Rambo.2

By dawn, Rambo had found the other prisoners. Six of them, chained in a pit. Their eyes had forgotten how to hope.

He landed at dusk. The helicopter didn’t even set down, just skimmed the canopy and shoved him out into the mud. No dog tags. No insignia. Just a hunting knife, a bow, and a quiver of razor-tipped arrows. rambo.2

The arrow took the Russian in the chest. He stared at it, puzzled, as if it were a flower. Then he fell. By dawn, Rambo had found the other prisoners

When the Russian found him, Rambo was standing in the river, chest heaving, the surviving prisoners huddled behind him. The Russian raised a pistol. “For a nobody, you cost me a lot of money.” He landed at dusk

Rambo helped the last prisoner aboard. Then he turned and looked back at the jungle. The monsoon had finally stopped. Steam rose from the trees like breath.