Flames burst upward near one of the convoy SUVs.
Rain hissed against the fire.
Rook moved through the chaos with frightening calm, firing controlled bursts while shouting orders into his comm.
“South side flank now!”
Two Shadow Division operators vanished into the darkness immediately.
The Hollow Men were getting pushed back.
For the first time since arriving?—
they were losing ground.
And Shepherd knew it.
The loudspeaker clicked again.
“Fall back to perimeter positions.”
The surviving Hollow Men started retreating toward the tree line with military precision.
Covering each other.
Disciplined.
Fast.
Cowards running.
Hersh saw it too.
And took off after them.
“Hersh, no!” Flick screamed.
But he was already disappearing into the rain.
Straight into the darkness.
Straight after Shepherd.
Rook cursed violently.
“Blaze!”
No response.
Only thunder.
And gunfire deeper in the trees now.
Flick shoved away from me instantly.
“I’m going after him.”
I grabbed her arm.
