Roland led the way into the woods, with Andrik close behind, scanning the perimeter for any signs of pursuit. The cool night air offered some relief to his cuts and bruises, but the antidote soaked into his clothes clung uncomfortably to his skin.

  "We need to keep moving," he said to Roland and Nick, who were following close behind. "The explosion will buy us some time, but they'll regroup quickly."

  Nick adjusted the backpack containing their precious cargo; the only vial of antidote they'd managed to save. In the dim moonlight, Andrik could see the determination on the doctor's face. For a civilian, he was handling the situation remarkably well.

  "How far to the border?" Nick asked, his voice low.

  "About fifteen miles," Roland replied. "Too far to make it on foot before daybreak."

  Andrik nodded. "There's an old ranger station near here. Might have transportation we can use."

  They moved as quietly as possible through the dense forest, each lost in their thoughts. The weight of their failure pressed heavily on Andrik's shoulders. His father had made it clear: the mission could not fail. And yet here they were, most of their team lost, with only a fraction of the antidote they'd come for.

  A sharp pain shot through Andrik's side where a particularly large shard of glass had embedded itself. He winced but pushed forward. There would be time for medical attention later.

  "You're bleeding again," Nick observed, moving closer to examine the wound.

  "It's nothing," Andrik replied, brushing him off. "Focus on keeping that bag safe."

  Nick didn't seem convinced but fell back in line. Roland took point, his military training evident in his careful movements and constant vigilance despite his injured arm.

  After what felt like hours of trekking through the woods, they finally reached a small clearing. In the distance, they could make out the silhouette of a small building, the ranger station Andrik had mentioned.

  "Stay low," Roland whispered. "We don't know if it's occupied."

  The three men crouched at the edge of the trees, observing the station for any signs of life. It appeared abandoned: no lights, no vehicles, no movement.

  "I'll check it out," Roland said, already moving forward.

  Andrik grabbed his arm. "No. I'll go. You're injured."

  Roland's eyebrow raised. "So are you."

  "I heal faster," Andrik replied with a grim smile. "And if something happens to me, you need to get Nick and the antidote back home. That's an order."

  Before Roland could protest further, Andrik was already moving across the clearing, keeping low to the ground. Years of military training kicked in automatically controlling his breathing, placing each foot carefully to minimize noise, and staying in the shadows where possible.

  The ranger station was indeed abandoned, dust covering most surfaces inside. Andrik quickly checked each room, confirming they were alone. As he made his way to the back, he found what he was looking for - an old pickup truck parked behind the building.

  He signaled to Roland and Nick to join him. They moved quickly across the clearing, Nick clutching the backpack tightly against his chest.

  "Can you get it running?" Nick asked as they examined the truck.

  Roland was already checking under the hood. "Battery's dead, but I might be able to hot-wire it."

  "Do it," Andrik said. "I'll keep watch."

  While Roland worked on the truck, Andrik took the moment of relative safety to assess his injuries. Glass shards were embedded in his arms and torso, and the antidote solution had soaked through much of his uniform. He began removing the larger pieces of glass, wincing as each one pulled free.

  Nick noticed and moved to help. "Let me," he said, his medical training taking over. "These need to be cleaned properly or they'll get infected."

  Andrik wanted to refuse, to insist they focus on getting moving, but the practical side of him knew Nick was right. Infection would only slow them down later.

  "Make it quick," he conceded.

  Nick worked efficiently, using supplies from a small medical kit he carried. "The antidote solution might help prevent infection," he commented as he cleaned a particularly deep cut. "Most medical solutions have antiseptic properties."

  Andrik nodded his mind elsewhere. He couldn't shake the feeling that they'd been set up. The mission had been compromised before they'd even arrived: the dead scientist, the alarm being raised so quickly, the ambush waiting for them.

  "Someone betrayed us," he said quietly, more to himself than to Nick.

  Nick glanced up from his work. "You think it was someone on our side?"

  "Had to be. They knew exactly when we were coming and what we were after." Andrik's jaw tightened. "When I find out who—"

  "Got it!" Roland's triumphant voice interrupted as the truck's engine sputtered to life.

  Relief washed over all three men. They quickly gathered their gear and climbed into the vehicle. Roland driving, Nick in the passenger seat, and Andrik in the back, his weapon ready.

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  They drove in silence for a while, the truck bumping along the dirt road. Andrik kept watch out the rear window, alert for any signs of pursuit.

  "We need to find a main road," Roland said eventually. "This old thing won't make it much further on these trails."

  As if on cue, the engine coughed and sputtered. Roland coaxed it forward, but it was a losing battle. With a final wheeze, the truck died, rolling to a stop in the middle of the path.

  "End of the line," Roland said grimly. "We'll have to continue on foot."

  They abandoned the truck, Roland taking a moment to wipe down any surfaces they might have touched. Andrik checked his watch,they'd been on the move for nearly three hours since the explosion. The border was still miles away.

  "We need to find another vehicle," Andrik said. "Or at least get to the highway where we might flag one down."

  They set off again, the first hints of dawn lightening the eastern sky. The forest was thinning, giving way to farmland. In the distance, they could see the ribbon of a paved road.

  "That's our ticket out," Roland said, pointing.

