cooperation
Just then, the distinctive, deep, and oppressive roar of a helicopter rotor came from afar outside the cave! A light reconnaissance helicopter flew low over the island, its powerful searchlight beams beginning to carefully scan the cliffs and coastline.
“They’ve used air power; this hole won’t be able to hide for long.” Kruger’s face grew even darker, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes. Elaine looked at the communicator in her hand, which was barely responding and unable to send a distress signal. She then looked at Kruger, whose face was pale from blood loss and injuries and who was almost incapacitated. Finally, she listened to the approaching helicopters outside the hole.
She took a deep breath of the cold, damp air, forcing herself to calm down, a resolute glint in her eyes. "We can't just sit here and wait to die." Her voice was unusually calm, yet carried an undeniable force. "We have to do something proactive. Either guide the rescue efforts, or create chaos to create an opportunity." She turned to Kruger, her gaze sharp. "Are you still injured enough to do anything simple? We need to set a trap to lure that iron bird away, or... at least keep it from getting too close."
Kruger's eyes narrowed sharply as he scrutinized Elaine, a strange smile playing on his lips—a smile tinged with pain mixed with a hint of excitement and admiration. "...Tell me your plan, Nurse. Looks like we'll have to prepare a 'surprise' for Makarov's cleaners tonight."
Outside the cave, the roar of helicopter rotors pounded like hammers against the steep, black volcanic rock walls of "Eagle Rock," sending fine pebbles tumbling down. The ghastly white beams of searchlights, like the forked tongue of a python, swept across the dense vines hanging from the cave entrance, casting flickering, deathly shadows onto the damp cave walls. Each beam of light sent Elaine's heart clenching.
“They’re searching by sound and sight; they’ll find us sooner or later at this rate.” Elaine forced herself to stay calm, her brain racing under extreme pressure. Her sharp gaze swept across the narrow tunnel, the dwindling equipment, and the churning, inky sea outside. “We need to create a larger, more attention-grabbing ‘target’ to draw the attention of the helicopters and ground troops, creating a window of opportunity to send signals and relocate.”
Kruger leaned against the cold, rough rock wall, his face ashen from blood loss. Each breath brought excruciating pain to the gunshot wound in his abdomen and the gruesome scar on his face. His eyes were unfocused with weakness, but the instincts of a top soldier and his intuition for danger remained. He spoke hoarsely, his voice broken: "The explosives... are too little... not enough to kill... but enough to create chaos... The key is... a precise delay... to ensure that when it detonates... we have time... to evacuate or hide..."
“I’ll set the delay shot.” Elaine took over without hesitation, her hands moving with astonishing steadiness as she swiftly retrieved the last remaining small piece of ammunition, a gun, and a simple timer from her waterproof backpack. Her movements were precise, fast, and without the slightest hesitation, as if she had practiced countless times. This professionalism and composure displayed in a desperate situation caused a barely perceptible glint to flash in the eyes of the dazed Kruger.
“Placement point…” Kruger, fighting off dizziness, raised his trembling hand and pointed to a black reef outside the cave entrance, prominently displayed like an eagle's beak from the helicopter's perspective. “Behind that rock… use the crashing of the next wave… to cover your footsteps…”
“I’ll go.” Elaine’s tone was decisive and without hesitation. Kruger was too badly injured to move; she was the only option.
Kruger stared intently at her, remaining silent for several long seconds, as if assessing her chances of success and her final resolve. Finally, he moved with difficulty and placed his gleaming pistol, its grip still warm and damp with his sweat, into Elaine's hand. "Take this..." he gasped, his voice weak but clear, "If... any ground troops scum... manage to reach the entrance... I'll... make a noise... to attract their attention..." This was an ultimate trust—entrusting one's own safety to another in a desperate situation, and placing the responsibility of protecting one's back in their hands.
Elaine tucked her pistol into her waistband and, like a cat blending into the shadows, silently slipped out of the cave. Clutching the slippery, cold rock wall, she used the gaps in the searchlight beams and the deafening roar of the waves as cover, making her way precariously behind a protruding rock. She quickly set up the decoy device, activated the timer (set to detonate in two minutes), and then swiftly retreated along the same route. The entire process was chillingly calm.
A few minutes later, a loud but clear explosion, not too loud, came from the direction of the reef. Immediately afterwards, the flashlights that had been set up emitted blinding and chaotic beams of light, swaying among the rocks.
"Command! Explosion at the reef in Area B! Light source signal detected! Requesting reconnaissance support!" The helicopter pilot's call immediately broke through the noise of radio interference. The searchlight beam that had been hovering near the cave suddenly turned, precisely locking onto the explosion point. The helicopter engine roared even louder as it accelerated towards that direction.
"Success!" Elaine shouted, catching her breath as she immediately pulled out the encrypted communicator, which was barely emitting any power. She focused all the remaining battery power, the last vestige of life remaining in the device, on sending an extremely brief passive response signal containing their approximate latitude and longitude and the highest priority emergency status! This signal was as faint as a candle in the wind, but it was their only hope!
“The signal… has been sent out…” After doing all this, Elaine collapsed onto the cold ground, utterly exhausted.
However, Kruger's condition deteriorated rapidly. Severe blood loss and intense pain completely clouded his consciousness, and his defenses crumbled. He leaned against the rock wall, his face ashen, his breathing so weak it was almost inaudible. Suddenly, he gazed dazedly at Elaine, who was examining his wounds, his focus unfocused. A strange, tender smile, so unlike his usual sarcastic and cold demeanor, curved his lips.
