Chapter 14: Breakout Under Fire

The blaring alarm ripped through the tense silence, followed by Brody’s urgent warning. There was no time for debate. Elias knew that Evelyn, still weakened and traumatized, wouldn’t survive a direct confrontation. Their priority had to be escape, trusting in Brody and Kai’s formidable abilities to hold the line.

“Aris, Sarah, Evelyn, now!” Elias barked, shoving them towards the waiting vehicle. The headlights of the approaching vehicles cast long, menacing shadows through the trees. The sound of engines grew louder, and closer.

As Aris fumbled with the ignition, the first shots rang out – sharp cracks that echoed through the forest. They weren’t energy weapons; they sounded like conventional firearms. Whoever was attacking them was playing it old school, at least for now.

Kai unleashed a burst of controlled energy towards the lead vehicles, creating a momentary barrier of crackling blue light. It wouldn’t stop them for long, but it bought them precious seconds. “Go! We’ll cover you!” Kai yelled, their eyes blazing with power.

Brody, already taking cover behind a reinforced section of the facility wall, returned fire with a scavenged assault rifle. His shots were precise and aimed to disable the approaching vehicles. “Don’t worry about us! Get Evelyn safe!”

Aris finally got the engine roaring to life. Tires spun in the dirt as he slammed the vehicle into reverse, narrowly avoiding a volley of gunfire. Sarah, looking back, saw Kai deflecting bullets with shimmering energy shields while Brody laid down suppressing fire. The sight was both terrifying and reassuring. They were leaving their allies in the thick of it, but they knew Brody’s tactical skills and Kai’s raw power gave them a fighting chance.

With bullets whizzing past the vehicle, Aris swerved onto a barely discernible track leading deeper into the surrounding woods, away from the main access road. The ride was rough and jarring, Evelyn clutching Sarah’s arm, her face pale with fear.

“They’re after us,” Evelyn whispered, her voice trembling. “They always come back.”

Elias, his Veridian Sight painting the heat signatures of their pursuers in the distance, knew Evelyn was right. Their escape was just the beginning. They were on the run, with a vulnerable survivor in tow, and the chilling knowledge that their enemies knew how to neutralize their greatest strengths. Their journey to “Project Nightingale” had just become a desperate flight for survival.