Chapter 7: The Moment That Matters
The ambush came fast.
Too fast.
Gunfire erupted from the ridge.
Chaos.
Shouting. Movement. Confusion.
The unit scrambled for cover.
The young man dropped behind a broken wall, scanning, thinking—
Not panicking.
Never panicking.
Across the field—
He saw him.
General Markov.
Exposed.
Pinned down.
And then—
Movement.
An enemy soldier closing in from the side.
No one else saw it.
But he did.
Everything slowed.
Decision.
Action.
He moved.
Fast. Controlled. Direct.
“General!” he shouted.
The warning came just in time.
He tackled Markov aside as shots cracked through the air.
They hit the ground hard.
Returned fire.
Silence followed.
The threat was gone.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then Markov looked at him.
Really looked this time.
“You saw it,” the General said.
The young man nodded.
“Good,” Markov replied quietly.
Chapter 8: The Lesson Completed
