Page 189 of Scars of Fate

Hawk checked the tablet.

“They’re moving toward the entrance.”

“Signals?” Adam asked.

“Still blocked.”

We lowered the copilot over the edge until his boots struck the narrow bank beside the raft.

Adam released the quick-detach line from above, leaving the flotation vest and climbing harness secured around the man.

The copilot looked up.

“What now?”

“Get in the river.”

“You said I’d be on the raft!”

“I lied.”

He cursed before jumping into the current.

His flotation vest inflated automatically, lifting him to the surface as the river dragged him downstream.

Russ released the raft several moments later.

The current caught it instantly.

Within seconds, both decoys disappeared around the bend with the distance growing between them.

“Release the first signal,” I said.

Hawk tapped the screen.

“The copilot is visible.”

We waited.

“Now the raft.”

The second signal appeared farther downstream.

Enemy movement shifted on the damaged tablet.

“They’re dividing,” Hawk said. “One team is moving toward the riverbank. Another is heading downstream after the raft.”

“And the entrance?” Adam asked.

“A smaller group is holding position.”

“The split worked,” Boone said.

By the time the remaining soldiers entered the pass, we were already inside the maintenance cut.

They found blood.

An abandoned medical bag.