𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐆𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐌𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐓𝐇 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗲 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿

30.. the hawk and the mouse

The helicopter circled above them, the spotlight still searching. Thèrèse and Nancy huddled together, trying to make themselves as small as possible.

"We can't stay here," Thèrèse muttered. "Those spotlights will find us quicker than a hawk spotting a mouse."

"We need to find better cover," agreed Nancy. "Those helicopters are too much. But where the heck do we go?"

The spotlight was moving closer and closer to their hiding spot. At this rate, they'd be found in no time.

The spotlight hovered over their hiding spot. Thèrèse and Nancy tensed, praying silently that they would go unnoticed.

However, their hope was dashed as the searchlights hovered directly over them.

Suddenly, the sound of gunfire echoed in the air. The helicopter had spotted them and was opening fire, the bullets ricocheting off the rocks around them.

"Run!" Thèrèse yelled, grabbing Nancy's wrist again.

They dashed from their hiding place, taking cover behind a larger rock formation. Bullets whizzed around them, kicking up dust and rocks.

"Fire! Do not let them escape," Verena's voice ordered over the intercom, "Fire at will. I want them alive, but I'll settle for dead if necessary."

The soldiers in the helicopter responded, adjusting their aim. They fired in rapid succession, the bullets creating an almost rhythmic beat as they pounded the rocks around Thèrèse and Nancy.

They were pinned down, the soldiers in the helicopter firing without pause. They needed a plan, and they needed it fast.

"Any bright ideas, Nancy?" Thèrèse yelled, trying to be heard above the rain of bullets.

Nancy gritted her teeth, her mind working quickly. "I... I have an idea, but it's a little risky."

She pointed towards a narrow path that led below the mountain. "There's a small gorge there, a hidden one," she explained. "If we can make it there, we'll be out of sight from the helicopter. But it's risky. The path is steep, and if we fall off.."

Thèrèse looked in the direction she pointed at, evaluating their options. It was risky, but staying here meant certain capture or worse.

"I trust you," Thèrèse said finally, her voice firm. "Lead the way. I'm right behind you."

The shots kept coming, pinning them down further. The rocks around them were being hit left and right, the shower of stone and dust making it clear that any movement could be fatal.

Suddenly, as the soldiers were firing, a loud sound echoed from another direction.

Confused, the soldiers diverted their attention, their fire momentarily ceasing, unsure of where the attack came from.

Unloading his machine, Matt narrowed his eyes from the vantage point. A shot from Matt's Crankenstein had hit one of the helicopters' sides, causing it to spin out of control.

"What the hell was that?" one of the soldiers shouted, confused.

The sudden attack from Matt's side of the mountain took the soldiers in the helicopter by surprise. The loud shots from Crankenstein drew their attention away from Thèrèse and Nancy.

"Now!" Thèrèse yelled to Nancy over the din of the gunfire, pushing her again in the direction of the gorge. "Go, go, go!"

Nancy didn't waste a second. She ran, her legs pumping as fast as they could go.

The path was steep, and she stumbled a few times, but Thèrèse was close behind, offering a supporting hand when she could.

The sound of the helicopter blades and the gunfire grew fainter as they plunged into the gorge's shadows.