Episode10: Hunter

Mike stepped out of the meeting room, the cool night air hitting his face. The smell of rain and wet dirt still lingered in the air, but now that he was back at Zhivana base, a strange feeling washed over him. It was like time had rewound to a year ago, to the days when he and his team lived here, still clinging to the hope of survival.

He rubbed his forehead and leaned against the concrete wall. His heart was still racing—partly from his anger at Reznov, and partly from a deeper ache he couldn't put into words. The pain of losing Jake. Everything had happened so fast that Mike didn't even get a chance to say goodbye.

He walked over to the edge of the balcony. From there, he could see Carlina down below, arguing with Kras about the mission. Carlina had always been a rock by his side, ever since their early days in Starovia. When everything was falling apart, her determined gaze gave him the push to keep going. Every mission that went south, Carlina was the one who fixed his mistakes.

Maybe part of why he felt so attached to her was because she reminded him of his sister. After losing his dad, it was his sister who kept the family together. Sure, she was tough—sometimes too tough—but that's what taught Mike the grit he needed in rough situations.

A small smile crept onto his face. He remembered a time when the neighborhood bullies ganged up on him. His sister had let him fend for himself, and yeah, he got beat up pretty bad. But later, she went and gave those bullies a piece of her mind—didn't tell him about it for years, though. And now… it'd been about ten years since he last saw her.

Footsteps approached from behind. It was Carlina.

She came up beside him and leaned against the balcony railing. Pulling a cigarette from her pocket, she held it out to him. "Want one?"

Mike shook his head. "You know my answer."

Carlina lit her cigarette and took a drag. "You remember this place?"

"How could I forget? I lived here for six months," Mike said, waving the smoke away from his face. "Those early days, though… I felt so out of place. Kept thinking I'd never fit in with the team. But you—you were the only one who made me feel welcome."

He smirked. "Well, you and Javier… I miss him a lot."

Carlina glanced down at her boots, her voice rough. "Yeah, me too. But I haven't given up hope."

Mike looked into her eyes and said, "I don't get it. After everything we've been through, how are you still so strong?"

She stared at him for a moment, then gave him a warm smile and stepped in front of him. "Maybe because you've always been there for me, Mike. You and me… we're a team. Since those first days in Starovia."

Her words sparked a warmth in Mike's chest, a deep trust they'd built over years. In every dangerous situation, Carlina was the one who made him believe he could handle anything.

"Yeah," he said softly. "You were the only one who reminded me it's worth staying alive in this hell."

Carlina gently placed her hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Come on, let's head inside. We've got a plan to figure out. Reznov isn't gonna wait."

Mike nodded and followed her back to the meeting room. When they walked in, Kras was at the table, along with a couple of others—old soldiers Carlina had mentioned before. A middle-aged man with short hair and a faded scar on his forehead, and a young woman with red hair, carefully cleaning a throwing knife.

Kras looked up as soon as he saw them. "Alright, I think it's time we get started. Reznov's heading east. Got a report from our spies in the area—says he's got a hidden base in the eastern mountains. Probably holed up there."

Carlina sat down next to Mike and spread a map across the table. "Here, in these valleys. If we're right, Reznov's gearing up for something big. We don't know what he's planning, but going off what Kras said, we can't take any chances."

Mike stared at the map. The valley Carlina was talking about was rough terrain—full of rocks and thick forests. A perfect spot to hide.

"What do we know about his crew?" Mike asked.

Kras answered, "Not many of them. Just him and his group—Natasha, Dmitry, and Elina. Dmitry's still injured, but he's dangerous even like that." He downed the drink in the mug beside him. "Reznov doesn't trust new people easily. Everyone he's got has been with him for years. Means his team's gonna be short-handed for a while. This is our best shot to hit him."

Carlina pointed at a spot on the map, tracing a route with her finger. "We'll go in from the north. There's an old path here that leads straight to the valley entrance. If we can catch them off guard, we've got a chance. But we need to move fast. If they figure out we're coming, it'll get messy."

Mike studied the map. "How many of us are there?"

Carlina glanced around the room. "Counting us, five. Small team, but they're all pros. These guys worked with me back in Starovia before I joined Commander Blake's crew. We can trust them."

Mike nodded. It felt like he was back in those early days in Starovia—the same sense of unity, the same readiness for danger. "Okay. What's the plan?"

Kras took over. "We need a decoy, like Carlina said. Me and two of my guys will come in from the west and make some noise. That'll distract Reznov and his team. You guys go in from the north and hit their base directly. Dmitry might stay behind since he's injured—try to take him alive. If things go south, he's our bargaining chip."

Mike frowned. "And if they figure out it's a trap before we get there?"

Kras smirked. "Then you'd better move quick. Reznov's sharp, but he's got one weakness: he's too sure of himself. Doesn't keep a lot of people close. That means we can catch him off guard."

Carlina looked at Mike. "Mike, you and me—we're together on this. We need to take Reznov alive, or we'll never know what he's planning."

She rolled up the map and stood. "Everyone, check your gear. It's past two already. We move out in half an hour." Then she headed downstairs.

Mike got up and walked to the window. The rain had finally stopped, and the faint moonlight gleamed on the wet ground. Inside, he felt a steely resolve. He wanted payback for Jake and the others, and this time, with Carlina by his side, he was sure he could pull it off.

Once Carlina was out of earshot, Mike turned to Kras. "I need a favor, Kras. If this op goes bad, you take Carlina and get out. No matter what happens, make sure she's safe."

Kras stepped out from behind the table. "She'll hate me for it, but fine. I'll make sure she's okay. You have my word."

Mike headed for the stairs, glancing back at the darkness outside. "Thanks."

With that, they both got ready for the final strike.