NovelEnglishChapter 347 As expected, the van broke down on the side of the road. The repairs would take a while, so everyone agreed to set up their tents at the campsite.
In this kind of situation, no one was really in the mood for fun. After a hasty meal, the group retreated to their tents to rest. Still, few could actually sleep.
Mila stayed close to Archie.
He handed her a military-grade knife and hefted a hammer himself-supplies they'd bought before the trip, just in case.
Sure, neither tool would do much if they ran into a bear or a wolf, but simply having them offered a sliver of comfort.
Although the group took turns keeping watch, Mila and Archie weren't about to let their guard down. At least one of them stayed awake at all times.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtTowards the second half of the night, Mila-who'd slept first-woke up for her shift.
She wasn't alone.
A survival expert accompanied her; the organizers insisted each watch include someone with real experience. Halfway through their shift, a strange noise echoed from the edge of camp.
The man told Mila to stay by the fire while he went to check it out.
Minutes ticked by. He didn't return.
Worried, Mila stood, ready to see what was going on-when something cold and metallic pressed against the back of her head. A muffled, gravelly voice spoke behind her.
"Don't move. Don't scream." Every hair on Mila's body stood on end. The scream in her throat stuck, unvoiced.
She recognized the feel of a gun. The situation was suddenly, horribly clear. But why? Did someone in camp have a weapon? Was this skind of borderland spy? Or something else? Had someone infiltrated their road trip with a hidden agenda? Surely no one would go to such lengths just to hurt her-would they? The idea was insane. Who in their right mind would do this? "You, Ms. Sutherland. You're our only target. We don't want to wake the others." The man's voice dropped, cold and casual. "If you care about your friends, cinto the woods with us... and disappear quietly." A chill swept through Mila, cold sweat dampening her skin.
So she was the target. And there was more than one of them.
What had she done to deserve this? Who would travel all this way just to hunt her down? The thought was madness. What kind of lunatic would go to these lengths? "You" "Don't ask. Don't speak. Otherwise, we can't guarantee what happens next. Ms. Sutherland, cooperate." Under the threat of the gun, Mila had no choice but to walk-step by step-into the dark, wild woods, where strange animal cries echoed in the night.
The forest at night was a terrifying place-suffocating, pitch-black, and dense with the threat of unseen predators. Her back was soaked with sweat, mind racing. Were they going to make her vanish, blit on the forest? Nature could kill as effectively as a bullet.
Or maybe they'd just shoot her and bury the body-no one would know if she'd disappeared or simply lost her way. After all, there'd be plenty of explanations for her absence. In the end, she'd just be another missing person.
No. She couldn't let that happen.
Every sense heightened, Mila listened. Beyond the occasional animal shriek and wolf howl, she heard only the faintest shuffle of footsteps behind her-her captors moving with deliberate care.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmThey pressed deeper into the trees.
Mila's heart pounded. Gritting her teeth, she fought down her fear. Using the
darkness as cover, she slipped the knife Archie had given her from her pocket, spun, and slashed behind her with all her strength-dropping into a crouch as she did. A dull gunshot thundered in the night.
The blade struck home. Something hot and wet splattered across her hand.
As her attacker cursed in pain, Mila didn't hesitate. She dashed away scrambling through the thick brush and mossy, fallen logs, heedless of snakes or wild animals. Right now, she feared people far more than any beast.
Running on pure adrenaline, she darted forward, dodging the heavy footsteps and scattered gunshots behind her. Somewhere in the darkness, the cries of animals faded into silence.
She was too busy fleeing to notice.
Not far behind, hidden in the tangled undergrowth, a battered warning sign gleamed coldly in the moonlight: RESTRICTED MILITARY AREA - DO NOT ENTER
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