First Strike by Jack Higgins

the rebels had obviously been dropped off from the truck and were coming after them.
    â€œHow long now?” Rich gasped after what seemed an age.
    â€œFifteen minutes.”
    â€œWe are nearly back at my sister’s,” Mr Chang announced.
    â€œThat might not help,” said Chance.
    Jade could see torches shining in the dense woodland behind them and heard shouting. It wouldn’t be long before the rebels caught up with them.
    At last they broke out of the woodland and found themselves back on the road where it cut through the trees. On the other side, the wood continued, as dense and forbidding as ever.
    â€œTen minutes,” Chance announced.
    â€œThis way!” Mr Chang started along the road. Then he stopped abruptly.
    Dark figures were rising up all around. There was the unmistakable sound of rifles being readied. One of the figures shouted urgently at Mr Chang. Rebel soldiers burst out of the woodland behind Jade, their torches picking her out and illuminating Rich and Chance.
    The single remaining headlight of the rebel truck cut through the night as it turned on to the narrow road a hundred metres away and rumbled towards Jade, Rich, Chance and Mr Chang.

6
    The dark figures closest to Jade—the ones who had shouted to Mr Chang—opened fire. But they weren’t shooting at Jade, Rich, Chance and Mr Chang. They were firing into the woodland, driving back the pursuing rebels.
    The truck was still approaching. Its remaining headlight exploded and the windscreen shattered. It slewed off the road.
    â€œThis way!” Mr Chang shouted, leading them across the road and into the trees on the other side.
    â€œKeep running,” Chance yelled. “There’s a clearing in a few hundred metres.”
    â€œWho are these people?” Jade gasped, looking at the dark figures running with them.
    They were dressed in black—not uniforms, but jeans and jerseys. Their faces were smeared with dark camouflage paint.
    â€œMy brother-in-law and his friends,” Mr Chang called back to her as they ran.
    â€œBut how did they know…”
    Jade broke off as she felt a small hand grab her own. She looked down to see Yoshi grinning up at her. His face was also smeared black and he was wearing a dark jersey several sizes too large for him.
    â€œOh,” said Jade. “Right. Hi, Yoshi. And thanks!”
    â€œNice one!” Rich exclaimed, and slapped the small boy on the back—almost knocking him over. But Yoshi just laughed.
    They kept running. They could see torch lights behind them and flashes from gun muzzles. Bullets hammered into the ground and the trunks of the trees. One of the black-clad figures gave a yell and pitched forwards. Immediately he was grabbed by two of his friends. One hoisted him on to his shoulder and they kept going, returning fire as they went.
    From above came the sound of an engine. A searchlight cut through the night, lighting up the woodland. It seemed to hover a short distance ahead of them.
    â€œHelicopter!” Chance shouted.
    They burst out of the woods into a wide clearing. The helicopter was just landing in front of them.
    â€œIt’s not big enough for all of us,” Jade yelled above the sound of the rotors.
    â€œWe will hold off the rebels until you are gone,” Mr Chang shouted back. “Don’t worry about us. We know these woods and can vanish into them like that.” The snap of his fingers was lost in the noise.
    The black-clad fighters had taken up position round the clearing and were firing back into the woodland.
    â€œTime for you to go!” Mr Chang shouted. He shook hands with Chance, then with Rich and Jade.
    â€œWill Yoshi be OK?” Jade asked.
    As she spoke, a rebel in camouflage uniform broke from the woods off to one side. Somehow he had got through Mr Chang’s cordon. He brought up his gun, aiming at the helicopter.
    But before he could fire, a small, dark figure slammed into him.