RTS System in the Apocalypse: New World

By the time Hans arrived, the DASF squad was already there.

Four soldiers stood near the edge of the yard, quiet and armed.

Hans inspected their information and noted their axes.

Three of them were purely Somatic. The last was a mix of Somatic and Cognitive, a rare profile even among the DASF.

Meanwhile, the two Engineers had placed their cases on the ground.

The Medics waited farther back. From their expressions, they had long expected trouble to come.

Good, Hans nodded. At least everyone understood the assignment.

A few minutes later, Johannes arrived with Evelyn.

Yunera came next, holding Kimmy’s hand.

”Marcus is not with you?” Hans glanced at the two SAS agents.

”I left him in the colony,” Johannes replied.

”That’s too bad then,” Hans felt that it might take longer to fix that SAS receiver.

His hands moved toward his comms. ”This is Golden Eagle. Bastion Three, do you copy?”

Static answered for a moment before the voice came in.

”Loud and clear, Commander.”

”I have a task for you. Retrieve Agent Marcus from the colony. See if you can haul in the scientist Tyrus as well. Tell him about the possible existence of an elemental superhuman.”

”Understood. Shall we bring additional personnel?”

”A regular squad and one DASF team will do. That should be all. Go when you’re ready.”

”Order received. Bastion Three, out.”

The comms went silent.

Johannes looked at Hans. ”You are bringing Tyrus here?”

”The elemental surprise will pique his interest.”

Yunera frowned. ”You say it as if it’s already confirmed.”

”I didn’t,” Hans shrugged. ”That is why he is coming.”

He looked at the group, then at Callum. ”Enough delays. Johannes. Evelyn.”

The two SAS agents straightened. ”Commander.”

Hans pointed toward Callum.

”Viper, we’ll start with these two. I want to see the HELIX’s effects on your bodies.”

”Ladies first?” Johannes insisted.

Evelyn didn’t back down and faced Callum. ”Agent Evelyn Shaw. Nice to meet you, sir.”

”Viper,” Callum looked at her for a moment. ”What is your ability, agent?”

Evelyn’s lips parted, then closed again. Johannes answered for her.

”She notices danger.”

Hans raised a brow. ”That vague?”

”We haven’t been enhanced for long,” Johannes clarified. ”Our group has limited understanding of each member’s power. Save for Elias...”

Evelyn clicked her tongue, frowning at the mention of that name. ”It is not that simple.”

”Then show us,” Hans replied. ”Let’s save the guesswork.”

Callum turned to the DASF squad. ”Four of you. Spread out.”

The four DASFs moved without hesitation and took positions around the yard, placing Evelyn at the center.

”Do I fight them?” she asked.

”No,” Callum said. ”One of them will attempt to attack you. You identify which one will move.”

”That’s it?” Evelyn felt it was too easy.

”It’s more than enough.”

Hans glanced at Callum, wondering where he was going with this.

The latter didn’t explain further. His hand moved, signaling the start.

The DASF squad went still. For a moment, nothing happened.

Evelyn’s eyes moved. Her shoulders tightened. Her hand drifted near her knife, stopping halfway.

She turned her head slowly toward the DASF on her left.

”That one.”

The DASF took half a step, his boot scraping lightly against the concrete before Callum raised his hand.

”Stop.”

The DASF stopped.

Hans narrowed his eyes. Interesting. Testing her reaction based on change of intent?

Evelyn exhaled.

That was terrifying, she recalled. I felt as if I was about to die!

”Perceptual axis,” Callum remarked.

”That quick?” Hans was interested. ”What about her specifics?”

”She can sense threats directed towards her however...” Callum stared deeply at Evelyn. ”Again.”

This time, all four DASF shifted.

One rolled his shoulder. One adjusted his grip. One lowered his stance. And the other did nothing at all.

Evelyn’s brows furrowed.

Her eyes moved from one soldier to another. She looked annoyed as multiple waves of threats converged toward her.

One of the DASF units suddenly vanished from their position, leaving a trail of cold, whistling wind.

”Right side!” she turned her head over, only to see the person still holding their posture.

No!

The pressure increased tenfold. If she failed to react and defend herself in time, she might die.

She quickly spun before anyone shouted.

Her knife flashed halfway out of its sheath but a strong grip blocked her wrist.

Evelyn stopped, gritting her teeth as she tried to force her way out.

He’s too strong! And how fast was that?!

The DASF coldly looked into her eyes. His blade had already unfolded; the sharp edge barely touching the hem of her clothing.

No one spoke for a moment.

Yunera moved but Kimmy grabbed her wrist. ”Don’t. They’ve already stopped.”

