Juto was sinking.
The blue deep already swallowed his damaged mech and was craving for more. The combat suit wasn't very practical when it came to swimming, all it did was stake the odds against him in winning this race. He swiftly removed some parts of it and made it to the surface with the little air he had left.
That sudden sharp inhale felt like a thousand needles piercing his lungs. He took a moment to calm down, located his position in the water and made his way to the shore that luckily wasn't that far off.
There was a small beach with high cliffs towering on each side and rich flora in the back. Some mountain or maybe a volcano loomed in the distance. A classic picture of a no man's land. Suddenly the thought of drowning with his mobile unit seemed like a better option than being stranded on a deserted island. He quickly pushed that thought away and just focused on what's in front of him.
Finally he reached the golden sand almost out of breath. He felt like his body was made of lead with each step out of the water. Not really paying attention to surroundings all he wanted was to just crash on that beach and maybe conveniently pass out for a couple of hours.
That wish wasn't granted.
"Don't move!"
A young voice accompanied by a clatter of firearms picked Juto's attention. He stopped like he was told, looked up breathing heavily, one eye obscured by his wet beige hair that was still dripping water. He swept it back to have a better look, and it stuck there like he'd apply a handful of hair gel. Guess the island wasn't so deserted after all and it would be good news, if not for that machine gun that was pointed at him. Being on the business end of a weapon was always bad news.
"Hands up!"
The owner of the machine gun was a young man of small height, but well built and with a fierce look on his bespectacled face. Juto took another couple breaths before slowly lifting his arms somewhere to his eye level. Lifting any further was a bit of a strain, his muscles were sore. He cleared his throat and was about to ask something but he was cut off.
"You're going with me."
He waved with the weapon to his right, waiting for Juto to move. Having no other option and certainly no room for a friendly conversation, the tall man decided to just go with it. He shuffled in the specified direction, the man followed him close behind.
Great, he thought, had to crash into enemy territory. What a lovely roulette of choices. If not drowning, then ending up on a deserted island sounded better than being held hostage. At least he'd go out in peace, maybe reflecting on all his life choices while roasting in the sun on a lovely little beach in the middle of nowhere, with a faint hope of some vehicle passing by and noticing his SOS signs, rather than being tortured to death by an enemy. Maybe he should just start running and the guy will shoot him right here and now. But running felt like a lot of effort right now. And he wasn't sure if the shortie really wanted him dead.
They went in awkward silence for a few more steps when a rustling in the bushes nearby drew their attention. Not a second later, a tiger leaped out ready to dig its fangs and claws in their throats. They split instantly, throwing selves in opposite directions. The huge black feline with dark-blue fur and white stripes couldn't stop the momentum of the leap and strutted in the water before turning around.
This should give the small man enough time to shoot the oversized cat dead, but...
"Fuck, not now!"
The blasted thing got jammed in the most inconvenient moment. He shook it and smacked with his hand, not paying attention to the fact the tiger made him its target. It was a perfect chance for Juto to take the opportunity to run away and hide in the bushes.
But he didn't take it.
It happened like in slow motion.
He snatched the machine gun and made use of it in the way firearms weren't meant to be used - smacking the tiger's head with it like a baseball bat. If it were a ball, he'd score a home run. The tiger swayed a bit, shook its head and roared, still not letting go. But it eventually ran away once Juto pulled the trigger and the treacherous rifle spit a round of bullets in the sand. They could hear the rustle of bushes fading gradually the further the tiger ran. It became quiet again.
Juto sighed in relief and ran a hand through his face. He really hoped that after five possible death scenarios the universe will give him a break. The first one was possibly exploding in the sky before falling in the sea. At this point, his existence was equivalent to a middle finger flipping death off. It was like surviving a handful of lightning missing you by mere inches one after another.
He looked over the shoulder. The tiny man was about to ambush him and once spotted, he froze in a pose that looked like trying to spook an 11 years old. He immediately threw his hands in the air once the gun was pointed at him. Juto tilted his head and smirked, his hair gently falling to the side. It seemed like the odds were in his favor now. It was him setting the pace now, so he spoke in a relaxed tone.
"Let's talk."
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