With the chaos of battle swirling around me, I focus on the task at hand, adrenaline coursing through my veins. Leo’s call for cover snaps me into action, and I nod, ready to back him up as he prepares to make his move.
As he hurls the smoke bomb toward the nearest Bambos aircraft, I can’t help but admire his determination. The moment it explodes, a thick cloud envelops the aircraft, and I smirk at the effectiveness of his shot.
“Nice throw!” I shout, my heart pounding with excitement as I watch the pilot lose control, crashing into the second aircraft in a fiery collision. The sight is exhilarating; the flames blooming in the sky remind me of just how high the stakes are.
“Let’s move!” Leo yells, and I can feel the rush of adrenaline pushing us both forward. The moment is ripe for action, and I won’t let it slip away.
“On my mark!” I shout, my weapon ready, scanning the skies for any remaining threats. The remaining enemy aircraft hesitate, their confidence shaken by the unexpected turn of events.
“Get us closer!” Leo commands the pilot, and I can see the determination etched on his face. I mirror his resolve, focused on the mission and ready to take down whoever stands in our way.
“Ready?” I ask, feeling the weight of the moment pressing down on us.
“Always,” he replies, and it fuels my determination even more.
As the helicopter closes the distance, I take a deep breath and steady my aim. We unleash a barrage of fire on the remaining Bambos aircraft, our shots synchronized like a well-rehearsed dance. Each explosion lights up the sky, igniting my spirit with every enemy that falls.
Just when I think we’ve gained the upper hand, I spot movement out of the corner of my eye. A third enemy aircraft is closing in fast, and I know we can’t let them catch us off guard.
“Xena, watch out!” Leo’s voice rings out, sharp with urgency, and I turn instinctively to assess the threat.
“Let’s finish this!” I shout back, adrenaline surging as I set my sights on the new target.
Together, we lock onto the third aircraft, our resolve solidifying in the face of danger. In this moment of chaos, I feel the bond we share as agents tightening—an unspoken understanding that we’ll face whatever comes our way together.
As we prepare to engage the enemy, I can’t help but think of how far we’ve come and the battles we’ve fought side by side. Nothing can break our partnership—not the chaos of the skies, not the flames of battle, and certainly not the fierce determination burning in both our hearts.
As I shake off the shock and force myself to stay focused. There’s no time for the adrenaline-fueled rush or the fire in my veins—I need clarity and quick action.
The helicopter jerks sharply again, and I grip the edge, throwing a look at Leo. “We need to move,” I say, keeping my voice low. “That pilot…he’s Bambos. We’ve got to get off this chopper, now.”
Leo's eyes widen as he registers the mark on the pilot’s neck. His jaw tightens. “The other helicopter,” he nods toward it, hovering close by. “It’s our only shot.”
I reach for my communicator, thumbing through the settings to connect to Artemis. If anyone can track us and pull off a miracle, it’s her.
“Artemis, come in,” I say, my voice is steady but quick. “We’ve got a Bambos operative at the helm. Prepare to reroute us or get us an extraction—anything you’ve got. And track our location.”
As I wait for Artemis’s response, Leo is already calculating the jump distance to the other chopper. I take a deep breath, forcing myself to block out the noise of the helicopter’s blades and the pounding of my own heart. There’s no room for error here—one wrong move, and we’re done.
“Ready?” Leo asks, glancing my way, his face set with determination.
I nod, adrenaline sharpening my senses as I brace myself.
We jumped on the helicopter beside us and before I could leap inside, I realised I got shot. As I processed what was going on I felt myself falling down.
The shot stings as it grazes my side, enough to jolt me but not enough to take me down. The sudden pain throws off my balance, and before I know it, my footing slips. Gravity takes hold, and I’m falling, my mind registering each split-second detail—the hum of the helicopter, the blur of the horizon spinning around me.
Just as the distance between me and the Bambos helicopter widens, my hand catches hold of something solid. My fingers close around the cold metal of the helicopter’s ladder. I grip tightly, my muscles tensing as I steady myself, feeling the slight sway of the ladder in the air. Above, I glimpse Leo’s face, watching, assessing, prepared to act if needed.
I take a moment to find my footing, securing myself against the wind’s force. The helicopter jerks again, and I hold on, adjusting my grip to prepare for whatever comes next.
Hanging from the ladder, I reach down to my belt, fingers brushing over the cool metal of a grenade. With a swift motion, I unclip it, pull the pin, and lock my gaze on the enemy helicopter hovering dangerously close. Timing the arc, I release the grenade, watching as it sails through the air.
A beat later, the explosion erupts, the blast wave rocking the Bambos helicopter. The target aircraft shudders, then veers off course, its frame engulfed in flames before it spirals out of control and crashes.
Only one remains. Leo seizes the opportunity, his movements precise as he locks on and takes aim. His shot lands perfectly, sending the last helicopter into a fiery descent, clearing the skies.
I climb up the ladder and hoist myself inside, nodding at Leo as we both catch our breath, our silent acknowledgment that this battle belongs to us.
"Good one, babe," Leo says, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth as he nods in approval.
I give him a quick grin, catching my breath as the adrenaline finally starts to fade. "Right back at you," I reply, shaking off the tension as we prepare for whatever comes next.
As we touch down, the helicopter’s skids sink slightly into the thick blanket of snow beneath us. I glance around, taking in the towering pine trees dusted in white, their branches heavy with fresh snowfall. The air is biting cold, filling my lungs with each breath, and a hush settles over the forest, muffling the sounds of the helicopter’s engines winding down.
"We’re in the snowy forests of Germany," I murmur, noting the dense cover and winding trails through the trees. It’s the perfect setting for concealment—or an ambush.
Leo steps down beside me, his gaze scanning our surroundings. "Ideal cover for them, but it works for us, too," he says, his voice low, yet focused. We exchange a knowing look, understanding the advantage and risk that the landscape offers.
I nod, my hand instinctively checking my gear. "Let’s move carefully. We don’t know who might be waiting."
With the snow crunching softly underfoot, we slip into the trees, ready for whatever this silent, frozen forest has in store.
YOU ARE READING
Aegis Core
General Fiction"Beyond the veil of morality, where desire knows no bounds, Xena and Leo find themselves ensnared in a deadly game of seduction and betrayal. As the stakes rise, the Aegis Core comes together with shadows and the world burns around them, they must c...
