RTS System in the Apocalypse: New World

South One left Site Three thirty minutes later.

Echo One moved ahead under Dmitri’s lead. The four Scouts traveled through the sides of the cleared road while Rex and the second Attack Dog checked the gaps between abandoned vehicles and storefronts.

Bastion One followed several hundred meters behind them.

Anton Weiss commanded from the lead Guardian APC. Mercer Squad occupied the troop compartment with the Sniper Overwatch Team, while Johannes, Marcus, Kimmy, and Yunera took the remaining seats.

The soldiers referred to Kimmy as Oracle now.

Johannes noticed that immediately.

Nobody asked why she had been given the name. Anton had introduced her through the platoon channel before departure, and every soldier accepted the designation without another question.

Bastion Two followed behind them with Dobrev Squad. Evelyn traveled with them and would join the forward element once the platoon crossed beyond the confirmed streets.

Bastion Three carried the newly trained replacement squad. Big Rhino remained behind the three APCs, its turret moving between the taller buildings as the column traveled through the wider road.

Recovery vehicles followed farther back.

South Two separated from them near the first commercial junction. Bastion Four led Sabine’s column into the service route, followed by Bastions Five and Six. War Elephant disappeared after them several moments later.

One newly trained squad had replaced a three-star squad in each mobile platoon. Anton and Sabine remained in command.

Johannes watched through the firing port as South One continued south.

The first streets were already cleared.

Bodies had been moved away from the main road, while abandoned vehicles had been pushed aside wherever they obstructed the column. Colored markings remained on several doors and intersections.

The soldiers understood each one.

Some buildings had been cleared.

Others had only been checked from outside.

Several remained closed entirely.

The farther they traveled, the fewer markings appeared.

Anton’s voice entered the platoon channel.

”South One approaching the final confirmed intersection.”

The Scouts acknowledged first.

”Echo One copies.”

”Bastion Two copies.”

”Bastion Three copies.”

Big Rhino’s commander answered last.

”Big Rhino copies. Still waiting for something worth shooting.”

Johannes looked toward Anton.

The platoon leader had already opened the street map beside his seat. The route beyond the next intersection contained only the markings prepared during the briefing.

No confirmed building conditions. No known survivor locations. No estimated infected movement.

Anton raised the radio again.

”All elements, begin visual procedures once Echo One crosses the intersection. Short bounds from this point forward.”

The acknowledgements returned.

Bastion One slowed.

Ahead of them, Echo One reached the end of the cleared road.

Dmitri raised one fist.

Echo One stopped before crossing.

The two Attack Dogs lowered their bodies beside the Scouts. Rex watched the road ahead while the second dog turned toward the western buildings, its nose moving through the air.

Dmitri examined both sides of the intersection.

No movement appeared through the storefronts. Several vehicles remained abandoned along the southern lanes, but none completely blocked the road.

”Echo One to South One. Beginning visual sweep.”

”South One copies,” Anton answered. ”Bastion One holding.”

The Guardian APC stopped before the intersection.

Bastions Two and Three halted behind it. Big Rhino remained farther back, leaving enough space for the three APCs to reverse or move around one another.

Echo One crossed in pairs.

Two Scouts moved toward the western corner. Dmitri and the fourth crossed toward the east with the Attack Dogs between them. Nobody rushed directly into the next street.

The Scouts checked beneath the abandoned vehicles first.

Then the doorways.

The second-floor windows followed.

Johannes had seen them move during training around the main base, but this was different. Every few meters required another pause. Every window had to be inspected instead of dismissed through information he could not see.

Whatever certainty had guided the platoon through the earlier streets had ended at this intersection.

”Eastern side clear,” Dmitri reported.

One of the other Scouts answered through the same channel.

”Western corner clear. Alley extends behind the next row of buildings.”

”Any movement?”

”None observed.”

Dmitri stepped farther into the street.

”Echo One to South One. First section visually clear. Bastion One may advance to the intersection.”

Anton looked toward the driver.

”Move.”

Bastion One crossed slowly.

Its autocannon remained pointed toward the southern road while the side cameras tracked the buildings. Bastion Two followed only after the lead APC reached the opposite side.

The formation advanced one vehicle at a time.

Anton did not appear nervous. He simply waited longer before every order.

Marcus leaned closer to the street map.

”The western alley reconnects farther south.”

Anton glanced toward him.

