Shadow Warriors by Chris Bostic

Author:Chris Bostic [Bostic, Chris]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-05-07T06:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 20

“Get down!” I yelled ahead to the others.

Bodies crashed through the brush, getting far away from the creek. In the distance, I noticed the much more open forest of the campsite. Luckily, we hadn’t made it that far. But I was no less terrified.

I debated splitting up from Katelyn, not wanting to be close to her if the bullets started flying again. Thinking of thermal imaging, I eyed the creek ready to jump in the water like Austin had the previous night, though it was so shallow that I couldn’t submerge my whole body.

Before I had the chance, the trees swayed all around me. Wind rushed, stirring leaves. I shielded my eyes from the dust. A helicopter came out of nowhere to hover almost directly overhead.

I reached out blindly for Katelyn, and found her arm. My hand locked on her wrist, and pulled her close. The trees whipped violently in the downdraft.

I chanced a look, and was surprised to see the chopper had glided off a little farther to the west. It hovered over the blown out bridge.

Dust got in my eyes, and I had to look away. I blinked rapidly and stole another quick glance.

It was the longer, more bulbous profile of the type Austin had described as a Blackhawk. From open side doors, ropes tumbled down.

“They’re dropping troops,” I yelled to Katelyn, who had her head buried in her hands.

Despite the racket, she heard me and reacted immediately.

Remaining concealed, I pointed to the troops rappelling to the ground barely a hundred yards away. Blinking away the dust, I gestured farther down the creek toward the rest of our group. “We need to get outta here.”

A second helicopter trailed in after the first. Katelyn and I hunched over and raced downstream as fast as we could go, while the second chopper hovered over the drop site and began unloading four more soldiers.

I caught up to John first, and motioned for him to follow us ahead. We got as close to the open woods of the camp as we dared.

I could make out the location of concrete pads where tourists would’ve parked their big campers. There was no way I was going any farther, and was relieved to see my mom and Katelyn’s parents off to our right at the edge of the woods. I waved to get their attention, and they came over as soon as the second helicopter sailed off to the south.

No less stressed, I quickly asked, “Where’s Spotted Owl?”

“I don’t know.” Katelyn’s dad cupped his hands to his mouth.

Spurred with fear, I reached for the man’s hands. “Don’t yell,” I said sharply.

He spun around to stare at me. “What?”

“There’s soldiers, Dad,” Katelyn interjected. “They dropped them at the bridge. Didn’t you guys see them?”

“Oh, crap,” John said. “I wondered what they were doing over there.”

“Wow, we just missed ‘em,” my mom added. “Good work, kids.”

“Yeah, it pays to be a slacker,” I said bitterly. “We saw the whole thing go down. Two sets of four rappelled down right where we were at.

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