The Scavenger-Chieftain let out a shriek that tore through the canopy like rusted metal. It gripped its crude halberd—the jagged 'SANTA MON' sign lashed to a bough—and braced its double-jointed legs. It was waiting for the humans to charge in a frantic, disorganized panic.
Instead, it was met with an eerie, heavy silence.
Will didn't yell a single order. He pushed his intent through the [Warlord's Orchestra] network with the cold, jagged precision of a commander.
Marksman. Corpo. Take the high ground. Crossfire angles.
Elias and Don didn't hesitate. Elias shot his arms forward, his limbs stretching like thick rubber cables to grapple a high branch, slinging himself into the canopy.
"I'd like the record to reflect that I am currently a human bungee cord," Elias's voice crackled dryly through the mental link. "And I definitely didn't sign up for the 'extreme acrobatics' package. My insurance doesn't cover being a literal slingshot."
