The heat hit them like a physical wall.
Marcus stepped out of the transport and into the sweltering humidity of the Deep South. The air was thick, heavy, laden with the scent of decay and overgrown vegetation. The world here was different from the desert he'd left behind—lush, green, but no less dangerous.
"We're almost there," Daniel said, his voice strained from the heat. "The Free's base is just ahead."
Marcus led his team through the dense undergrowth, their footsteps silent on the soft earth. The vegetation was thick, choking, forcing them to push through with every step.
Then they emerged into a clearing, and Marcus stopped.
The base was hidden in the heart of the swamp, a collection of structures built on raised platforms above the murky water. Bridges connected the buildings,
