Chapter 8 - The Diversion
Thomas stood up, his body screaming in pain, but his mind was crystal clear. The fever had been pushed back by the sheer force of his protective instinct.
He moved into the brush fifty yards away from the pass, aiming his rifle at the fuel tanks of an empty transport truck parked near the checkpoint.
One shot.
The bullet struck the metal tank, creating a spark that instantly ignited the fuel. A massive, orange fireball erupted into the sky, shaking the mountain pass and throwing the guards to the ground.
"Ambush! Left flank!" the enemy commander screamed over the radio.
The soldiers abandoned their posts, running toward the forest where Thomas was hidden, their weapons firing wildly into the trees.
"Run, Liam! Run!" Thomas roared, leaning out of his cover to fire his remaining bullets, drawing all the attention to himself.
He saw the small figure of Liam, his grey sweater a streak of light against the grey stone of the pass, running up the mountain trail with incredible speed.
Thomas fired his last round. The slide of his rifle locked back. Empty.
A sudden, sharp impact in his shoulder threw him backward into the dirt. He fell against the trunk of a pine tree, his breath coming in ragged gasps as the enemy soldiers surrounded him, their rifles pointed at his chest.
May you like
But as Thomas looked up at the grey sky, he felt no fear. He looked at the empty mountain pass.
Liam was gone. He was safe.
