Chapter 138: Against a Hundred Thousan More - III

The southern section entered its marked corridor.

At first, the movement followed the same pattern as the western concentration.

Falcon Two crossed above the open road and continued west. The infected nearest the parking structures followed beneath it, running across the lanes and forcing their way around the abandoned vehicles.

More emerged from the shopping center behind them.

Striker Two remained above the eastern side of the engagement area. Striker Three watched the deeper streets leading toward South Two.

"Striker Two to Fairy. Eleven thousand contacts have entered the corridor."

Matilda studied the southern display.

The remaining markers continued leaving the commercial district, though the movement had become slower near the second intersection.

Falcon Two continued farther west along its assigned circuit.

The first section followed.

The rest did not.

Red markers filled the next intersection, then separated before reaching the abandoned buses blocking the center lanes.

One group entered the northern service road. Another moved south between two office buildings, while the remainder stayed around the parking structures.

They had not become trapped.

They had divided before reaching the obstruction.

"Striker Three to Fairy. Rear movement splitting. Approximately twenty thousand contacts. Eight thousand moving north, six thousand south, and the remainder holding near the parking structures."

Hans looked at the tactical display.

The western concentration had pressed through every available opening. It climbed across buses, pushed between cars, and crowded itself into the wider avenue until the artillery struck.

This group had seen the same type of obstruction.

It went around.

"Falcon Two, shift south. Stay outside South Two’s position."

"Understood."

Falcon Two changed direction.

The infected already inside the marked corridor followed the aircraft. The southern group moved with it for several seconds, then turned east through another road before the helicopter reached the end of its circuit.

The northern group continued in the opposite direction.

Neither remained focused on the Falcon.

"They stopped following Falcon Two," Hans said.

Matilda watched the three sections spread farther apart.

"The nearest sound no longer matters to them."

A scream rose from somewhere inside the commercial district.

It was not the longest Hans had heard. Several ordinary Screamers had produced louder cries during the first phase.

This one stopped abruptly.

Two shorter cries followed.

The northern group changed direction at once.

It entered a road running behind the office buildings occupied by the eastern Sniper Teams. The southern group continued around the marked engagement area, while the infected near the parking structures moved only after the others cleared the adjoining streets.

They no longer pressed against one another.

The groups moved through separate roads.

Sabine opened the eastern overwatch channel.

"Sniper Three, fall back to East Two. Sniper Four, cover."

"Sniper Three receives."

"Sniper Four copies."

The eastern Sniper Teams began withdrawing through the prepared exits. Sniper Four remained long enough to cover Sniper Three and its escort before following with its own.

Both teams cleared the area before the first infected entered the rear road.

Striker Three shifted along the southern edge of the district.

"Striker Three to Fairy. Multiple specials remain concealed across the southern parking structure. Spitters along the second and third levels, two Lashers near the lower ramp, and Leapers beneath the rooftop structures."

Hans narrowed his eyes.

The specials had been among the first to expose themselves during the western lure. They climbed onto rooftops, occupied open ramps, and tried to attack the Falcons as soon as the aircraft entered their range.

These ones stayed behind cover.

The door gunners had no exposed targets.

Another cry came from the district.

One long scream.

Three short ones.

The southern group stopped following Falcon Two and entered the road leading toward South Two’s eastern side.

Hans leaned closer to the tactical display.

The infected had not merely spread around an obstruction. They had divided before reaching it, moved through separate roads, then continued toward positions the Falcons had not crossed.

The last time infected had searched streets, divided around an escape route, and held positions instead of rushing toward the nearest sound, Echo Two had found a Hive beneath them.

"Same pattern as Echo Two," Hans said.

Matilda had already opened the command channel.

"South Two Actual, withdraw to the secondary line. Avoid contact with the separated groups."

"South Two copies."

Sabine moved the formation immediately.

The forward squads entered Bastions Four, Five, and Six, while the attached reserve APCs collected the remaining infantry. War Elephant and the reserve Vanguards reversed through the cleared center lane.

Scouts left the adjoining buildings and returned along the prepared route, remaining ahead of the infected approaching through the eastern roads.

Bastion Four took the lead. Bastions Five and Six formed around the withdrawing infantry, while the reserve APCs covered the rear.

South Two crossed the next intersection before the nearest group reached the outer road.

"South Two Actual to Fairy. Holding at the secondary line. All elements accounted for."

"Fairy receives."

Hans switched channels.

"Falcon One."

"Falcon One receives, Commander."

"Falcon One, leave the western circuit and inspect the commercial district for visible Hive growth. Coordinate with Flight Operations and remain above Thrower range."

"Falcon One copies. Moving toward the central blocks."

The helicopter turned away from the western engagement area.

Hans contacted the Airfield next.

"Flight Operations, ready Raptor One for air-to-ground deployment. Hold at the Airfield until we confirm a target."

"Flight Operations receives."

Matilda looked toward him.

"You believe there is another Hive, Commander?"

"Only Hives have directed infected like this before."

The commercial district might contain hundreds of thousands of infected, but their numbers alone did not concern Hans as much as the change in behavior.

A mass could be drawn, separated, and destroyed.

A Hive could learn.

"Striker Two, clear the approved corridor. Do not pursue beyond it."

"Striker Two copies."

"Striker Three, remain with South Two and track the separated groups."

"Striker Three receives."

Falcon Two continued along its outer circuit.

The infected already inside the marked corridor followed it, but the groups outside did not change direction. Eight thousand moved north behind the office blocks. Another section continued east toward South Two, while the remaining contacts stayed near the central parking structures.

The aircraft engines and the explosions from the first engagement area no longer mattered to them.