Chapter 140: Against a Hundred Thousand More - V

Raptor One entered the command network several minutes later.

"Raptor One to Golden Eagle. Entering the southern engagement area. Looks like Striker Three could not finish the job, huh?"

Hans ignored the jab.

"Golden Eagle receives."

The fighter crossed into the outer edge of the five-kilometer Radar centered on Hans. Its marker moved much faster than the helicopters, and Flight Operations kept it east of South Two and outside the rotary-wing lanes as it circled the commercial district.

The unknown Tank remained inside the parking structure. Its marker moved along the lower level, passed beneath several layers of concrete, then returned near one of the northern exits without using the entrance destroyed by the Hellfire.

"Raptor One has the target marker. No visual."

The fighter continued its circuit.

Hans looked at the other four markers.

Falcon One continued inspecting the central blocks. Falcon Two and Striker Two remained above the southern approaches, while Striker One held over South One and Striker Three continued above South Two. None of them had a clean angle on the enhanced contacts still moving through the structures.

The Leaper had crossed into another building. The Lasher continued through the elevated walkways, while the Spitter remained somewhere along the upper parking levels.

The Screamer had not moved far.

Each cry changed the movement outside.

The northern group slowed near the office blocks. Another continued through the eastern road toward South Two’s withdrawal route, though it remained several streets away from the platoon.

The infected around the parking structures stayed behind.

Hans frowned. If a Hive was beneath the district, it might be protecting the entrances leading toward its body, though the five faster contacts continued spreading across the surrounding blocks.

Why hold the others there?

"Bastion One to Golden Eagle."

Anton’s voice entered the channel.

"Come in."

"Johannes is requesting access to Striker Three’s recording of the unknown special infected."

Matilda opened another connection and transferred the recording to Bastion One.

Johannes spoke several seconds later.

"Commander, can you return to the moment before your MBT fired?"

Matilda moved the recording backward.

The Tank returned to the middle of the avenue. Its body appeared less damaged there, allowing the remaining clothing and equipment to clearly.

Johannes remained quiet.

Hans waited.

"The harness around its chest," Johannes finally said. "Enlarge the left side."

Matilda adjusted the feed.

Several torn straps crossed the creature’s shoulder and disappeared into the swollen flesh beneath its neck. A hardened section remained near its ribs, though part of it had already broken away.

"You recognize it?" Hans asked.

"It looks like an SAS rapid-entry harness."

Hans looked at the creature again.

"What about the material around its neck?"

"Possibly a receiver collar, but too much of it is gone."

"Which Cell?"

"I cannot tell from this."

Matilda advanced the recording to the Vanguard shot, then the Hellfire strike.

Johannes watched the Tank turn toward South Two, strike the shell aside, and disappear through the parking entrance before the missile reached it.

"The route it took," he said.

Hans looked at the abandoned vehicles along the avenue.

"It used them as cover."

"Yes. Whatever remains inside its head, some of its training survived."

Hans returned the display to the live feed.

The Tank had reached the northern side of the parking structure. It stopped near one of the exits, then moved back before Raptor One completed another circuit.

"Still no visual," the pilot reported. "Smart bastard knows where the cameras lose him."

Johannes remained connected as the other enhanced contacts continued moving through the district.

"Could the others belong to the same Cell?" Hans asked.

"It is possible," Johannes answered. "Elias sometimes operated alone when the assignment required it, but he was still part of Cell 12."

"Could there be more?"

"Yes."

Five contacts did not mean there were only five.

"Flight Operations, widen the search. Assume more enhanced contacts remain inside the district."

"Flight Operations receives."

"Raptor One copies," the pilot answered. "I’ll find them before the rotor boys finish checking their parking lots."

Striker Three responded a moment later.

"Keep dreaming, Raptor One."

Hans ignored both of them and watched the roads around South Two.

Matilda moved South Two’s withdrawal route farther west.

"The eastern group will reach this road if it continues at the same pace."

Hans looked at the five enhanced markers.

"Deploy Specter. Viper goes with them. Intercept anything leaving the commercial structures, but do not pursue inside."

"Understood," Callum answered.

Matilda transferred South Two’s revised position and the enhanced-contact markers to Specter.

"Specter, move to South Two. Viper is joining you."

"Specter receives."

The Guardian APC assigned to the command truck’s forward escort slowed beside them.

Callum left through the rear door and crossed the short distance between both vehicles. Specter’s ramp lowered long enough for him to enter before closing again.

"South Two Actual, Specter and Viper will establish a forward interception line. Cover them from the secondary position."

"South Two copies."

The Guardian APC accelerated away from the command truck.

On the Radar, the five blue DASF markers moved toward South Two.

The Tank changed direction at the same time.

Specter’s Guardian APC reached South Two before the eastern group entered the adjoining road.

The ramp lowered.

Specter Squad dismounted first. Callum followed and moved toward the center of the intersection while the APC reversed behind them.

South Two’s vehicles continued west.

The five DASFs remained.

"Specter to Fairy. Interception line established."

"Fairy receives. South Two is covering from the secondary line."

Callum watched the shared Radar.

The Tank continued through the northern side of the parking structure. Its marker crossed one open section, followed the covered route behind another building, then entered the road leading toward them.

The other enhanced contacts changed their routes with it.

"Raptor One to Golden Eagle. I have your ugly bastard."

The fighter’s camera shifted toward the northern road. The Tank appeared between two abandoned buses before moving behind a damaged storefront.

"Three-second visual. Still against the commercial frontage. Holding."

Raptor One continued past the district.

Striker Three’s gunner entered the channel.

"Leaper moving across the eastern rooftops. Lasher descending toward the northern service road. Spitter remains obstructed."

Callum marked the three approaches.

Specter divided without further orders. Chancel and one DASF covered the northern road. One watched the rooftops while the last tracked the openings along the eastern buildings.

Callum remained between them.

The Screamer cried again.

The ordinary infected approaching from the east slowed before reaching the intersection.

They spread through the surrounding roads instead. Some remained behind the enhanced contacts, while others moved toward the routes connecting Specter to South Two.

"Viper to Fairy. They’re surrounding the intersection."

The escorting Guardian APC remained west of the DASFs, with South Two covering the road behind it.

Something green crossed above the northern buildings.

"Spitter!" Striker Three warned.

The projectile passed over Specter and struck the road behind them. Acid spread across the intersection, cutting between the DASFs and South Two’s nearest Guardian APC as smoke rose from the pavement.

The Tank appeared between the abandoned buses without leaving their cover.

At the same time, the Leaper reached the rooftop above Specter.