They kept running, the sound of footsteps and shouts growing louder behind them. Marcus could feel the tension mounting. They were running out of time.

Up ahead, the trees thinned out, revealing a small clearing. At the far edge of it, Marcus spotted the entrance to the cave.

“There!” he shouted. “Get inside!”

The team surged forward, diving into the safety of the cave just as bullets rained down on the clearing behind them. Marcus was the last one in, covering the entrance as his team scrambled for cover.

“We need to block the entrance!” Jason yelled, grabbing a large rock and shoving it in place.

“Evelyn, help me with this!” Marcus called, motioning to a pile of fallen branches near the entrance.

Together, they quickly piled the branches in front of the cave, creating a makeshift barricade. It wouldn’t hold for long, but it might buy them a few precious moments to regroup.

The gunfire outside slowed, and for a brief moment, silence fell over the cave.

Marcus leaned against the wall, catching his breath. “Everyone okay?”

A chorus of nods and quiet affirmations answered him, though their faces were strained with exhaustion and fear.

Evelyn crouched beside him, her face pale but resolute. “What now?”

Marcus wiped sweat from his brow, his mind racing. “We can’t stay here. They’ll figure out we’re in the cave sooner or later.”

Jason frowned. “We’re out of options, Marcus. We’re pinned down.”

“I know,” Marcus replied grimly. “But we need a plan. Kane’s not going to stop coming after us.”

Evelyn looked up at him, her eyes hard. “Then we make him come to us.”

Marcus blinked, surprised by the fierce determination in her voice. “What do you mean?”

She stood up, pacing as she spoke. “We know he’s after us. He’s hunting us down, and he won’t stop until he gets what he wants. So, we turn the tables. We draw him in.”

Jason crossed his arms, skeptical. “And how do you suggest we do that? He’s got an army out there.”

Evelyn turned to face them, her expression fierce. “We make him think we’re weaker than we are. We let him believe he’s got the upper hand, and then we strike.”

Marcus exchanged a glance with Jason. It was a bold plan, and risky, but it just might work.

Marcus stood up, facing his team. “Alright, here’s what we’re going to do…”

They spent the next hour preparing their trap. Evelyn’s plan was simple: they would make it look like they were cornered, vulnerable, and force Kane’s men into the cave, where they would have the advantage of cover and the element of surprise.

As the minutes ticked by, Marcus felt the weight of the situation settle on his shoulders. This was it—their last stand. If this plan failed, they were as good as dead.

Evelyn stood beside him, her face set in determination. “We’ve got this, Marcus.”

He nodded, his jaw clenched. “Yeah. We do.”

The sound of footsteps echoed from outside the cave. They were coming.

Marcus signaled for silence, his hand tightening around his weapon. He could hear the low murmurs of Kane’s men as they approached the cave entrance, unaware of the trap waiting for them inside.

Marcus’s heart pounded in his chest as he waited, the tension in the air thick enough to cut with a knife.

And then, with a sudden burst of movement, Kane’s men stormed the cave.

“Now!” Marcus shouted.

The team opened fire, the cave erupting in a storm of gunfire and chaos. Kane’s men, caught off guard, fell back, but