The air was thick with tension as Ethan and his team spent the day holed up in a small, shackled room-for-rent just outside Zamboanga City. They were prepping for what would likely be a revenge mission—a return to the rebel island, this time to exact justice. Or, as Ethan saw it, vengeance. But first, they needed more firepower.

Ethan decided to revisit Carlos, the underground arms dealer known as "Rat," whom Jag introduced to them. It seemed that Rat was the top illegal weapons seller in Mindanao, and had other workshops besides the one in Iligan, and he wasn't that hard to find.

The safehouse door creaked open, and Rat himself appeared, the same skinny man with greasy hair and a perpetual smirk that never quite reached his eyes. "Heard you guys got some unfinished business," he said, his voice as slimy as his demeanor. "Good thing you're still in one piece, considering your last tango with the rebels."

Ethan nodded, giving Rat a cold, steely stare. "We're not here to chat, Rat. We need your stuff. Everything."

Rat's smirk widened as he looked over the group. "Ah, going all out, huh? Alright, alright. Follow me."

They followed Rat to the back of his Zamboanga shop, where an impressive arsenal awaited them—more than enough to level the rebel compound. Rat opened crates filled with assault rifles, explosives, and other tools of war. Rae inspected the sniper rifles, nodding in approval, while Marcus gravitated toward the explosives.

Vic, new to the group but proving himself more and more with each passing day, selected his usual—a set of serrated knives that he wielded with deadly precision.

Marcus held up a handful of C4, grinning. "This should make a big enough statement."

Ethan, however, wasn't smiling. He was singularly focused, driven by the haunting memory of Rico's last moments. His mind was clouded with the image of his old friend charging toward the enemy, sacrificing himself so they could escape.

Rat leaned against the wall, watching the group load up. "So, what's the plan this time? You heading back to that island of nightmares? You know they're probably ready for you now, right?"

Ethan's eyes flickered toward Rat, a dark intensity burning in his gaze. "They won't be ready for what's coming."

Rat chuckled, but it was nervous. Even he could sense the deadly focus in Ethan's voice.

As the team finished gathering their gear, Rae came up beside Ethan, her face filled with concern. "We've got the weapons. We're ready. But are you?"

Ethan tightened the strap on his tactical vest, his expression hard.

Rae placed a hand on his arm. "Just promise me you won't lose yourself out there."

Ethan looked into her eyes, but he didn't respond. There was nothing more to say.

* * *

As night fell, the speedboat sliced through the inky waters once again, only this time, there was no hesitation. Ethan and his team, or what remained of them, were certain of what they wanted to do.

The island loomed ahead, silhouetted against the night sky. This time, they didn't bother with the mangrove line. They parked the boat off the base of a steep rock face that led directly to the rebel's command center. The waves crashed against the cliffs as they donned their climbing gear.

Marcus, already busy checking the detonators strapped to his vest, muttered, "Sure hope they didn't upgrade security since last time."

Rae crouched beside him. She scanned the cliffs with her thermal scope. "No movement. We should be able to get up without drawing attention."

Ethan led the way, the first to hook into the line and start scaling the rock face. His movements were precise, methodical, despite the whirlwind of anger in his chest.

The team followed silently, their ascent slow but sure. Vic was just behind Ethan, his knife tucked securely in its sheath, his eyes darting around, watching for any signs of movement. Rae and Marcus took the rear, scanning for trouble.

When they reached the top, they pulled themselves over the ledge, quickly hiding among the thick foliage surrounding the compound.

The rebel base looked eerily deserted. There were no guards posted along the perimeter, no movement in the towers. Just the dark, silent compound that had once been a hive of activity.

Marcus knelt beside Ethan. "I don't like this. Feels like a trap."

Ethan scanned the area through the scope of his rifle. "We go in, stick to the plan. We hit their command center first."

The team moved into position, creeping through the jungle like shadows. They reached the gate, and Marcus quickly went to work, planting a small charge. The explosion was muted, just enough to blow the gate open without drawing too much attention.

They slipped inside, making their way toward the main building. Vic moved ahead, his knife flashing as he took out a lone sentry with a swift, silent strike. Ethan and Rae followed close behind, keeping their eyes peeled for any sign of an ambush.

As they reached the command building, Ethan signaled for them to stop. There was movement inside—a flicker of light through the windows.

"We go in, fast and quiet," Ethan whispered.

The team nodded. Vic was the first through the door, his knives gleaming as he moved with deadly precision. Rae followed, her rifle aimed at the far corners of the room. Ethan and Marcus brought up the rear, their weapons raised.

But as they entered the room, they were greeted by an unexpected sight.

Sitting alone in the middle of the room, hands raised in surrender, was the rebel leader.

Ethan's grip tightened on his rifle. "You've got five seconds to tell me why I shouldn't kill you right now."

The rebel leader didn't flinch. "You've been played," he said calmly. "This whole operation... the killing of Eldon Gutierrez, the kidnapping of Eric Gutierrez, the ambushes... it was all orchestrated by General Miguel Cortez. Your friend's death was not part of the plan. He was the one who attacked us."

Ethan's eyes narrowed. "Cortez? He's the reason why we are here."

The rebel leader nodded. "Exactly. Cortez has been using both of us—your team and mine—to eliminate each other. He needed the island cleared for his own reasons. Corporate interests, drug trade, whatever it is, we were just pawns."

"So that's why there were no restraints or any reprimand from the Army," Marcus said.

"Yes," the rebel leader said.

Rae's eyes widened. "Ethan... if this is true..."

Ethan's mind raced. Eldon's death, Eric's kidnapping—it had all been part of Cortez's plan. His stomach twisted with rage. He wanted to kill the man in front of him, to end this nightmare, but now he was faced with the horrifying realization that the real enemy was far worse than he'd imagined.

The sound of distant helicopters broke through the silence, and the ground shook with the force of an explosion somewhere outside.

"They're here," the rebel leader said grimly. "The general's men."

Ethan turned to his team. "Get ready."

The team braced themselves as gunfire erupted outside the compound, and Ethan's heart pounded with the knowledge that their real fight was just beginning.