The jungle had stopped breathing.
Every sound — the wind, the insects, even the hum of the drones — seemed to fade as Elena Vasquez stepped into the clearing. Her silver mask caught the faint gleam of moonlight filtering through the canopy. Behind her, four Apex Predators emerged from the fog like specters.
Bravo Company shifted into position — weapons up, hearts pounding. Cameras captured every second, streaming the live standoff to millions across the world.
"Been a while, Rivera," Elena said, her voice cool, distorted by her mask.
Alex leveled his rifle but didn't fire. "You couldn't stay retired, could you?"
"Not when the story wasn't finished."
---
The Standoff
For a full minute, no one moved. The only sound was rain hissing softly on leaves. The drones above circled like vultures, their red recording lights flashing.
"Viewers worldwide are holding their breath!" shouted the commentator over the global feed. "Bravo Company, face-to-face with Apex Predators under the jungle moon — it's déjà vu from the National Finals!"
Marcus's voice crackled through comms. "They're testing us. Don't blink."
Elena tilted her head. "This isn't Nationals anymore, Alex. Out here, it's survival. I warned them not to come for you — but they wanted a show."
Alex's hand brushed Champion's grip. "Then let's give them one."
---
Contact
The night erupted.
Tracer BBs streaked through the fog like meteors. Marcus shouted orders, Riley pulled Maya into cover, and Cameron's LMG roared into the darkness. The broadcast feed split into six screens, each showing a different player's helmet cam — chaos in 4K.
> 🎙 "Contact confirmed! Apex Predators have opened fire — this is the first major engagement on the Island of Fire!"
Alex broke left, sliding into a fallen tree hollow. His HUD painted enemy signatures in red. Elena's position blinked, disappeared, reappeared twenty meters away. She was fast — too fast.
"Flanking left!" Marcus warned.
"On it," Alex replied.
He pivoted, rifle snapping up. Tap-tap. One Predator dropped — center chest hit, sensor flashing red. The global feed replayed it instantly in slow motion.
> 🎙 "Rivera lands the first elimination of the finals! Precision under pressure!"
"Nice shot!" Maya yelled.
"Don't celebrate yet," Alex muttered.
---
Fog and Fire
Apex's demolitions expert launched a smoke charge. The jungle vanished under thick gray mist. Visibility zero. Laser sights sliced through fog like veins of red lightning.
"Thermals are blind," Sarah reported. "Switching to sonar."
Marcus barked, "Defensive diamond! Protect the medic!"
Riley crouched behind a fallen log, scanner ready, heartbeat hammering. Through the haze she saw movement — a flash of armor — and then the impact. Her sensor flared yellow.
"Medic wounded!"
"Hold position!" Marcus roared.
Alex's instincts screamed. He drew Champion, firing blind into the fog where the sound had come from. Crack-crack-crack! One shot hit true — the return fire stopped.
He exhaled. "Riley, talk to me."
"Still up," she gasped. "Arm hit. Ten-minute countdown."
"Stay down. We'll cover you."
The camera feed zoomed to her trembling hands wrapping a pressure band. Viewers watching from around the world spammed chat in dozens of languages — hearts, flags, prayers.
---
The Hunt
"Marcus," Alex said quietly, "they're not rushing. They're herding."
He scanned the shifting fog, realization dawning. Apex was forcing them toward the riverbank — open ground, perfect for long-range fire.
"We move north," Marcus decided. "Now."
They sprinted through underbrush, BBs snapping past like hornets. Logan tossed a flash charge that exploded in a burst of white light. The fog lit up — and for a second, Alex saw Elena again. She wasn't aiming at him. She was aiming above.
"Down!" he shouted.
The tree canopy burst open as an aerial drone strafed the riverbank with automatic fire. It wasn't lethal, but the suppression was brutal. The world feed replayed the drone pass like a war movie sequence.
> 🎙 "Apex Predators deploying drone fire! This is tactical genius — they're using limited air-support to corner Bravo!"
---
Counterstrike
Marcus slammed his fist into his comms. "Maya, hack that drone feed!"
"I'm trying— it's encrypted!"
"Then break it!"
Maya's fingers flew across her wrist console. Sparks of blue code filled her visor HUD. "Almost— there!"
The drone's targeting reticle flickered. For two seconds, Apex lost control. Long enough for Alex to line up a shot.
He steadied his rifle, exhaled slowly, and pulled the trigger. The round struck the drone's sensor cluster. It spiraled into the jungle and exploded in a flash of orange flame.
Cheers erupted from the global audience.
> 🎙 "Unbelievable shot! Rivera just neutralized an Apex drone mid-air!"
Marcus grinned. "Remind me to never bet against you."
---
Close Quarters
The fog thinned, revealing Apex's last three members repositioning near the river's edge. Elena's silver mask glowed faintly as she raised her rifle.
Alex holstered his primary weapon. Champion and Promise came free in a single motion.
"Going in," he said.
"Wait—" Marcus began, but Alex was already gone, moving low and fast through the smoke.
Time slowed. The world shrank to trigger pulls and heartbeats.
One Apex member swung around a boulder — Alex fired twice. Red flare. Down.
Another appeared behind a fallen tree — Promise barked once. Down.
Now only Elena remained.
---
The Rematch
They circled each other in silence, twenty meters apart, the fog glowing faintly under drone floodlights. Millions watched from around the world.
Elena's voice came through the shared channel, calm as ever. "You're better than before."
"Had to be," Alex replied.
"This ends the same way."
"Maybe for you."
They fired simultaneously. Her first shot clipped his shoulder plate — yellow warning flash. His return hit her rifle, shattering the optic.
Elena tossed it aside and drew her pistol. Alex mirrored her.
Champion and Promise against her matte-black custom sidearm.
For a moment, the broadcast cut all commentary. Only the sound of jungle rain and two steady breaths filled the feed.
Then — crack.
Both fired.
Elena's sensor flared red.
Alex stood still, smoke rising from Champion's barrel.
> 🎙 "And it's over! Bravo Company survives the Apex ambush! Rivera eliminates Vasquez for the second time in his career!"
The crowd watching around the globe erupted. Hashtags exploded: #BravoReturns, #IslandLegends, #RiveraVsVasquez2.
Alex holstered his pistols slowly, rain dripping from his helmet. "No hard feelings," he said quietly.
Elena removed her mask, a faint smile ghosting her lips. "None. Just respect."
She tapped her sensor, signaling elimination. A drone descended to extract her team's remaining members.
---
Aftermath
As dawn bled over the treetops, Bravo Company regrouped at the river. Riley's wound was patched. Marcus checked ammo. Maya watched the replay feed flickering across her wrist console.
"They're calling it 'Predators in the Mist,'" she said.
Alex gave a dry laugh. "Catchy."
"Also trending worldwide. They're saying that duel just made airsoft history."
Marcus looked around their battered camp. "Then let's make sure we're still around to enjoy it."
Alex holstered his weapons and looked toward the smoldering jungle. The mist was rising again, the heat of the island mixing with the cold river air.
"This isn't over," he said. "This was just the first hunt."
---
Author's Note
This chapter follows directly from The Island of Fire, delivering the long-awaited clash between Bravo Company and Apex Predators under the jungle moon.
It captures the fog-soaked tension, televised chaos, and the legendary Rivera-Vasquez rematch that redefines both competitors.