Shadows of War

The team moved through the ruins in silence, their steps swift and careful. The night seemed to press down on them, the weight of the city's destruction palpable in the air. Jonas kept his head on a swivel, eyes scanning every shadow, every corner, for signs of danger. His heart raced, the whispers still gnawing at the edges of his mind, and for the first time in a long while, he felt truly vulnerable.

They reached a narrow alley that cut between two collapsed buildings, the space barely wide enough for them to pass through. The darkness here was thicker, almost suffocating, as if the ruins themselves were trying to swallow them whole. Jonas led the way, his senses sharp, his mind a battlefield between the mission and the whispers.

As they moved deeper into the alley, Carmen's voice came through the comms, a soft whisper in the dark. "Still no sign of additional patrols," she said. "But the Axis comms are starting to come back online. We've got about five minutes before they notice the blackout."

Jonas acknowledged the update with a curt nod, even though she couldn't see him. "Keep monitoring. Let us know the second they figure it out."

They reached the end of the alley and paused. Jonas raised a hand, signaling the team to hold their position while he surveyed the area ahead. The buildings here were more intact, the street ahead less choked with debris. It was an open space—a dangerous one. Any movement in the open would be easily spotted, and they couldn't afford to be seen.

"Elias," Jonas whispered, turning to his scout. "Check it out. Make sure the coast is clear."

Elias nodded once and slipped into the shadows, disappearing as he moved ahead to recon the street. The rest of the team remained still, their eyes sharp, their breathing controlled. The tension in the air was thick, but Jonas knew they had been through worse. They had survived when others hadn't. Tonight wouldn't be any different.

Or at least, that's what he told himself.

Minutes passed in agonizing silence before Elias reappeared, his face tight with focus. "Clear," he said softly. "But we need to move fast. There's an Axis checkpoint two blocks over. It's unmanned for now, but they'll be back soon."

Jonas nodded and motioned for the team to follow. They moved as one, slipping out of the alley and into the open street. Jonas' heart pounded in his chest as they crossed the exposed ground, the shadows their only cover. Every step felt like a risk, every moment a gamble.

But they made it. The ruins on the other side of the street provided cover once more, and Jonas felt a small surge of relief. They were getting closer to the extraction point. Just a little farther, and they'd be in the clear.

As they moved through the broken buildings, Jonas couldn't shake the feeling that something was still wrong. The whispers had grown quieter, but they hadn't disappeared. It was as though they were waiting, watching, biding their time.

They reached a crumbling overpass, its once-grand structure reduced to little more than rubble. The extraction point was just beyond it, a hidden underground tunnel that would take them back to the resistance base. Safety was within reach.

But Jonas hesitated.

"Hold up," he said quietly, his hand raised again. The team froze, their eyes on him.

"What is it?" Doc asked, his voice low and cautious.

Jonas scanned the area, his gut churning with unease. "I don't know," he admitted, his voice barely more than a whisper. "Something doesn't feel right."

Riley, always the one to break the tension, smirked. "You're just jumpy because we actually pulled it off for once."

Jonas didn't respond. He couldn't explain it, but something was wrong. The air felt heavier here, as though the city itself was pressing down on them, and the silence was oppressive.

Carmen's voice crackled through the comms again, this time sharper. "Jonas, I'm picking up Axis chatter. They're onto us. Patrols are mobilizing."

Jonas' stomach dropped. "How long?"

"Not long," she replied, her voice tight. "They'll be here in minutes."

Jonas clenched his jaw. "We move now. Stay tight, stay quiet."

The team moved swiftly, slipping through the rubble toward the extraction point. Jonas kept his eyes on the shadows, every sense on high alert. The whispers were back, louder now, more insistent, their voices curling through his mind like smoke.

They reached the edge of the overpass, and Jonas motioned for Elias to check the tunnel ahead. But before Elias could move, there was a sudden sound—a low, mechanical hum that sent a chill down Jonas' spine.

"Drones," Carmen whispered, her eyes wide as she looked up. "They've deployed drones."

Jonas cursed under his breath. Drones meant surveillance. They would be spotted in seconds.

"Move!" Jonas ordered, his voice sharp.

The team broke into a run, darting through the rubble as the sound of the drones grew louder, closer. The whirring of their engines filled the night, and Jonas knew they were running out of time. They were so close, but the Axis was closing in fast.

Jonas felt the weight of the void pressing in on him again, the whispers clawing at his mind. He pushed forward, forcing himself to focus, to keep moving.

But the void wasn't letting go.

Just as they reached the entrance to the tunnel, Jonas froze, his eyes wide as a vision flashed before him—a vision of fire, destruction, and death. The city, burning. His team, lying broken in the streets. The void, consuming everything.

"Jonas!" Doc's voice snapped him back to reality, the urgency clear. "We have to go!"

Jonas blinked, shaking his head as the vision faded. He could still hear the whispers, still feel the void's presence, but there was no time to dwell on it. They had to move.

Without another word, Jonas led the team into the tunnel, the darkness swallowing them whole.