Episode 6 - Unknown Mercenaries Part 2

A thick tension hung in the air as the woman whirled around, her eyes blazing with fury. “What the hell is he doing?” she muttered under her breath, her voice seething with anger. She shot a venomous glare toward one of her men. “He was supposed to secure everything, to make sure it was all in place. And now, look! It’s a disaster.” The woman’s expression hardened, and she took a step back, muttering to herself, “How the hell are we supposed to carry on the mission? This mission is as good as dead without the information,” she growled, her gaze cold with contempt.

Ethan, still hidden just a few yards away, clenched the map tightly in his hand. He’d hidden not just the crucial base map but also the vital shipping schedules. The mercenaries had failed to secure their inside man’s work—and that mistake was going to cost them dearly.

The woman’s anger was rising. “Get in contact with him now. If he didn’t do his job, we’ll make him regret it.”

Ethan felt a surge of satisfaction. The inside man, now deep in the pirate base, had failed to deliver what was needed—and in his failure, he had unwittingly made Ethan’s next move easier. The mercenaries would be left scrambling, unable to track down the critical information they needed, while Ethan held it all in his hands.

The woman’s frustration grew as she turned, speaking to her team in low, urgent tones. “This can’t happen again. Find him. And when you do, make sure he knows the consequences of failure.”

Ethan smirked. He had outplayed them—just like that. They were chasing their own tails, while he now controlled the flow of information. They would never find the answers they were looking for—not before he made his next move.

As the mercenaries scrambled in frustration, Ethan moved with purpose, slowly making his way back to the camp. The information was safe for now. The mercenaries were furious, but they didn’t know what had happened—or that their inside man had failed them.

The stakes were higher than ever. He had the key to their escape, but now, every step would need to be calculated. If these mercenaries didn’t get what they wanted, there would be hell to pay.

Ethan moved through the jungle, his mind racing. He couldn’t afford to make another mistake. His friends were still out there—and now, they were not just up against pirates. They were up against something far more dangerous.

And time was running out.

Ethan’s heart pounded as he made his way back to the thicket, but when he arrived, a sickening emptiness greeted him. The fire was out, and the area looked abandoned. Panic surged through him as he called out their names.

“Liza? Grant? Daisy?”

His voice echoed into the still jungle, but no one answered. His chest tightened. He scanned the area, desperate for a sign of his friends. His eyes fell on a piece of torn fabric—Liza’s shirt. His stomach dropped. The pirates had taken them. They were gone.

Ethan’s pulse hammered in his ears. How had he been so stupid? He had left them alone, thinking they would be safe for just a few hours. His hands balled into fists, his anger mixing with fear. He couldn’t let them down. Not now. Not like this.

His thoughts scattered in all directions. There was no time to waste. He couldn’t sit here and mourn. He had to act.

Focusing on the ground, he saw something—slight impressions in the dirt, small, half-buried footprints. His breath caught. Tracks. Someone had been here recently. Someone had taken his friends. And they weren’t too far ahead. Ethan crouched down, eyes narrowing as he took in the details. The tracks were fresh. He could still catch up.

Without another thought, Ethan began following the trail. His mind raced with possibilities. Where were they being held? How many pirates were involved? Were they alive?

But in his haste, Ethan’s attention wavered for just a moment. He didn’t notice the rustling in the bushes to his left. He was so focused on the trail that the presence of others slipped from his mind. He was too consumed with finding his friends to think about the other dangers lurking in the jungle.

That’s when it happened.

A sharp, sudden voice cut through the silence. “Stop right there.”

Ethan froze. He didn’t need to look to know that the voice wasn’t from a pirate. It was something else—something more organized, more controlled.

He turned slowly, his heart racing. Emerging from the dense foliage were three figures, their movements sharp and purposeful.

One of them—a woman—stepped forward, her dark eyes locking onto Ethan. She had the air of someone who knew how to get things done. Her voice was calm but commanding. “Who are you?”

Ethan swallowed, his tone steady but his heart still pounding. “Ethan,” he said, voice rough. “I’m looking for my friends. They’ve been taken by the pirates.”

The woman raised an eyebrow, studying him closely. She was tall, her black tactical gear blending into the shadows of the jungle. The two men flanking her were equally imposing, their expressions unreadable as they sized Ethan up.

“And why should we believe you?” the woman asked, her tone cold.

Ethan’s eyes darted to the ground, a flash of frustration crossing his face. “I don’t care if you believe me. I’m not wasting time. My friends are in danger.”

The woman’s gaze lingered for a moment longer before she nodded to the man on her left. He stepped forward, his eyes narrowing. “How did you get here, Ethan? You don’t look like the kind of guy who just crashes into a jungle.”

Ethan hesitated. He couldn’t trust them, but there was no time to hold back. He quickly weighed his options. “We were on a plane. It went down. I don’t know how the pirates found us, but they’re after us. We’re just trying to survive.”

The woman studied him for a moment longer, as if deciding whether to believe him or not. Then, she spoke. “Fine. You’re either a liar or a fool. Either way, you’re in our way now.” Her voice was clipped.

She gestured for him to follow.

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