Chapter 101

The helicopter sliced through the night sky, its rotors cutting the air in a steady rhythm. Amanda sat in the corner of the cabin, her eyes on Nathan, whose pallor had worsened. He was strapped into a stretcher, oxygen mask on, eyes half-closed, barely holding on. Beside him, Ron kept a vigilant watch, his hand resting on Nathan’s arm, as if his touch alone could anchor him to life.

Amanda’s thoughts, however, weren’t entirely on Nathan. They lingered on Carter’s sudden disappearance. He had slipped away so smoothly, as though vanishing into the night had been part of his plan all along. But why? Who was Carter, really? And what stake did he have in all of this?

Her mind buzzed with questions as the helicopter continued its steady ascent. She glanced at Ron, who was lost in his own thoughts, his brow furrowed. He, too, seemed troubled by Carter’s disappearance, but now wasn’t the time to dissect the layers of mystery surrounding their former ally. Right now, Nathan’s life was hanging by a thread, and that took precedence over everything else.

The chopper shifted, and Amanda looked out the small window, watching the endless stretch of forest fade into the distance, replaced by the twinkling lights of the nearest town. The military medevac unit had arranged for a secure location where Nathan could be treated, far from prying eyes. But even as they moved toward relative safety, Amanda couldn’t shake the feeling that they were walking into another trap. Their enemies were powerful, well-organized, and relentless. Wherever they went, danger seemed to follow.

“ETA, ten minutes,” the pilot called over the comms.

Ron looked up, his face pale with exhaustion. “We’ll make it.”

Amanda wasn’t so sure. Every second that passed felt like a ticking time bomb. She kept her eyes on the horizon, half expecting to see another enemy helicopter or vehicle tailing them. But so far, the skies remained clear.

She shifted in her seat, her mind wandering back to the events of the last few days. Ghost, the mysterious warnings, Nathan’s cryptic knowledge. All of it seemed interconnected in a way she still couldn’t fully understand. And yet, the more she thought about it, the clearer it became that everything pointed to one pivotal figure—Nathan.

He had information someone wanted to bury, and they were willing to kill for it. But what was it? What did Nathan know that was worth all this bloodshed?

As if sensing her thoughts, Nathan stirred. His eyes fluttered open, barely visible beneath the mask. Amanda leaned closer, her heart racing.

“Nathan,” she whispered, keeping her voice low. “What do they want? Why are they hunting you?”

His lips moved, but no sound came out. Amanda felt a surge of frustration. She needed answers—desperately. Ron noticed her tension and moved closer, crouching by Nathan’s side.

“Nathan, stay with us,” Ron urged, his voice gentle but firm. “We need to know what they’re after. What is it you’re carrying?”

Nathan’s eyes flickered open again, and this time, he managed a raspy breath. He struggled to speak, his voice weak and barely audible beneath the hum of the helicopter.

“It’s… it’s buried,” he whispered, his voice cracking with effort. “Something I found… years ago… hidden files. Secret data. It’s all in a vault… under… under…”

He coughed violently, his body convulsing as Ron and Amanda both leaned forward in concern.

“Don’t push yourself,” Amanda said softly, gripping his hand. “We’ll figure it out. Just hang on.”

Nathan’s breathing steadied, but his eyes remained open, locked on Amanda’s. “Under the old facility,” he managed. “The vault… the code is in my journal.”

Amanda’s mind raced. An old facility? A vault? Secret files? This wasn’t just about Nathan—it was about something far larger. She had a sinking feeling that whatever was hidden in that vault was the key to everything that had happened. The bloodshed, the betrayal, the relentless pursuit.

“Where is the facility?” Ron asked, his voice tense with urgency.

Nathan’s lips parted, but before he could speak, his body convulsed again, this time more violently. His eyes rolled back, and a shrill beeping erupted from the medical equipment monitoring his vitals.

“No, no, no!” Amanda cried, panic surging through her.

The medics sprang into action, pushing Amanda and Ron aside as they worked to stabilize him. Amanda watched helplessly, her heart pounding in her chest as Nathan’s body jerked beneath their hands.

“We’re losing him!” one of the medics shouted.

Ron grabbed Amanda’s arm, pulling her away from the chaos. “There’s nothing we can do right now,” he said quietly, though his own voice trembled. “Let them work.”

Amanda bit her lip, tears stinging her eyes. If they lost Nathan now, they would lose everything—every answer, every clue. He was the only link they had to the truth. But as she stood there, helpless, she couldn’t help but feel that Nathan was slipping away from them.

Minutes felt like hours as the medics worked to save him. The helicopter continued its steady course, but Amanda barely noticed. Her thoughts were consumed by Nathan’s cryptic words, the journal, the vault, and the facility. They had come so far, only to have the answers torn from their grasp at the last moment.

Finally, one of the medics turned to them, his face grim. “He’s stable, but just barely. We’re almost there.”

Amanda exhaled, relief flooding through her, though it was tinged with anxiety. Nathan had survived—for now. But she knew their window of time was closing fast.

Ron met her gaze, his expression mirroring her own. “We need to find that journal,” he said. “It’s the only lead we have.”

Amanda nodded, her resolve hardening. They had a mission now—one that might finally lead them to the truth.

As the helicopter descended toward the landing pad, Amanda braced herself for what came next. The facility, the vault, and whatever secrets Nathan had uncovered—they were all waiting in the shadows, ready to be unearthed.

But the deeper they dug, the more dangerous the game became.

And Amanda had the uneasy feeling that they were only just beginning to uncover the true extent of the conspiracy that had brought them here.