Descent

Chapter 3

"The reports we got said the helicopter was seen two kilometers from here. Right at the epicenter of the tornado." a man spoke from under his gas mask and heavy raincoat as he and two others wearing similar items traversed through the swamps landscape.

It was near pitch black outside with heavy rain and storm clouds above. Bacteria ran amuck in these swamps following a storm, explaining the trio's use of gas masks even if it did inhibit their vision, especially in this darkness. The only light they could rely on came from their flashlights, illuminating the way only a few feet at a time.

"Those poor souls." a woman responded next, "They never stood a chance."

The third member of the party, however, knew better than to give up hope just yet, "We don't know that yet. There could still be survivors. Come on. We need to hurry before the Highwaymen snatch them up or worse."

Thomas Rush had spent the last six months here in Louisiana attempting to help it's inhabitants create self-sustaining settlements. He had had success in other states prior over the last six years. After assisting those in Hope County, Montana, he traversed south with those who accompanied him, slowly working their way east. The Highwaymen threat in Hope County may have been dealt with, and their leaders' food for the flies, but the rest of them across the country had factioned off into smaller, splinter cells. Nowhere near were they as powerful as the Twin's forces in Hope County but they were equally annoying when stumbled across. The Louisiana chapter, however, seemed to be the exception. They were more organized, more willing to take people alive for their own sick purposes, which was why they had to recover whatever, or whoever was in that crash.

As they neared the crash, they killed the lights, huddling close together in the foliage as they surveyed the area. It appeared they were already too late. Highwaymen were already upon the helicopter like vultures, the headlights from their vehicles acting as a spotlight. Thomas' brows scrunched together. It appeared they were dragging a man out from the cockpit. From this distance in combination with the pouring rain, he could not see too much about the man himself. Only that he was alive as he kicked and yelled while the Highwaymen dragged him to their vehicle.

"Shit. What do we do?" the woman asked.

Thomas' first instinct was to obviously rescue the man, but he and his small team of two were outgunned and outnumbered. To intervene would mean suicide. His mind was still heavy with the loss experienced entering Hope County. All those people depending on him, only for the Highwaymen to pick them off. The two with him were only mere settlers, they'd stand no chance in a firefight.

"Nothing we can do right now." Rush responded, "We return to Le rêve." he said, referring to the name of the settlement from which they came, "See how everyone is holding up now that the storm is moving away. Then we can figure out what we can do."

The others nodded in silent agreement as they swiftly moved away from the crash site. An hour into their journey they were about a quarter of the way back to the settlement when something other than rain and thunder drew their attention. Rustling in the trees.

"What was that?" the man asked worriedly as he flashed his light into the dense leaves.

The sound occurred again. Whatever it was, it was circulating around them and had them in its sights.

"Eyes up." Thomas ordered, raising his assault rifle to the treeline, his back to the others.

A sudden grunt and then two thuds later forced Thomas to look behind him, seeing his cohorts on the ground, no sign of what took them down. The blood from his face drained from under his mask as he ran to their side. He placed his gun on the ground, checking both of their pulses. Still breathing and beating. Only knocked unconscious.

Hearing the faint sound of leaves rustling once more, Thomas drew his weapon, whirling around, his light landing dead on what had knocked out his comrades. There was a person dressed head to toe in black, a balaclava with mesh covering their eyes, keeping every detail about them a secret.

The masked figure moved swiftly, jumping down from the tree. They must have seen him retrieve his weapon, instantly marking him as the most imminent threat. Before he could raise his weapon, the figure grabbed him by his raincoat, hurdling him a good ten feet. Thomas scrambled to her feet, grasping for his pocket knife. As the other figure approached, they two drew a knife and shortly after, the two fighters became entangled as blades began to fly in every which way. Every slashing movement he attempted to make, the masked figure would deflect with the blade of their own. He did manage to get one blow in, slashing through the person's balaclava near their cheek. The person grunted, recoiling for just a moment, allowing him to disarm them of their knife. While Thomas composed himself, hoping to find a way out of this without killing, his opponent saw an opening: the figure slammed their fist suddenly straight into Rush's face, knocking him clear on his back. Thomas groaned, grasping at where his nose would be hidden under his mask. He had never met anyone as fast as this person was. At least, other than...

The person seemed to be nursing their wound, seemingly growing frustrated before yanking their mask off. It may have been the darkest night Thomas had ever experienced but a flash of lightning illuminated the unmasked figure. Their hair was damp and clumped but still long enough to make it clear past their shoulders. The color of their hair was indistinguishable due to the wetness, though it'd put money on it being some sort of reddish-brown. They had a face that was faintly mannish in certain aspects but also feminine. They were attractive in a way that their features were chiseled out of stone. As they turned his head to him, another flash roared through the sky above. That's when he saw the eyes: One hazel. One blue. It was unmistakable.

"Mai." he choked under his breath as she began to storm towards him.

"Wait-wait-!" His voice was muffled from under the gas mask and the sound of pouring rain. He wondered if she had heard him at all.

Thomas raised his hands defensively as he scrambled back along the ground, the young woman continued her approach. She snatched her knife up from where it had landed when he disarmed her. Thomas backed up until his body came to halt against the trunk of a tree. She flipped her knife, holding the blade on her palm as she readied the hilt to incapacitate him just as she had his cohorts. He had seen Mai on the front lines. Thomas had seen her fire a sniper, an assault rifle, handle that knife he gifted her in her hand like her fingers were performing in a ballet, carving up her enemies like it was art. If he didn't make a move now, he'd just become another tally mark on her list. His hands reached up to his mask and hood of his coat, pulling it back until his face was revealed.

"Mai, it's me." He spoke calm but loud, hiding the fact that he was, in no other words to say, quite close to shitting his pants.

She paused midstep, immediately sheathing her knife once she realized his identity. Her hands rose up to her mouth, seemingly trapped in a state of disbelief. Her lips began to quiver as she lowered her hands.

"Thomas?" her voice cracked, losing all sense of the ferocity she had displayed moments prior.

Rush pushed himself up against the tree, getting to his feet. He could not fathom any possible reason for her being here. From the look on her face, she had not anticipated whatever events had led her here either. Her face contorted, scrunching up as she began to weep for whatever reason resided in her heart. Surely the fact that she had nearly killed her friend warranted the way she was sobbing. Rush quickly closed the gap between them. She was a lot taller from the last time he had seen her. When he left, she was maybe an half-an-inch shorter than him. Now she stood at clearly three inches above him, inheriting her father's height. Despite this, he reached his hands up, placing them on her shoulders as he brought her into an embrace. Her arms hesitantly hovered over him until she knew for sure that he was real.

"Oh my god." She whimpered, "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

He placed a hand gently on the back of her head, rocking her gently, "It's okay captain. It's okay."