”You can confirm that?”

”The buildings share the same service row. Unless something collapsed behind them, the alley should open near the next intersection.”

”Should?”

Marcus looked through the firing port.

”I have not seen the other end.”

Anton accepted the answer without complaint.

”Echo One, inspect the western alley before we continue.”

”Understood.”

The western pair moved deeper while Dmitri remained near the road.

Several seconds passed.

Then Kimmy lifted her head.

Her blindfolded face turned toward the southwest.

Johannes noticed Yunera straighten beside her.

”Kimmy?”

She did not answer him immediately. Her fingers moved toward the radio Anton had assigned her.

”Oracle to... to South One.”

Anton looked over.

”South One receives. Oracle, what do you have for us?”

”I can sense people ahead of us.”

The troop compartment became quiet.

”How many are they?”

Kimmy listened to something none of them could hear.

”Several of them.”

”Which direction, Oracle?”

”South... somewhere south of us.”

”Can you confirm the distance?”

Kimmy hesitated.

”I am not certain. Forty or fifty meters, perhaps.”

Her head tilted slightly.

”Some of them feel very faint.”

Anton studied her for a moment.

”Can you tell if they’re infected?”

Kimmy shook her head.

”No. I only know they’re there. Some feel stronger than the others, but...”

She hesitated.

”I don’t know what that means yet.”

Anton looked toward Johannes.

Johannes gave a small nod. There was nothing else to add. Kimmy had already told them everything she could.

Anton raised the radio.

”Echo One, Oracle detected several people south-southwest. Around fifty meters. Adjust your sweep.”

Dmitri answered after a short pause.

”Echo One copies. Western pair is closest.”

Yunera leaned toward Kimmy.

”Are you all right?”

”I am fine. I’m just concentrating.”

Yunera settled back, though her eyes remained on her.

Johannes looked through the firing port again.

The two Scouts inside the western alley slowed. One moved ahead while the other remained near the corner, covering the road behind him.

Dmitri and the fourth Scout crossed toward their side.

The Attack Dogs followed.

”Anything changed?” Johannes asked.

Kimmy turned slightly toward him.

”They’re still there.”

”Same place?”

”I think so.”

She frowned beneath the blindfold.

”One of them moved. Only a little.”

Anton heard her.

”Oracle, use the radio.”

Kimmy touched it again.

”Oracle to South One. One of them moved, but not very far.”

”Received.”

There was nothing smooth about the exchange. Kimmy paused before speaking, sometimes forgot the callsign, and sounded unsure whenever Anton asked for a direction.

Nobody corrected her.

The soldiers only waited for what she could give them.

Several seconds passed before Dmitri’s voice returned.

”Echo One to South One. Western alley continues another thirty meters before turning south. No visual contact.”

The second Scout spoke next.

”Dog has something.”

Johannes looked toward the side camera.

The feed showed one of the Attack Dogs standing near a recessed doorway. Its body had become rigid, nose pointed toward the narrow opening between two buildings.

The handler pulled it back slightly.

”Possible presence inside the building or beyond the rear wall.”

Anton brought up the local map.

”What building?”

”Three-story structure. Looks residential above, small shops below.”

Marcus leaned toward the display.

”That alley should reach the rear entrances.”

Anton glanced at him.

”You sure this time?”

”No.”

Marcus pointed toward the adjoining structures.

”But those buildings were made in one row. Their service access should be connected.”

Anton looked back at the feed.

”Echo One, hold outside. Do not enter yet.”

”Understood.”

Kimmy suddenly turned farther west.

”No. Wait.”

Everyone looked at her.

She pressed the radio again, faster this time.

”They’re not inside that building.”

Anton waited.

Kimmy lifted one hand and pointed, though the gesture landed somewhere between the rear wall and the next structure.

”They’re behind it. Lower than us, I think.”

Marcus looked at the map again.

”A basement?”

”Maybe,” Kimmy said. ”I don’t know.”

Johannes watched the narrow line of buildings through the camera feed.

Nothing about them stood out. The windows were dark, the doors remained closed, and the alley behind them appeared empty.

Without Kimmy, South One would have continued past.

Anton changed channels.

”Echo One, inspect the rear access. Look for stairs, ramps, or any entrance going below street level.”

Dmitri answered immediately.

”Echo One copies.”

The Scouts moved again.

This time, slower.