"Stop!" Marcus shouted, his voice echoing through the dense forest as he raised his rifle, locking his sights on the shadowy figures moving ahead.
The four elements froze in their tracks, their bodies tense and still as the sudden command cut through the air. The sound of the Apache helicopter hovering above them made it clear they had no chance of running.
"Raise your hands!" Marcus ordered, his rifle steady, eyes narrowing as he watched the figures closely. There was no room for negotiation.
Slowly, with the reluctance of cornered animals, the four men raised their hands, fingers spread wide in surrender. They knew the Apache could rain hellfire down on them if they made one wrong move. Marcus's team, rifles trained on the captives, moved in swiftly, forming a tight perimeter around the men. The soldiers advanced in perfect formation, their boots crunching on the dry forest floor, every step deliberate and threatening.