“Ah…Elsa…” he murmured hoarsely, his voice as soft as a sigh, with the hazy daze of someone on the verge of death, “Long time no see…I…have…missed her…”
Elaine was jolted awake, instantly realizing that Kruger, due to his severe injuries and clouded consciousness, had mistaken her for the deceased Elsa!
“Makarov…that old dog…” Kruger murmured intermittently, “He…is no longer…at Eagle Rock…Those big shots who want to get rid of him…won’t let this place go either…He has prepared a ‘big gift’ for everyone…who comes to him…in the underground fortifications on this island…He’s going to activate it at the last moment…to make everyone…die with him…” After saying this ominous message, his head lolled to the side, his last shred of consciousness was swallowed by darkness, and he fell into a deep coma.
Almost simultaneously with Kruger falling into a coma, the Eagle's Nest command center...
“Cap! Extremely weak passive response signal detected! Identifier is Elaine's! Signal source location—northeast coastline of ‘Vulture Rock’, specific coordinates marked!” The technician’s urgent voice broke the silence in the command room.
Price and Keegan stood up from the console almost simultaneously. The signal was extremely weak and intermittent, as if it might disappear at any moment, but the unique identifier was unmistakable.
"She's alive!" Keegan's voice trembled slightly from the release of extreme tension. He turned sharply to Price, his eyes burning with an unwavering resolve, like a blade about to be drawn: "Cap! Team A is ready! Requesting immediate execution of the rescue plan!"
Price's gaze swept quickly across the overall situation map. In a split second, the veteran made a decisive judgment: "Weak signal, third-party intervention, the situation on the island is spiraling out of control! Elaine could be caught in the crossfire or silenced at any moment. We must act quickly!" He turned to Keegan and ordered decisively: "Approve the rescue plan, codename 'Thunder'! Team A, depart immediately. The highest priority is rescuing Elaine! The operation must be swift, precise, and stealthy, avoiding any entanglement with any other faction!" He then switched channels: "Team B, abandon contact with the third party and switch to covert surveillance and intelligence support throughout the operation. Focus on monitoring their movements to provide cover for 'Blade's' infiltration and withdrawal! Move out!"
Inside the cave, Elaine clutched the pistol Kruger had given her, staying by his side as he lay unconscious. Outside, the sound of the helicopter seemed to have faded temporarily due to the decoy explosion, but a deeper, deathly sense of danger washed over her like an icy tide.
She didn't know if the faint signal had been picked up by "Eagle's Nest," whether Keegan would come, or what the information Kruger had revealed before falling unconscious about Makarov's "gift" and the third-party cleanup team meant. All she could do was grip the cold, heavy grip of her gun, listen to the tireless yet hollow crashing of the waves outside the cave, and Kruger's increasingly faint breathing beside her. Amidst the complex interplay of despair and hope, trust and the unknown, she awaited her fate.
The cold, miniature submersible, like a ghost of the deep sea, silently sliced through the dark waters near Eagle Rock. Keegan sat in the bow, staring intently at the faintly flashing coordinates on the navigation screen through his night-vision goggles, representing Elaine's last signal source.
Hesh, Logan, and Konig silently conducted their final checks behind him, the air thick with a tense, oppressive silence. "500 meters from the landing point. The hydrographic conditions ahead are complex; the submersible cannot proceed any closer," the pilot reported in a low voice.
"Dive here. Team A, use underwater propulsion, maintain absolute silence." Keegan's voice was deep and steady, carrying an unquestionable authority. The hatch opened silently, and the icy seawater rushed in. Five dark figures slid out like fish, activated their propulsion, and stealthily disappeared into the shadows of the jagged reefs, heading towards the shoreline.
The landing went remarkably smoothly, almost unnervingly so. The anticipated patrols and defensive sensors seemed to have never existed. The beach was deathly silent, save for the monotonous sound of waves crashing against the rocks, which sounded particularly eerie in the pre-dawn darkness.
“Something’s not right.” Hesh lowered his voice, scanning the overly empty mudflats around him warily. “It’s too clean, like it’s been swept clean.”
Keegan gave a tactical hand signal, and the squad immediately spread out in a defensive formation, using the reefs for cover. He raised his wrist and whispered, "'Center,' Team A has reached the designated coordinates. Elaine has not been found. The beach is unusually quiet. Requesting a scan of the surrounding heat signatures."
After a brief static interference, Elaine's voice came through, weak but clear: "Group A... I'm northeast... about 200 meters, at the Tidal Cave... Kruger is seriously injured and unconscious... Be careful... there's a third party..."
Almost simultaneously, Ghost's icy voice cut in, bringing even worse news: "Squad B reporting. An unidentified armed squad has completed its southern clearing and is slowly advancing towards your area in tactical formation. 1.5 kilometers away. Well-equipped, equipped with thermal imaging and life detectors; their tactical maneuvers... are standard NATO special forces." NATO special forces? A chill ran through everyone present. These weren't Makarov's men!
Keegan's eyes sharpened, and he immediately ordered, "Hesh, Logan, establish a defensive line and guard the direction of the clearing team. Konig, follow me!" The two moved swiftly among the rocks, heading straight for the cave. As they approached the cave entrance, Keegan keenly detected a very faint scent of blood in the air. He gave the tactical hand signals, and he and Konig, one on each side, swiftly plunged into the cave!
The cave was dimly lit. Elaine, gun in hand, stood vigilantly guarding the entrance. Hearing the noise, she turned instantly, pointing her gun at the newcomer. When she saw the figure etched into her soul, her hand holding the gun trembled violently, and her eyes flashed with disbelief.
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