RTS System in the Apocalypse: New World

The receiver returned to static.

Johannes remained close to the receiver, eyes fixed on Marcus.

”No good,” Marcus shook his head. ”The frequency is down.”

”We’ll not force it then.”

Johannes exhaled. The call was over. There was no need to push with another one.

A few seconds later, the Command Room door opened.

Hans entered first.

Tyrus followed behind him with a faint smile on his face, still as thick as before.

Kimmy came in last, guided by Yunera, whose expression looked worse than everyone else’s combined.

The static continued to hiss from the receiver, filling the room with a reminder.

Hans looked at Johannes.

”Was that an agreement to a meeting?”

Johannes straightened slightly, nodding at Hans.

”Yes, Commander.”

Hans furrowed his brows. ”You had to bring her in, and this guy.”

He gestured both at Kimmy and Tyrus.

Johannes sighed, knowing that he may have slightly stepped out of his bounds on this one.

”I had no choice,” he explained.

Hans did not answer. His gaze remained on Johannes long enough for the latter to feel uncomfortable.

Johannes lowered his head slightly.

”Cell 7 already doubted the entire situation. From their perspective, no Cell would pre-emptively move far from their location unless forced otherwise. Similar to them, we also have our fallback routes.”

He glanced at Hans, noticing that the Commander wanted him to continue.

”Cell 12 was supposed to be operating near the Pandora District. Yet we contacted them close to their post using a receiver left behind in one of their abandoned nests.”

Hans understood. ”You needed a reason, and that was me.”

”I only used the Commander’s callsign and said nothing else.”

”Which is not entirely wrong,” Hans muttered.

”They would be very suspicious if I did not mention the Commander’s involvement.”

”I know,” Hans did not blame Johannes. ”You should have discussed it with me firsthand.”

The SAS agent had no choice. Either he revealed a big card or let the call drop.

Johannes’s mouth twitched. Cell 7’s suspicion rose quicker than he expected. Otherwise, he could have dumped them with other excuses he had planned in his mind.

”What about Kimmy and Tyrus?” Hans asked again.

Johannes stole a glance at Kimmy, only to be met with a fierce glare from Yunera.

”It was also a necessary addition. Cell 7 had no reason to meet with a dangerous, unknown entity. But if that entity held precious cargo...”

”Black Key under Glass and Young Star-Blood?” Hans interrupted.

Johannes nodded. ”Shearmans always find a way in as long as the price is right. Money. Network. Connections. Or other material means. The SAS gave them the code name Black Key. Mr. Tyrus here is a scientist, and we use code name Glass to describe one.”

Black Key under Glass, Hans pieced the information together. A Shearman Scientist, huh?

”What about Star-Blood then?”

Johannes glanced at Kimmy again. Yunera took half a step forward.

The meaning was clear—choose your next words carefully.

Johannes didn’t feel offended. If anything, he seemed to understand her reaction.

”The Asters are a family that refuses the limelight, yet every move they make draws attention anyway. Money, old prestige, financial gravity, and political legitimacy follow their name. The SAS code name for them is Star-Blood. A bloodline that remains visible even when it tries to hide.”

Hans slowly pieced it together.

Black Key opened doors.

Star-Blood made people gather around the door, even if someone tried to cover it with walls.

He looked at Kimmy.

The girl looked as fragile as ever, standing quietly behind Yunera with her black blindfold covering her eyes.

Yet Cell 7 reacted as if Johannes had mentioned a bomb.

”Young Star-Blood,” Hans said. ”Because she is young?”

”I was also not certain enough to state her full marker,” Johannes answered.

”Then why did you do it?” Yunera’s glare worsened.

”He suspected her identity,” Hans answered in Johannes’s place. ”Perhaps he may have also received a message that a Star-Blood had entered Grefort City.”

Johannes looked at Hans with difficulty.

”The Commander is... on point. We did receive caution from the central agency to be careful several days before the apocalypse happened.”

”Is he right?” Hans turned toward her.

Kimmy stayed silent for a moment, then she nodded faintly.

”Yes. We were scheduled for a short educational field trip in Grefort.”

”With that guy, George?” Hans raised a brow.

”Yes.” Kimmy’s voice became quieter. ”He was also the man responsible for making me a superhuman.”

The entire room went silent.

Hans rubbed his chin, reflecting back to the day his soldiers had encountered a small survivor group on a warehouse area.

He had never truly understood how Kimmy had failed to become a superhuman before the apocalypse.

Now, it seemed the answer had been standing beside her all along.

Meanwhile, Tyrus had disbelief plastered all over his face.

”Excuse me, little Asters. I do not intend to be nosy, but why were you not placed on the Register?”

Hans frowned. ”What Register?”

Tyrus glanced at him.