  As they approached the road, Andrik's mind raced with contingency plans. If they couldn't find a ride, they'd have to split up. He and Roland could create a diversion while Nick escaped with the antidote. It wasn't ideal, but the mission what was left of it, came first.

  The sound of an approaching vehicle put them all on alert. They ducked behind a roadside hedge, watching as a delivery van came into view.

  "Farm truck," Roland whispered. "Local, by the looks of it."

  Andrik made a quick decision. "Flag it down. We'll say we had car trouble."

  Roland stepped out onto the road, raising a hand in greeting as the van slowed. The driver, an elderly man with a weather-beaten face, rolled down his window.

  "Car broke down back there," Roland explained, putting on his most harmless expression. "Any chance you're heading toward the border?"

  The old man looked them over, taking in their disheveled appearance and the backpack Nick clutched protectively. Andrik tensed, ready to act if necessary. They couldn't afford to be delayed now.

  But then the man nodded. "Hop in the back. I make deliveries across the border three times a week. Don't want any trouble, though."

  "None from us," Roland assured him. "We're just trying to get home."

  The back of the van was filled with crates of produce. The three men wedged themselves between the crates, the precious backpack secured between them.

  As the van rumbled toward the border, Andrik finally allowed himself to relax slightly. They might make it back with the antidote intact.

  When they reached the border crossing, Andrik held his breath. A thorough search would reveal their identities and raise questions they couldn't answer. But luck was with them, the guard barely glanced at the old man's papers before waving them through.

  The old man dropped them off about a half-mile from their rendezvous point. Roland pressed some cash into his hand. "For your trouble," he explained. "And your discretion."

  The man pocketed the money without counting it. "Never saw you," he said with a wink, before driving away.

  They walked the rest of the way to the rendezvous point in silence. When they arrived, Roland and Nick waited while Andrik scouted ahead. The extraction team wasn't there yet.

  "We're early," Andrik said when he returned. "And that's good. It gives me time to find another vehicle, just in case."

  "In case what?" Nick asked.

  "In case our extraction team doesn't show," Andrik replied grimly. "Or in case they've been compromised too."

  Andrik left Roland and Nick at the rendezvous point while he went to secure alternative transportation. It took him longer than expected - his injuries were slowing him down, though not as much as they should have. He found himself healing faster than normal, a curiosity he filed away to examine later.

  By the time he returned with a commandeered military truck, Roland and Nick had been waiting for nearly an hour. The relief on their faces when they saw him was palpable.

  "You're late," Roland said as Andrik exited the vehicle.

  "Traffic was hell," Andrik replied with a tired grin, though there was little humor in it. They'd lost good men today. But at least they had the antidote or what little remained of it.

  The ride back to the Genetics Engineering Program headquarters was subdued. The weight of their losses hung heavy in the air.

  "They knew we were coming," Andrik said as they drove. "Someone tipped them off."

  "The treaty—" Nick began.

  "Was a ruse," Andrik cut him off. "Or at least, someone wanted it to be. There are factions in Belraithe who don't want us to have the antidote. They see our population decline as their opportunity."

  "But why agree to the treaty at all, then?" Nick asked.

  Andrik's expression darkened. "Politics is never simple, Doctor. There are always competing interests."

  Dr. Tate was waiting for them when they arrived, his face lined with worry that gave way to relief when he saw them.

  "You made it," he said, then noticed their reduced numbers. "Where are the others?"

  "Captured," Andrik replied tersely. "The mission was compromised."

  Dr. Tate's expression darkened. "I see. And the antidote?"

  Nick presented the medical bag. "I managed to secure about two liters. Not as much as we'd hoped, but it should be enough for initial testing."

  Dr. Tate took the bag, examining its contents with careful hands. "You've done well, Dr. Archibald. Both of you," he added, nodding to Nick and Andrik.

  "What happens now?" Nick asked.

  "Now," Dr. Tate said, "we see if this miracle solution works."

  He turned to leave, then paused. "Get some rest, gentlemen. You've earned it. We'll debrief fully tomorrow."

  As Dr. Tate disappeared into the building with the precious antidote, Andrik felt the full weight of the day's events. They'd recovered only a fraction of what they'd gone for and at a terrible cost.

  "He's right," Andrik said to Nick, noting his exhaustion. "You should go home, and get some sleep."

  Nick nodded, though he seemed reluctant. "What about you?"

  "Debriefing with my father," Andrik replied with a grimace. "He'll want a full report."

  "And the captured men?"

  Andrik's expression hardened. "We'll get them back. One way or another."

  After Nick left, Andrik made his way to his apartment. The debriefing with his father could wait until morning. Right now, he needed time to process what had happened.

  As he showered later that evening, he noticed the cuts from the glass were already healing faster than they should have been. The antidote that had soaked his clothes and skin... had it done something to him?

  He examined his reflection in the mirror, studying the wounds that were already closing. Something had changed within him, he could feel it. But what exactly that meant, he wasn't sure.

  His thoughts drifted to Daelyn. After today's brush with death, he wouldn't waste another moment. Life was too fragile, too unpredictable. Tomorrow, he would find a way to see her, to tell her what he felt.

  But tonight, he would rest. Tomorrow would bring its own battles.