"Captain, I think you're the only one fast enough to keep up with that mutant jaguar," Big Mike said awkwardly, glancing toward the treeline.
Ethan nodded, his expression grim. "Yeah. Jaguars are already known for their speed and reflexes. Mutated? It's probably even worse. I'm not even sure I can land a hit on it."
He looked around at the terrain. "And this mountain slope gives it the advantage. It's built for this kind of environment—we're not. This fight won't be easy."
"Then maybe we don't fight it?" Sean suggested, frowning. "Even if we try, I doubt we can pin it down. If it runs, we'll never catch it."
Ethan let out a quiet sigh. "That's not really up to us anymore. It's already spotted us."
Everyone tensed.
"But it doesn't know I've seen it," Ethan added. "So don't react. Keep walking like normal. When I give the signal, move."
"Got it."
The squad kept climbing, acting casual, like they hadn't noticed anything.
