Lussaria; Her Final Blade

chapter 13

The vehicle rumbled along the narrow, deserted road, flanked by thick trees on both sides. The sun had barely risen, casting an eerie glow over the misty landscape. Inside, the tension was palpable. Nolan sat in the passenger seat, scanning the road ahead, while Ander drove in silence, his knuckles white against the steering wheel. Rosa sat in the back, beside Sonia, who hadn’t said a word since they left.

The road seemed to stretch endlessly, the quiet almost oppressive. Rosa kept her eyes forward, her thoughts spinning. She couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched.

Suddenly, a sharp crack pierced the silence.

"Down!" Nolan shouted, grabbing Ander’s shoulder and jerking the wheel just as bullets slammed into the side of the vehicle. The sound of gunfire erupted all around them, sending sparks flying off the armored windows.

Ander cursed under his breath, veering the car off the road, trying to find cover behind a line of trees. Rosa’s heart pounded in her chest as she ducked down, adrenaline surging through her veins.

“Ambush!” Nolan barked, already unbuckling his seatbelt and reaching for his rifle. “Everyone out, now!”

The vehicle skidded to a halt, and Rosa scrambled out, her feet hitting the dirt just as another volley of bullets whizzed past. She dove behind the car for cover, her eyes searching the tree line for their attackers. Shadows moved between the trees, flashes of muzzle fire lighting up the dark forest.

Nolan and Ander were already returning fire, their rifles spitting bullets into the dense woods. Sonia crouched beside Rosa, her gun drawn, a grim look on her face. "Stay low," she muttered before firing off a few rounds toward the attackers.

Rosa’s pulse raced, her hands trembling slightly as she gripped the handgun Nolan had given her earlier. This was different from the fight with Sonia—this was life or death, and the enemy was unseen, lurking in the shadows.

The gunfire intensified, the attackers closing in. Rosa could see their silhouettes now, moving quickly through the trees, trying to flank them.

"We’re pinned down!" Ander shouted over the noise, firing blindly into the woods.

Rosa’s eyes narrowed. They couldn’t stay here; they were sitting ducks. She took a deep breath, pushing the fear aside. She needed to act. Her mind raced, assessing the situation.

"I’m going for higher ground!" Rosa yelled to Nolan, who glanced back at her, his eyes wide with surprise.

“Are you crazy?” Sonia shouted, ducking as a bullet ricocheted off the car next to her.

Rosa ignored her. There was a small hill nearby, just beyond the treeline. If she could get up there, she’d have a better vantage point—and maybe take some of the heat off the others. Without waiting for permission, she darted toward the hill, her body low as bullets zipped through the air around her.

“Rosa, wait!” Nolan shouted after her, but she was already moving.

The world blurred as she sprinted, her legs burning, her heart pounding in her ears. She reached the base of the hill and began to climb, using the rocks and undergrowth for cover. Bullets bit into the earth near her feet, but she didn’t stop.

When she reached the top, she dropped to her stomach, peering down at the chaos below. From here, she could see the attackers more clearly—about six of them, spread out, advancing toward the vehicle. She steadied her breathing, raised her gun, and squeezed the trigger.

The shot rang out, hitting one of the attackers in the shoulder. He cried out, stumbling back into the trees. Rosa fired again, this time grazing another one, forcing them to take cover. She could hear Nolan and Ander below, their gunfire slowing as the attackers hesitated.

Rosa continued firing, her aim sharp, her focus unyielding. She wasn’t going to let them take her down—not here, not now. Each shot pushed the attackers back, their advance faltering as they realized they were no longer just dealing with Nolan’s team.

Below, Nolan caught on to Rosa’s plan. “She’s covering us!” he called to Ander. “Push forward!”

Ander nodded, and the two men moved from their cover, advancing with precision. Sonia, despite her earlier hostility, followed suit, providing suppressive fire as they closed the gap between them and the attackers.

Rosa’s position on the hill gave her a clear view of the fight, and she took full advantage of it. She wasn’t a perfect shot as she was three years ago, but desperation and instinct guided her. Her shots weren’t perfect, but they were enough to keep the enemy on the defensive.

Within minutes, the tide had turned. Nolan, Ander, and Sonia were closing in, their combined firepower overwhelming the remaining attackers. One by one, the enemy began to retreat, disappearing into the trees, their ambush foiled.

As the last of the gunfire died down, Rosa lowered her gun, her chest heaving as she caught her breath. She had done it. They had survived.

Before she could get down from her vantage point, something caught her eye. She squinted, focusing on a shadow deeper in the woods. Among the shifting forms of trees, there was something… no, someone. Rosa’s breath hitched. She could see the faint outline of a car parked farther down the road, its windows darkened. And from one of those windows, a pair of eyes were watching her. They weren’t the cold, hostile eyes of the attackers—they were familiar, disturbingly so. A jolt of recognition shot through her, but before she could focus on it, the car revved and disappeared into the forest.

Rosa shook off the unsettling feeling and climbed down the hill, her heart still racing. As she approached the group, Sonia glanced at her, her face impassive.

"You got lucky," Sonia muttered, holstering her gun.

Rosa met her gaze, her voice steady. "Luck had nothing to do with it."

Nolan strode toward her, his expression hard. "What the hell were you thinking, Rosa?" he snapped, his voice filled with anger. "You could’ve gotten yourself killed running off like that. You’re not some lone hero—you’re part of a team, and you put all of us in danger by going up there on your own!"

Rosa's eyes flashed with frustration. She had saved their lives, and he was acting like she’d done something wrong. "I saw an opening and I took it," she retorted, her voice sharp. "I’m not just going to sit there and wait to die."

"You don’t get to make that call!" Nolan shot back, his voice rising. "You follow orders, or people die. I don’t care what you think—this isn’t a game."

Rosa stepped closer, her fists clenched at her sides. "You don’t control me, Nolan. I’m not one of your men, and I’m sure as hell not helpless."

Nolan's jaw tightened, but before he could respond, Ander interrupted, grumbling as usual. “We need to keep moving. We’ve wasted enough time here.”

Nolan hesitated for a moment, his eyes locked with Rosa’s, but finally, he turned away, his face hard. "Get in the vehicle. Let’s go."

Rosa stood there for a moment, watching him walk away. Her anger simmered beneath the surface, but she forced herself to take a deep breath and follow. As they all climbed back into the vehicle, the road ahead still uncertain, Rosa couldn’t shake the feeling of those eyes watching her from the shadows.

Whoever it was, they weren’t done with her yet.