Chapter 18 - In The Forest

"What do you mean it's Leo's?" Miles asked, looking at Vicky.

"The safe house is Leo's. Blaze probably showed the place to Manic, since no one uses it anymore," Vicky said.

"Why would Leo have a safe house out of the city?" Kane asked.

"It helped us to stay away from you guys. You guys suck at doing sweeps to find our safe houses," Vicky said.

"That completely aside, can you show us where exactly this safe house is?" Miles asked, pulling a hologram map from the table.

"Somewhere around this area. Hard to say," Vicky replied.

"So you're telling me you have no idea where the safe house is?" Dash asked looking at Vicky.

"Why don't you try remembering a place you tried so hard to forget?" Vicky replied.

"Hey! Easy, we're trying to get Max and Colton out. You can completely forget about the place afterwards," Sarah said.

"We can't use a helicopter, we'll lose the element of surprise," Miles said, and continued "Can you take us to the safe house?"

"Yes I should be able to once I see where we are going. I mean worst case scenario we get lost in the woods. That's not even the worst thing I can imagine right now," Vicky replied.

The team was dropped at the edge of the forest, and walked through the trees, searching for the safe house.

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" Kane asked looking around the area.

"I think so," Vicky replied.

"It looks like we're going in circles. That tree was right there the first time we came," Sarah said.

"Maybe it's a different tree, that grew in the same place, that looks like the previous tree we saw," Vicky said.

"That's a nice way of saying you have no idea where we're going," Miles said.

"Cut the kid some slack. It's not like she would stall us, to get her brother's best friends to get information out of the captain," Dash said. Vicky looked angrily at Dash.

"I wasn't the one who managed to escape, while the captain and Colton got caught," Vicky said.

"You want to tell me how you managed to get out without a single scar from Manic, when almost everyone else died, or was injured while getting away from him. You just got drugged, convenient isn't it?" Dash asked.

"I may have escaped him in-game unharmed, but are you forgetting that I got stabbed in real life?" Vicky asked looking at Dash.

"Guys, stop. You two arguing in the middle of a rescue mission isn't helping," Miles said, breaking up the argument.

Gunshots were heard from a nearby area, the whole team crouched behind any cover they can find. Bullets came flying towards them.

"That must be the safe house," Kane said.

"Why don't we try comms here?" Sarah said looking at Miles.

"Max, Colton you there?" Miles said holding his earpiece.

"Miles," the captain responded.

"Where are you?" Miles asked.

"We just escaped from one of Manic's safe houses. Looks like we're in the middle of a forest, and these guys are shooting at something," the captain replied.

"Yeah, about that. They're shooting at us," Miles said.

"So you managed to track us?" Colton asked.

"Uh… That was more me than them," Vicky replied.

"I'm impressed," the captain said and continued, "Give us a proper location, we'll come to you."

"No. Get out of the forest, we'll regroup at EVAC," Miles said.

"And where's that?" the captain asked.

"Yes, location of EVAC. I think someone got us lost. We have no idea where we're going, or where we came from," Miles said, looking at Vicky.

"Just give us your location we'll come there, and then figure out what we're going to do," the captain said.

"I can't give you a good landmark, besides a bunch of trees all around us," Miles said looking around at the trees.

"Can't you see any landmarks from a distance? Like a tall tree or something?" Colton asked.

"Thanks a lot for telling me how to do my job Colton, but there's nothing we can see from a distance, just dense woods," Miles said.

"Which side is the gunfire coming from?" the captain asked.

"Dead ahead," Miles replied.

"So if we get showered by bullets, that means we're near you," the captain said.

"Yep," Miles said.

"I hate to say this, but we got to follow the bullets," the captain said looking at Colton. The two of the started sprinting towards the side where the gun shots were coming from, until they could vaguely see the safe house. They quietly followed the side the bullets were going.

The rest of the team was trying to hold their position, despite the enemies' fire power being greater than theirs.

"Miles, I don't think we can hold our position much longer," Kane said, taking cover from bullets.

"Can't you freeze time, drop the bullets, and give us some breathing space?" Sarah said looking at Vicky.

"I could, but I don't think it'll last that long. Plus I have a recharge time, so we won't be able to use it for a while afterwards," Vicky replied. The sound of leaves rustling was heard next to the team. Kane and Miles turned their guns towards the bushes, to find the captain and Colton emerging.

"Whoa! It's us," Colton said, pointing his gun away. Kane and Miles did the same. The captain and Colton took cover beside the team.

"Where's Dash?" the captain asked, looking around. Miles turned around to look at the place where Dash was.

"He was right there," Miles said, looking around.

"He's working for them," the captain said.

"What?" Miles asked.

"I knew it," Vicky blurted.