Haywire Ranger

Chapter 50: Back from the Dead

"We're almost there," Kovak said, turning his head from the cockpit to the teens in the rear of the vehicle. "Get ready."

Naomi's flying van cut through the clouds until a large bean-shaped island appeared.

"This is where Endurance lives?" Hazel asked. "A giant volcano-shaped island?"

"The jungle looks dense," Winona said. "I don't see any village or anything."

"That's because he chose a remote location," Kovak replied, "somewhere where nobody would spy on him and his creations."

A loud explosion echoed in the air, calling their attention. A tower of smoke appeared halfway up the volcano.

"The battle's already started." Naomi pushed the steering wheel forward to descend towards the long C-shaped beach. "Landing in ten seconds."

"We're late," he said with clenched fists.

Haywire's in danger. I need to find him as soon as possible!

They landed on the long and wide, curved beach south of the island. When the wheels touched the mesmerising pristine white sand, Sky took a good look out the window.

Like a step pyramid, but a hundred times bigger, Endurance's towering mountain hideout loomed over Sky and his allies. Enormous palm trees and never-ending, dense vines blocked the view of the dangers that might lie ahead in that jungle paradise. In the distance, dark purple and grey clouds approached fast.

No sign of battle was directly visible. The only proof that something was the matter was the shrill cries and explosions up the volcano.

Naomi parked the vehicle in a discreet spot near the first line of palm trees and dense bushes, which left it partly concealed from view.

When Sky opened the door and stepped down, a horrific, metallic cry of a phoenix echoed in the distance, making Sky clench his jaw and furrow his eyebrows. He stared up ahead, trying to x-ray the dense foliage, looking for clues as to what had happened.

"The ridge up there, on the left side of the island," Kovak told him as he climbed out of the vehicle and stood by his side, inspecting the landscape just as the teen was doing. "That's a suitable spot for some of us to provide cover fire while the rest explore the valley at the centre. Which of your friends has got a good aim?"

"Kenji and Hazel are good," Sky replied, squinting his eyes as he tried to examine the topography further, to no avail. "Damn, this jungle seems impenetrable. I hope we can make our way through."

"There's a reason why Endurance picked this spot, I guess," Kovak said. "Like any good fortress, its characteristics guarantee an easy defence and make any attempt at attacking it a daunting task."

"I see," Naomi said, also staring at the towering mountain as she stood beside them. "I guess his brand-new phoenixes will be expecting us all along the way to the top. They'll put up a good damned fight against anyone who dares to approach their leader, who's comfortably living at the top of the volcano, am I wrong?"

Kovak sighed with his hands on either side of his hips as a confirmation.

"That's not gonna stop us," Hazel said, standing right beside Sky with a smile. She was already armed and dressed to kill (literally), like the rest of the team, and awaiting instructions. The protective gear they had used in the arena at the academy would now shield them in the deadliest battle in their young lives.

A loud explosion thundered in the air as vivid red sparks of fire erupted in a clearing on the left side of the mountain. It reaped loud gasps from all their throats.