Red Rear Position

  Aladin’s phone vibrates.

  ANONYMOUS NUMBER

  He stares at it, confused.

  Jeff notices.

  “Pick up,” Jeff says.

  Aladin looks at Jeff.

  Then at the others.

  Then back at the phone.

  “Pick up,” Jeff says again.

  He swallows and answers.

  A familiar voice comes through.

  “Well done, cadet,” the voice says calmly.

  “The information you provided was extremely useful.”

  “It gave us the upper hand against Red.”

  Aladin Shocked.

  “…What?” he whispers.

  The voice continues.

  “Excellent work.”

  Sagoya’s eyes widen.

  “Traitor,” he shouts.

  Everyone turns at once.

  Jeff snaps.

  “Why, Aladin?”

  “Why the fuck would you do this?”

  Aladin shakes his head, panicking.

  “I didn’t do anything!”

  “I swear!”

  Lardes steps forward.

  “Then why the fuck do you have his number?”

  Sagoya shouts.

  “That’s why you were so quiet all the time.”

  “Plotting how to get us eliminated.”

  Aladin Steps back,

  Then his hand moves toward his waist.

  Sagoya raises his gun.

  Jeff shouts.

  “Wait—!”

  The shot fires.

  Aladin freezes mid-step and crashes to the ground.

  Silence.

  Jeff stares at Sagoya, stunned.

  “…Fuck,” he mutters.

  Then louder:

  “Why did you do that?”

  “We could’ve gotten information out of him!”

  Sagoya looks shaken.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Shit, Maybe because he was reaching for his Gun”

  Jason and Vale exchange a glance.

  Vale mutters,

  “This is turning into a catastrophe.”

  Jeff’s comm vibrates.

  He ignores it, still staring at Sagoya.

  The comm buzzes again.

  Jeff looks down.

  ANDREAS

  He answers.

  Red Command Room

  Jackson hears pounding on the door.

  Jawson’s voice echoes from outside.

  “Everything good in there?”

  Jackson looks at Andreas.

  “Stay quiet,” he says softly.

  “And i might not eliminate you.”

  Andreas doesn’t respond.

  Defeated.

  Jackson smiles.

  Andreas shouts toward the door.

  “Everything’s fine!”

  “We’ll be done in a second!”

  Jackson nods approvingly.

  “Good.”

  He turns back to Andreas.

  “Now,” he says,

  “give me your phone.”

  “It’s on the table,” Andreas mutters.

  Jackson turns and walks toward it.

  Andreas’ eyes flick to the gun on the floor.

  Jackson doesn’t even look back.

  “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

  “Now,” Jackson says calmly,

  “call Jeff.”

  Andreas looks up at him.

  “Why?” he snaps.

  Jackson smiles.

  “Tell him he’s promoted.”

  “Group Three needs a new leader.”

  Andreas’ eyes burn.

  “Never,” he says.

  Jackson tilts his head.

  “Suit yourself.”

  He gestures toward the phone.

  “Call him or you′re out.”

  Andreas hesitates, then grabs the phone with his good hand and activates it.

  The call rings.

  Jeff answers.

  “Andreas?”

  “What′s up man?”

  Andreas swallows.

  Before he can speak, Jackson leans in close.

  “Put it on speaker.”

  Andreas does.

  Jackson’s voice fills the line.

  “You’ve been promoted,” he says.

  “Group Three’s new leader.”

  Jeff confused on the other end.

  “What the fuck is going on?”

  Jackson chuckles.

  “Yeah,” he continues.

  “Since Andreas was too scared to say it himself, I figured I’d do him the favor.”

  He glances down at Andreas.

  “He loves being a fraud up here,” Jackson adds casually,

  “letting everyone else do the work while he plays commander.”

  Andreas snaps.

  “Don’t listen to him—”

  Jackson cuts him off.

  He raises his weapon.

  “Who is this?”

  Jackson chuckles.

  Andreas snaps.

  “He’s lying,” he shouts.

  “Don’t listen to him.”

  Jackson ignores him.

  “It’d be boring if there was no one left to hunt after I take Andreas out.” Jackson continues.

  “So you’ll have to do.”

  Jeff’s voice tightens.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Who the Fuck are you?”

  Jackson smiles wider.

  “You’ll find out.”

  “Soon.”

  He raises his weapon.

  Andreas looks at Jackson one last time.

  “Don’t ple—”

  Freeze round.

  Andreas locks up instantly.

  The call cuts.

  Red Command Room

  Jackson tosses the phone beside Andreas’ frozen body.

  Then turns.

  Smashes the window.

  And jumps out into the Blizzard.

  Red Rear Position

  Jeff stares at his comm.

  Then snaps.

  “I can’t do this anymore!” he shouts.

  “First we lose Julian and his group.”

  “Then there’s a traitor — and Sagoya fucking kills him before we get answers.”

  “Now Andreas gets taken out by someone we don’t even know!”

  He throws his phone to the ground.

  “I’m done.”

  Jeff raises his gun to his head.

  ready to pull the trigger but hesitates for a second

  A shot rings out.

  Jeff’s weapon is knocked from his hand.

  Lardes stands there, gun smoking.

  “Don’t,” Lardes says.

  Jeff stares at him.

  Lardes steps closer.

  “I know it’s a lot.”

  “But we need you.”

  “We need a leader.”

  He gestures around them.

  “Andreas is gone.”

  “So it’s your duty to step up.”

  Jeff doesn’t respond.

  Lardes continues.

  “When the leader vote happened,” he says,

  “I voted for you.”

  “For the Jeff who always had a plan.”

  “For the Jeff who could control his emotions.”

  He pauses.

  “I didn’t vote for this version of you.”

  He picks up Jeff’s gun and holds it out.

  “So step up.”

  “Or Continue whit what you were doing, and I’ll find a way to lead myself.”

  Cut — Orange POV

  Louis leads the Orange group toward the stronghold.

  “Charges,” he orders.

  The left gate explodes.

  Two Green cadets freeze instantly.

  Orange pours in.

  A Green drops.

  Then two Orange drop.

  Then—

  The man.

  The one who had been mowing everyone down earlier.

  The twin-MG monster.

  He steps forward.

  Unarmed.

  He points at Louis.

  Gestures for him to come closer.

  Louis signals his men.

  “Lower weapons.”

  They approach cautiously.

  The Green cadet raises his hands — then rushes.

  Louis drops his weapon.

  The Green cadet swings.

  A massive right hook—

  Freeze round hits.

  The Green cadet locks mid-punch.

  Louis exhales.

  “This isn’t a cartoon,” he says.

  “We don’t do fair fist fights.”

  They move past the frozen body.

  Orange continues deeper into the stronghold.

  They reach the flag room from the left.

  Louis About to kick the door in.