The forest erupted into chaos as the roar of engines grew closer. Zara and Callum sprinted through the dense undergrowth, the glow of Syndicate searchlights cutting through the darkness behind them.
"Faster!" Zara barked, glancing over her shoulder. The Syndicate's pursuit vehicles, sleek and armored, plowed through the forest, their mounted spotlights sweeping for any sign of movement.
Callum staggered, his injuries slowing him down. "I'm not… gonna make it."
Zara skidded to a stop, grabbing his arm and hoisting him upright. "Yes, you are. Keep moving." Her tone left no room for argument.
Ahead, the forest thinned, revealing a ravine with a rushing river below. Zara's mind raced. They couldn't outrun the Syndicate on foot, not with Callum's injuries and the drones likely circling back.
"Zara, what's the plan?" Callum wheezed, clutching his side as they reached the edge of the ravine.
Zara scanned their surroundings, her eyes locking onto a fallen tree bridging the gap to the opposite side. It was precarious at best—a narrow, moss-covered log slick with dew—but it was their only option.
"That," she said, pointing to the makeshift bridge.
"You're kidding," Callum muttered, but Zara was already moving, guiding him toward the log.
"Go, now!" she ordered, her voice cutting through his hesitation.
Callum stepped onto the log, his movements slow and unsteady. Zara followed close behind, her senses on high alert. The growl of engines drew nearer, accompanied by the unmistakable clatter of boots on the forest floor. The Syndicate had deployed ground troops.
Halfway across the log, a searchlight swept over them, illuminating their escape. Shouts erupted from the Syndicate soldiers as gunfire echoed through the trees.
"Move!" Zara yelled, shoving Callum forward just as a bullet splintered the wood beneath their feet. Callum stumbled, nearly losing his balance, but Zara grabbed his arm, steadying him.
They reached the other side as a grenade launcher fired, the explosion sending shockwaves through the ravine. The log bridge shattered, debris raining down into the river below.
"Keep going!" Zara urged, dragging Callum into the cover of the trees. But the Syndicate wasn't giving up. A drone buzzed overhead, locking onto their position.
Zara pulled her sidearm, firing three quick shots. The first two missed, but the third struck the drone's camera, sending it spiraling into the ground.
Callum collapsed against a tree, gasping for air. "We can't keep this up."
Zara crouched beside him, her mind working furiously. "We won't have to. There's a safehouse a mile from here. If we can reach it, we'll have the advantage."
"And if we don't?" Callum asked, his tone grim.
Zara's eyes hardened. "Then we make our stand."
The sound of Syndicate soldiers closing in grew louder. Zara checked her ammunition and tightened the straps of her gear. The odds were against them, but she'd faced worse.
"Stay with me, Callum," she said, offering him a hand. "This isn't over."
Together, they plunged deeper into the forest, the Syndicate hot on their heels.