RTS System in the Apocalypse: New World

Raptor One and Raptor Two disappeared from Hans’s map before the Armored SUV returned to Site Three.

Flight Operations still held their route and scheduled return window. No further report would reach the Airfield until the fighters returned to communication range.

Hans had given them the northern sectors. He could do nothing by staring at the empty section of the map.

The SUV passed through Site Three’s western gate and continued toward the Field Hospital.

Soldiers moved between the nearby warehouses while the remaining Highcross cargo waited inside the unloading lanes.

Most of the reinforced containers had already disappeared during the conversion, though ordinary supplies continued moving toward Route One.

Callum left the vehicle with him.

A female Medic waited inside the Field Hospital entrance.

”Commander.”

”You look like you’ve been waiting for a while. Did something happen?”

”Oracle is now awake and stable. We completed the preliminary tests this afternoon.”

Hans followed her through the main treatment area.

Most of the recovery beds remained empty. Medical equipment rested beside each one, while two male Medics reorganized supplies near the opposite wall.

The section reserved for civilians remained farther inside, separated from the System personnel by another corridor.

Kimmy occupied a bed near the end of the room.

She sat upright beneath the raised backrest. Her golden hair had been gathered away from her face, though the black blindfold remained in place. Yunera sat beside her with both arms crossed.

Kimmy turned toward Hans before he reached the bed.

”Hans.”

”You heard me?”

”I noticed you after you passed the western gate.”

Hans stopped.

The Field Hospital stood nowhere near the western gate.

He looked toward the Medic.

”We repeated the test three times,” she said. ”Oracle detected personnel at measured positions throughout Site Three. Her responses remained consistent up to one thousand meters.”

”Beyond that?”

”She continued noticing stronger presences, but the locations became unreliable. One kilometer is the confirmed range.”

Hans looked back at Kimmy.

Her earlier range had been far shorter and much less stable. Even then, too many people inside the same area could blur together until she struggled to separate one presence from another.

Now she had noticed him from the other side of Site Three.

”What else changed?”

The Medic raised the bio-scanner tablet.

”Her sensory synchronization no longer falls within the Tier Zero measurements supplied by Dr. Tyrus. The new readings stabilized this morning.”

”Tier One?”

”Yes, Commander.”

Kimmy lowered her hands onto the blanket.

Hans remembered the pressure disappearing into her aura beneath Highcross. Her ability had changed before she collapsed, though nobody inside the chamber could determine how much of that change would remain once she recovered.

Apparently, most of it had.

”Can you still separate the signals?” Hans asked.

Kimmy nodded.

”That part has become easier.”

”How much easier?”

She turned her head toward the treatment area.

”There are twenty-three people inside the Field Hospital. Two are walking through the corridor behind us. One has stopped near the civilian section, while the other is moving toward the entrance.”

The female Medic checked the tablet.

A male Medic appeared through the corridor several seconds later, carrying another container toward the front of the building.

Kimmy continued.

”If... if I had tried to sense the entire area before, I would not have understood it as clearly as I do now. I might have counted the stronger presences, but the rest would have become one large field of uncertainty.”

”And now?”

”I can keep them apart.”

”Individually?”

”The farther they are, the less distinct they become. Groups remain easier to understand than individuals at the edge of my range, though familiar presences are clearer.”

Hans glanced toward Yunera.

Kimmy smiled slightly.

”My sister is difficult to mistake.”

”That is because you spend too much time following me,” Yunera answered.

”I cannot follow you while confined to a hospital bed.”

”You would find a way.”

The Medic allowed the exchange to end before continuing.

”She also recognizes patterns that do not belong to ordinary aura perception. We cannot test that ability properly here.”

”The Broodmother established a connection to the infected,” Hans said. ”Did you gain something like that?”

Kimmy’s smile faded.

”It’s not... the same as that. I can’t explain it properly. I... I can only show it to you so that you can—”

Hans waved her suggestion off.

”You don’t have to do that. You should take a rest for now.”

”But I’m feeling great,” Kimmy pouted. ”Are you telling me I am still that frail girl as before?”

”Are you not?” Hans raised a brow.

Kimmy shifted her head away from Hans.

”Fine. You’re a strong woman now.”

”I wasn’t talking about that.”

”Yes, yes,” Hans nodded, not wanting to argue with her. ”I will have you take a few days to practice with your new powers first.”

”I can join your soldiers and practice at the same time.”

”You can practice with them here first,” Hans cut her off. ”Once they understand what changed, then you can return to field operations.”

”Hmph.”

Hans looked toward her for a moment. ”And congratulations for your successful breakthrough. Unfortunately, most stores are closed at the moment. I’ll have someone bake you a cake later.”

”You... you don’t need to do that.”

Kimmy blushed.

Hans, however, had already turned around.

”Rest until the Medics clear you.”

Kimmy muttered something behind him, though Yunera answered before Hans could understand it.

He left the Field Hospital with Callum.

A small convoy waited near Site Three’s eastern gate.

One Guardian APC occupied the front of the departure lane.

Two transport vehicles remained behind it, their rear compartments carrying Tyrus’s inspection equipment, additional sealed containers, and supplies for the Highcross examination.

Tyrus stood beside the first vehicle.

Johannes waited several steps away with Evelyn and Marcus. Two soldiers stood beside the transport vehicle.

Hans changed direction.

”You are leaving now?”

”The route is open,” Tyrus answered. ”Waiting here will not improve the evidence.”

”The two samples told you that?”

”They told me that examining isolated pieces will not answer anything.”

”Didn’t know dead tissues could talk now.”

”Well, I can talk to them telepathically, Commander.”

The corner of Tyrus’s mouth lifted slightly. He held the Engineer’s chamber report beneath one arm.

”The Broodmother was connected to the surrounding tissue, the drainage routes, and several infected remains. I need to see where each part ends before your Engineers remove anything else.”

Hans looked toward Johannes.

”And him?”

”The equipment attached to the body belonged to the SAS,” Johannes answered. ”I may recognize what remains of it.”

”Nothing leaves the chamber until both of you finish.”

Tyrus nodded once.

”That was already my intention.”

”South One will keep the site closed. Follow the Engineer’s route and do not enter any section they have not cleared.”

”I understand.”

Hans glanced toward the transport vehicles.

”The five enhanced infected?”

”Their cases are already inside Highcross,” Tyrus said. ”I will inspect each kill site after the chamber. Nothing will be combined.”

”Send the first report before any of the bodies are moved.”

”I may decide that some of it should not be moved at all.”

Hans looked at him for a moment.

”Then tell me before making that decision.”

Tyrus entered the first transport vehicle.

Johannes, Evelyn, and Marcus followed after giving Hans short nods. The soldiers closed the rear doors and moved toward the Guardian APC.

The eastern gate opened.

Hans remained beside the departure lane while the convoy entered the secured road toward Highcross.

Before the convoy cleared the outer road, Flight Operations entered Hans’s channel.

”Flight Operations to Golden Eagle. Raptor One and Raptor Two have returned to communication range. Both aircraft are undamaged and proceeding to the Airfield.”

”Golden Eagle receives. Send me the consolidated report tomorrow.”

”Copy that, Commander. Flight Operations, out.”

A distant rumble passed over the base.

Hans looked up as the two Raptors crossed above the western perimeter, Raptor Two holding several hundred meters behind the lead aircraft. Their dark shapes moved across the afternoon sky before both fighters banked toward the Airfield.

Raptor One descended first.

Raptor Two continued past the base for several more seconds, then followed into the same approach. Their engines faded beyond the outer defenses as they lowered toward the runway.

Hans returned his attention to the Highcross convoy continuing south.