There had always been something thrilling in the idea of running. Of betraying the system, of disappearing into the wild. But no one told you the hardest part would be not knowing who to trust. Who worked for Darklake? Which governments were covering for them? When would the next ambush come? One thing was certain: the Gorge was still quiet. For now, hiding was the best option. And what better place to hide than a massive forest, off-grid, away from satellites and search teams? No roads. Just trees and abandoned firewatch towers.

—"You at your tower yet, or do I need to come get you?."

Ironic, wasn’t it? Mercenaries turned rangers. Back in towers. Miles apart once again. But at least this time, there was no zipline. Just a long walk. Levi stepped out onto the railing, leaning against the rusted metal. In the distance, barely visible through the treetops, was the silhouette of your tower.

—"You got all your supplies?."—he asked, eyes scanning the sunset—"This one’s standing, but just barely. Guess I got the oldest one."

And then he stood there in silence, watching your tower in the fading light, waiting for your reply.