"Command, we got him," Ryan reported through the radio as Jake and Ethan lifted the pilot off the ground, one on each side.
"Copy that, return back to base when able, Command out," Adrian replied.
The pilot tried to resist for a second.
It didn’t last.
His injured leg gave out the mont they shifted him, forcing him to lean into their hold. A sharp breath escaped him, but he didn’t speak. His eyes moved instead, scanning fast, taking in the uniforms, the weapons, the helicopter behind them.
Cole stepped in and grabbed the pilot’s harness, checking for anything else.
"Clear," he said. "No secondary weapon."
Ryan nodded once, then crouched slightly in front of the pilot.
"Listen," he said, voice even. "You’re not dead. Don’t make that harder for yourself."
The pilot didn’t answer.
His jaw tightened, but he held Ryan’s gaze.
"Move," he ordered.
Ethan and Jake dragged the pilot toward the helicopter, boots scraping against asphalt as they moved fast. Noah and Mason kept their positions on the flanks, weapons up, scanning the edges of the road.
Movent.
"Contact left," Noah said.
Two infected broke out from behind a vehicle, drawn by the noise and movent.
Mason fired first.
Short burst.
Both dropped before they made five steps.
"Clear."
"Keep moving," Ryan said.
They reached the helicopter.
The crew chief leaned out, already tracking the periter.
"Get him in!" he shouted.
Jake climbed up first, hauling the pilot inside. Ethan followed, pushing him down onto the deck and forcing him into a seated position against the bulkhead.
Cole stepped in right after, turning back once to scan outside.
"Last man!" he called.
Ryan backed up toward the door, weapon still covering the road. No new movent. No surge.
"Go," he said.
He stepped in and grabbed the fra.
The crew chief slamd the door.
The helicopter lifted imdiately, pulling away from the ground in one smooth motion. The rotors kicked dust outward as the aircraft climbed, clearing the road and the scattered wrecks below.
Inside, the noise settled into a steady roar.
The pilot sat where they forced him, breathing controlled but heavier now. His eyes moved across them again, slower this ti.
Jake tightened the restraint.
"No sudden moves," he said.
Ryan took a seat across from him, weapon resting but still angled.
"Who are you people?" the pilot asked. "You sure as hell are not from the army."
Ryan didn’t answer right away.
He watched the man for a second, asuring him. The pilot’s uniform was scorched in places, one sleeve torn near the shoulder. His helt was gone, probably lost during ejection.
"Easy," Ryan said. "You just tried to kill us ten minutes ago."
The pilot didn’t flinch.
"You’re occupying a Philippine Air Force base with foreign hardware," he shot back. "You expect to wave at you?"
Ethan shifted slightly by the door, keeping his weapon angled but ready.
"We intercepted your missile," he said. "You’re alive because we didn’t return the favor."
The pilot’s gaze flicked toward him, then back to Ryan.
"That wasn’t a warning shot," Ryan added. "You committed to that."
"Because you’re a threat," the pilot replied without hesitation. "Patriot systems. I don’t think a militia would be able to get their hands on that."
"Fair," he said. "Now here’s where we’re at. You’re injured. You’re in our aircraft. And you’re heading to our base."
The pilot’s jaw tightened.
"Your base," he repeated.
"Yes," Ryan said. "Which ans you can keep arguing, or you can start talking."
The pilot didn’t respond imdiately.
The helicopter banked slightly, the shift pressing them all to one side for a second before leveling out again.
Cole glanced out the small window, scanning below.
"Area’s still quiet," he said.
"Good," Ryan replied, then looked back at the pilot.
"What’s your designation?" he asked.
The pilot hesitated.
Then—
"Viper Two-One," he said.
Ryan nodded once.
"Alright, Viper Two-One. You’re going to answer so questions when we land."
"And if I don’t?" the pilot asked.
Ryan didn’t raise his voice.
"You will. After all, we are fighting the sa enemy here right? Zombies...for sure our boss would want to know why those creatures appeared."
The pilot opened his mouth, like he was about to say sothing.
Ryan cut him off before a word ca out.
"Save it," he said flatly and continued. "You can talk all you want when we land."
The pilot stopped.
His jaw worked once, then settled. He leaned back against the bulkhead, breathing through his nose, eyes still locked on Ryan.
Five minutes later, they arrived at the Basa Air Base.
The helicopter flared slightly as it ca in low over the runway.
"Basa Tower, inbound, final approach," the pilot called.
"Cleared to land," ca the reply.
The aircraft descended smoothly.
Skids touched down on concrete.
The rotors kept spinning as the crew chief slid the door open.
"Unload," he said.
Jake and Ethan moved first, lifting the pilot again. He tensed the mont his boots hit the ground, but his injured leg folded imdiately. They didn’t slow, each taking one side and dragging him forward.
The pilot tried to keep his balance.
Didn’t work.
Cole stepped out behind them, watching the movent, while Ryan followed last, eyes already on the command center ahead.
Ground personnel were already moving toward them.
Just ready.
A stretcher was brought up alongside.
"Set him down," the dic said.
Jake and Ethan lowered the pilot onto it. The dic went to work imdiately, cutting through the fabric around the wound, checking bleeding, stabilizing it fast.
"Entry and exit," he said. "No major arterial hit. He’s staying alive."
Ryan stepped closer, looking down at the pilot.
The man stared back, breathing steady now despite the pain.
"Good," Ryan said.
He straightened and looked at the dic.
"Keep him stable. I want him conscious for further interrogation."
The dic nodded without looking up, already securing the bandage tight.
Ryan turned away.
"Move him to interrogation," he said, already walking toward the command building.
User Comments
0 comments from readers