Chapter 50: Bandit Country.

Callie moved cautiously through the dense woods, every step taken with deliberate quietness. The forest was alive with the sounds of nature—birds chirping, leaves rustling in the gentle breeze—but all she could hear was the pounding of her own heart. *Bandit territory. Keep it together, Callie,* she thought, her senses on high alert, every shadow feeling like a potential threat.

As she crept forward, her breath hitched; voices drifted through the trees, low and rough, sending a chill down her spine. She quickly took cover behind a large tree, straining to make out their words. “Spread out,” a gruff voice commanded, closer than she’d expected. “She can’t be far.”

*Oh no,* Callie thought, heart racing as she pressed herself against the rough bark of the tree. Her grip tightened around her pistol, her fingers slick with sweat. *Stay calm, stay calm,* she told herself, trying to channel Ava and Talon’s unshakeable courage. *What would they do?*

Another voice chimed in, closer this time, “She was headed this way. Bet she thinks she’s clever hiding in the trees.”

She dared a glance around the trunk, spotting three bandits advancing slowly, their eyes scanning the area with predatory intensity. *Three of them. I could maybe take them… if I don’t miss.* Her muscles tensed, fingers twitching on the trigger as she weighed her options. *Come on, Callie. Don’t panic. You’re a Sentinel now. You’ve got this.*

But her hope of slipping away undetected vanished when one of the bandits spotted her, his eyes lighting up with a cruel smile. “There she is!” he shouted, raising his weapon.

Instinct took over, and Callie fired before she could think twice. The gunshot cracked through the forest, and her bullet hit the bandit squarely, sending him crumpling to the ground. But there was no time to feel relief. The remaining two bandits retaliated immediately, their gunfire forcing her to retreat deeper into the forest, adrenaline surging through her veins.

"She's fast," one of the men called out, voice dark and mocking. "But not fast enough to get away from us."

Panic flared, but she forced herself to keep moving, dodging between trees, every nerve screaming at her to stay ahead. *Stay calm. Think.* Her breathing grew ragged, and her vision blurred at the edges, but she kept moving. Glancing over her shoulder, she fired a few desperate shots, her pulse racing faster as her bullets narrowly missed her pursuers.

“Oh, look at her go!” one bandit jeered, his laugh carrying an edge of mockery. “Think you’re some kind of hero, huh?”

Her heart hammered in her chest, and her mind scrambled for a plan. *I need cover. Can’t waste any more ammo,* she reminded herself, forcing her fear down.

Then, up ahead, she spotted a cluster of rocks. She made a beeline for them, diving behind the cover just as another bullet whizzed past her shoulder. She pressed her back against the cold, unyielding stone, her chest heaving. *Nine rounds left,* she reminded herself, glancing down at her pistol. *Make them count.*

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“Come on out, little girl,” one of the bandits taunted, voice dripping with mockery. “Playing tough won’t help you now.”

Callie clenched her jaw, every instinct telling her to stay hidden, to bide her time. *They think I’m scared. They think I’m weak…* A small, fierce voice rose within her. *But I’m still here. I can do this.* She peered around the rock, her eyes narrowing as she watched them search for her. She took a deep breath, trying to channel the strength she’d seen in Ava so many times before. *Ava would fight smart. She’d find a way.*

The bandits grew closer, their footsteps crunching on the forest floor. She caught snippets of their conversation.

“Let’s finish this,” one of them growled, his voice nearing her position. “Can’t have her running off now. The boss will want to know how a Sentinel got past our ambush.”

“What are you worried about?” the other laughed, his tone dripping with cruel amusement. “She’s just a girl. We’ll drag her back easy.”

Rage flared in Callie’s chest, hot and bright, mingling with her fear. She wasn’t just a girl. She was a Sentinel. She took a deep breath, steadying her shaking hands, her fingers brushing against the hilt of her knife. *You can do this. Think. Use the terrain,* she reminded herself.

The bandits moved closer, and she felt her heart skip a beat. She gripped her knife, her mind racing. If she could surprise them, maybe she’d have a chance. *Stay calm, Callie. Stay calm.* She closed her eyes briefly, willing her mind to focus, to think clearly.

“Where’d she go?” one of the men muttered, frustration leaking into his voice.

“Probably hiding like a rat,” the other spat. “Come on, girlie! You can’t hide forever!”

A branch snapped, far too close for comfort, and Callie held her breath, pressing herself further into the shadows. *Think. What would Talon do?*

Then she remembered one of his lessons: *“Sometimes, the best defense is misdirection.”* Her eyes fell on a pile of loose stones near her foot. Quietly, she picked one up, tossed it a few yards away from her position, and held her breath as it landed with a soft thud.

“What was that?” one of them said, turning towards the noise.

*Now.* With one swift motion, Callie darted from her cover, pistol raised, taking aim at the man closest to her. She squeezed the trigger, the shot ringing out loud and clear. He stumbled, falling to his knees, clutching his side.

“Damn you!” the last bandit roared, charging toward her. Callie turned to run, sprinting as fast as her legs would carry her. She could hear his footsteps pounding behind her, the sound growing louder, more relentless.

Branches lashed at her face, and her lungs burned, but she didn’t dare stop. She felt her foot catch on a root, and she barely managed to keep her balance, her heart pounding in her ears. *I’m not going to make it,* her mind whispered, but she forced the thought down, focusing only on each desperate step forward.

“You’re only making this harder on yourself!” the man taunted, his voice closer now. “Face me like a real Sentinel!”

She spotted a fallen log ahead and vaulted over it, her muscles screaming in protest. *I just need a little more distance,* she told herself, her mind a chaotic mix of fear and determination.

As she ran, Callie caught sight of a narrow game trail off to her left. She veered onto it, ducking low and weaving through the dense underbrush. The bandit’s footsteps hesitated, as if he’d lost sight of her, and she allowed herself a fleeting sense of hope. *Maybe I can lose him…*

But that hope was shattered when she heard him crash through the underbrush again, his voice laced with fury. “I’ll find you, girl! You can’t hide forever!”

Her breaths came in ragged gasps as she pushed herself to keep going. The trees blurred around her, the forest a maze of shadows and obstacles, her body teetering on the edge of exhaustion. But she couldn’t stop—not now.

Her thoughts drifted to Ava, Talon, and Lucas, each one a source of strength in her mind. *I won’t let them down. I’m going to survive this,* she vowed, summoning every ounce of resilience she had.

With a last burst of speed, Callie plunged deeper into the forest, the sounds of pursuit fading behind her. She didn’t dare look back, her only focus on finding a safe place to hide and regroup. The fight wasn’t over, but she was far from giving up.