”The HELIX Lineage Priority Register. Old-blood children with high compatibility, political value, or hereditary significance were marked early. Once placed on the list, they would be watched, protected, evaluated, and eventually prepared for HELIX transformation.”

Kimmy’s fingers tightened around Yunera’s sleeve.

”I was unworthy...”

Tyrus closed his eyes, then sighed and massaged his temples.

Hans narrowed his eyes. ”Why do you sound like you’re regretting something?”

”I am regretting on behalf of her family,” Tyrus replied. ”Perhaps valuing lineage too much placed this little girl at a disadvantage.”

His gaze shifted toward Kimmy’s blindfold.

”Look at her now, Commander. Even in this frail state, her perception is abnormal. I do not need to expound more on that.”

Tyrus is right, Hans agreed.

The fact that Kimmy could create a vision of the tunnel just from a few images and reports alone already showcased the high potential of her power.

If that ability fully matured, she could become a walking Radar—an extremely valuable asset in military operations, intelligence work, or counter-infiltration.

Hans’s gaze shifted back to the receiver. The static continued to hiss.

As his thoughts wandered about the inevitable meeting, the world slowed down around him.

His mind worked fast.

The elephant in the room now had to be addressed.

Cell 7 wanted a meeting, the kind that wanted to prove that Johannes’ words were not false.

It could also be a reason for Cell 7 to measure his authority, background, and power.

After all, he was branded to be an unknown power figure.

SAS agents like them do not trust unverified entities whose loyalty remains to be seen.

But he was not offended.

Cell 7 was merely following SAS protocol. It would have been insane if they believed Johannes simply because he was part of the SAS.

Trust was not given because someone wore the same badge. Trust was tested, verified, and only then considered.

Hans understood that much.

The problem was not Cell 7’s suspicion. The problem was what they wanted to verify.

And whether any further successful verification would lead to a path towards partnership.

His gaze moved from the receiver to Kimmy, then to Tyrus.

Before he could open his mouth, Johannes spoke first.

”Commander, I have explained my reasons to you. The next step is to accept Cell 7’s offer and...”

”I object!” Yunera interjected.

”Sister, don’t be rash,” Kimmy tugged.

”Sister, if you go, then I have to go,” Yunera insisted.

Hans snorted. ”Only the four of us will go.”

The room became silent.

Yunera’s face darkened. ”Hans, she—”

The air suddenly changed, as if something heavy pressed down on it.

For a moment, everyone in the Command Room felt something tingling against their skin, their bones, and the back of their thoughts.

Marcus’s hand froze above the diagnostic unit.

Evelyn abruptly slammed her back to the wall.

Johannes stopped breathing for half a beat.

Kimmy held her breath, both in fear and admiration.

And Tyrus faintly smiled as he felt it.

A faint crack spread beneath Hans’s boot.

Nothing more.

Nothing less.

Hans’s voice remained calm.

”I am the commanding officer here.”

The pressure vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

The room did not immediately recover.

Hans looked at Yunera.

”You are allowed to worry. You are allowed to object. You are allowed to protect her.”

His eyes sharpened.

”But you are not allowed to overrule me in front of my people.”

Yunera’s lips pressed into a thin line.

Hans turned toward Kimmy.

”And I am not sending her because Cell 7 demanded it.”

He looked back at the receiver.

”I am going because I decided the meeting is worth testing. If you think they have the upper hand, you are wrong.”

Tyrus slowly exhaled. That was very interesting.

Hans ignored him. ”Johannes.”

”Yes, Commander.”

”Prepare everything you know about Cell 7 meeting protocol.”

”Understood.”

”Marcus.”

Marcus straightened. ”Commander.”

”Keep the receiver alive. If they send even a small whisper before tomorrow night, I want to know.”

”Yes, Commander.”

”Everyone else should prepare. Dismissed.”

Johannes lowered his head. ”Yes, Commander.”

Marcus closed the diagnostic unit and immediately turned back toward the receiver.

Evelyn left without another word.

Yunera remained beside Kimmy, her expression still dark, but she did not object again.

That was enough.

Hans turned around and walked out of the Command Room.

The moment he stepped outside, the cold night wind struck his face.

Lights burned across the northwestern industrial sector. Patrols moved through the streets. Guardian APCs growled beneath the ruined buildings. Farther out, the dark shapes of Vanguard MBTs held the outer line.

The base was awake.

Now, it needed to become sharper.

Hans raised his communicator.

”All platoon leaders, vehicle commanders, and section leads, report to the Command Room in ten minutes.”

A brief burst of static answered him. Then one voice after another replied.

Hans lowered the communicator.

Cell 7 had asked for four people, but it didn’t mean only four people would prepare.

It only meant Cell 7 would see four people when the time came.