Yunera’s eyes remained sharp, but she did not move again.

Hans looked at Callum. ”Pretty impressive. But that was quite dangerous.”

”It was controlled,” Callum cleared his mouth. ”Her power follows the path of perception.”

”Why not cognitive?” Hans wondered. The rest were interested to hear Callum’s thoughts as well.

”If it was, she wouldn’t have mistaken her first target,” Callum explained. ”She could have glanced at the four’s blurry thoughts.”

”I see,” Hans smiled. ”What will be her training routine then?”

”She needs refinement of her power’s accuracy through practice. If multiple enemies converge upon her, her senses will overlap and slowly overwhelm her mind. She can feel the threat, but she may misread the source.”

Evelyn’s limbs shook. That was exactly what happened.

She had sensed the attack and felt death pressing upon her soul. But the pressure came from every direction at once, and for a short moment, she had chosen incorrectly.

But that lapse in judgment was more than enough. If it was a real battlefield, she would have already departed this world.

”Don’t be too hard,” Hans chuckled. ”At least we now know the general direction of her powers. The look on your face says you’ve seen it all.”

”I am flattered, Commander.”

”Good,” Hans turned to Evelyn. ”We’ve seen what we wanted. You can rest first.”

The DASF unit released her wrist and retreated to the side. His combat blade folded back into its compact form with a sharp click.

Evelyn slowly sheathed her knife. Her wrist ached enough to remind her that the DASF could have broken it if he wanted.

She walked back to Johannes without saying anything.

He watched her approach. ”You found the attack.”

”It was the wrong one.”

”That’s better than nothing.”

Evelyn clicked her tongue. ”Your words are never as inspirational as you think.”

Johannes’ mouth twitched. My subordinate dares to slander me now?!

Despite her remarks, her shoulders relaxed slightly.

Johannes looked at the DASF soldier, then at the rest of the squad. His eyes turned serious.

”They are not ordinary enhanced soldiers.”

”I wouldn’t have lost if they were.”

”You’ll get better,” Johannes patted her shoulder then moved forward.

He cracked his knuckles, eagerly stepping into the center.

”I guess it’s my turn now.”

Callum gestured with his hand. The DASF squad retreated, opening the floor to him.

”Agent Johannes Schandler.”

Both assumed their stances.

Neither moved.

Then Callum’s figure blurred. Johannes crossed his arms in front of his chest.

Bang!

The impact threw him backward across the concrete. His boots carved two dark lines on the ground before he stopped near the faded lane markings.

So fast!

Evelyn focused on the fight, but she could barely follow their movement.

Johannes lowered his arms. His sleeves had torn slightly from the force, but his bones were fine.

He smiled. ”That was rude.”

Callum did not answer, disappearing from Johannes’ vision once more.

This time, Johannes stepped into the attack instead of blocking it.

Their forearms collided, echoing a dull crack across the freight yard.

The Engineers flinched and immediately checked their scanners.

Johannes gritted his teeth. Callum’s arm did not move.

Too heavy! What kind of strength is this?!

Before Johannes could pull back, Callum’s knee drove towards his stomach.

Johannes twisted sideways. The strike missed by an inch, but the wind alone slapped his coat against his body.

He reached towards Callum’s wrist, but Callum moved faster than he could.

His fingers caught nothing but air and quickly lost his balance.

Callum’s hand formed into a palm, slicing its way into Johannes’ wide-open throat.

Johannes tightened his neck, but the impact didn’t reach him.

”Dead,” Callum said calmly.

Johannes stared at the hand near his neck. If it continued, being unable to talk was the least of his worries.

Callum stepped back and let Johannes regain his balance.

”I... was slow.”

Hans clapped, laughing softly from afar. ”You lasted longer than I expected.”

”I do not know if that is praise,” Johannes’s brows twitched.

”It is,” Hans replied. ”Mostly.”

Callum looked at Johannes’ arms, then his breathing, then the marks his boots left on the concrete.

”A balanced enhancement,” he said. ”Strength, reaction, durability, and coordination all rose together. No obvious spike.”

Hans turned to him. ”Meaning?”

”He has no single advantage,” Callum answered. ”But he also has fewer weak points.”

Johannes rolled his shoulder. ”That sounds better than I expected.”

”It also means your progress may be slower,” Callum added.

Johannes’s smile faded a little.

Hans chuckled. ”There it is.”

Callum continued, ”Specialized types know what to train first. You do not. Your body improved evenly, so your path is harder to identify.”

Johannes looked at his own hands. ”Well, I wasn’t planning to specialize anyway.”