Chapter 1103
If the mound was man-made, then this forest hid something. But what? And why was their landing zone surrounded by the dead?
Lost in thought, Jason frowned at the grisly tableau.
Just then, Taylor rolled over, his eyes flickering open and settling on Jason. Still half-asleep, he let out a groggy chuckle. He teased, his voice hoarse, “Well…”
“Couldn’t resist sneaking into my bed? I know I’m handsome, but at least wait until I’m awake before you make your move.”
The ridiculous comment snapped Jason back to reality. He turned, smiling with real relief this time. “Finally up?”
Taylor, still heavy with sleep, stretched like a cat. But halfway through, his eyes caught the clearing. The color drained from his face. A strangled cry burst from him. He scrambled to Jason’s side, clutching his leg as though it was the only thing keeping him alive, his body trembling.
“Where are we? What is this place?” Taylor’s voice cracked as he stammered. “Why are there so many bodies?” He squeezed his eyes shut, shaking. “This has to be a nightmare. Tell me I’m dreaming. Please.”
The night before, under Miguel’s control, Taylor had been nothing but a puppet. He hadn’t seen the horrors. To him, this was waking straight into hell. No wonder he was terrified. For original chapters go to fι?dnοvel.net
The weight of Irene’s involvement hit Jason again, sympathy for Taylor pressing hard against his chest. He placed a steady hand on Taylor’s shoulder. “It’s okay. Don’t be scared. I’ll take you home. I promise.”
As always, Jason’s steady presence was an anchor for Taylor, and his words managed to cut through the panic.
Taylor drew in a shaky breath, cracking his eyes open. But the scene hadn’t changed. The bones, the blood — it was all still there. He snapped his eyes shut again. “What is this place? How did we even get here?”
Jason told him everything about the chip.
L?tτ чh?ρτ?r? ιn gɑlοv?l?.сo
Taylor’s eyes flew wide, realization dawning. “So that’s why I felt like I wasn’t myself sometimes… I was being controlled this whole time?” He touched his head as though trying to feel it. “What now? Can they take this thing out of me?”
Jason patted his head gently, voice soft. “Don’t worry. Cole and Elliana will figure it out.”
“Alright,” Taylor breathed, nodding, faith in them unshaken.
Suddenly, Taylor remembered his duet with Stellara the night before, and the memory clawed its way out in laughter. The sound rang strange in the graveyard of bones. When it faded, he asked, “So, what now? How do we get out of this forest? How do we go home?”
Jason had no answer. Surviving the fall was only step one. Escaping these woods alive was another battle altogether, and who knew what waited in the shadows.
As his thoughts spiraled, the thrum of helicopter blades cut through the silence. Both men snapped their heads upward. Through the thin gaps in the canopy, they saw two rescue helicopters circling overhead.
Thanks to the precise location of Jason’s phone, the rescue operation didn’t have to waste time searching blindly across the wilderness. The helicopters positioned themselves directly above the signal source, their pilots scanning desperately for any suitable landing zone, but the impenetrable jungle below offered no viable options.
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