Chapter 62: Aftermath — Operation: Hive Buster

Hans gripped the meteorite shard with both his hands, Game over, hive!

The psychic aura it emitted fluctuated, disturbing the both the hive and the zombies. Fearing the loss, the hive roared.

Shockwaves spread across a large area, pushing everything aside. Yet, amidst the chaos, Hans remained. He focused on the containment system’s progress, wishing each that second was faster.

Then it came—what the hive dreaded, and what Hans wanted to achieve.

Inside the containment system, a large meteorite shard spanning almost half a meter floated inside the capsule.

Wisps of pink psychic aura flared out of its body occasionally. Just as he reached out to touch it, he found his consciousness back into the real world.

The hands who had once seized something now felt free.

Removed of restraints, the shockwave drove him out of the central area.

His body flung mid-air, spinning the world around him.

“Catch the Commander!”

A Guardian GI shouted, stepping into the cracked concrete. He jumped, grunting in pain. The collision sent both him and Hans flying.

The tactical armor squealed while rubbing against the ground. He held tightly into Hans and braved the forces that slammed into them.

They stopped, inches away from the armored SUV. Seeing the Commander’s closed eyes, the Guardian GI hooked Hans’s arm over his neck, then carried him into the armored SUV.

“Commander has been secured,” the Guardian GI shouted. “Carry him out of this place, now!”

The hive roared once again. Flesh protruded out of the ground, searching for that intruder and the lost meteorite shard.

The Spear and Recover squads ran to safety, followed by the slower Cinder Squads. Zolyah and her four escorts remained unharmed due to their distance but followed everyone else’s footsteps.

The Light APC quickly embarked the Cinder Squads.

“Move! Move! Move!”

The driver urged, not wanting to stay in this place any longer.

“Cinder’s in,” Jack shouted, his voice a little hoarse. “Time to bail out, driver!”

Tires screeched as the Light APC left the destruction behind.

The flesh rampaged upon its surroundings.

Walls crumbled.

Rooftops fell.

Foundations destroyed.

Ground shaken.

The once stagnant spores drifted along the wind, no different than dust. It was now without the amplification of the meteorite shard’s psychic aura, rendering its presence useless.

“That was a close one,” the Light APC’s machine gunner stared at the billowing dust. “Any later and that shit would have crushed us.”

His comm beads echoed with static before tuning into a channel.

“Radio’s back,” he said, eyes wide. He tapped into the bead and gathered his strength. “Woohoo, it’s good to be back, baby!”

“What’s with the loud greeting, dickhead?” Zolyah complained on the other side. “You think our ears are as deaf as yours?”

The machine gunner ignored her, continuing his loud nonsense in the communications. The other squads didn’t let go of this and shouted at the channel as well.

The fight had drained them of their strength. Now that almost everything was over, they wanted to vent all that stress out.

Cusses and mature words filled the radio. If one were to listen, they could say it was no different to bickering children.

Hidden deep from their chatters was the silent sorrow. It lay in their hearts, waiting to explode.

“Secure One, this is Echo One. How’s the Commander, over?” Dmitri’s voice interjected.

“Echo One, the Commander has been secured,” the armored SUV’s driver, Secure One, replied. “He’s sleeping sound and tight. Might not be a good time to talk, over.”

“Copy that,” Dmitri chuckled. “Bring the Commander back to base. The injured to Point Alpha. As for the rest, head to Point Bravo. A good surprise awaits everyone, over.”

“What surprise, Echo One?” Zolyah was intrigued.

“You will know when you get here.”

Dmitri’s announcement enlivened everyone, returning faster than before.

The sun still peaked high at the sky. The armored SUV roared ahead, hastily making its way back to base.

Soldiers strode past a collapsed building, back on that infamous block—Point Bravo.

The sweet aroma of fish, meat, soup, and vegetables wafted in the air. It ignited the hunger that sparked within each soldier’s stomach.

Though they had rations each eighth hour given by the system, the taste was bland—only good enough to let them live another day.

They followed into a large wooden restaurant long abandoned by its workers and owners. Inside, a large buffet had been set.

“What’s with the occasion?” Spear Three’s squad leader asked.

“The residents,” Yunera stood in the entrance. “You’ve destroyed the hive that endangered them. They wanted to offer kindness in return.”

“That’s sweet of them,” Zolyah butted in. “Should I gift them the head of a brute?”

“They are not as crazy as you, woman,” Adrian chuckled. “You can keep your trophies to yourself.”

“What did you just say to me?” Zolyah charged towards the fleeing Adrian.

The entrance turned chaotic.

Dmitri and the rest ignored them. They were too hungry to care about anything else. With a simple wash of their hands using their personal flasks, the entire army chowed down on the prepared food.

The few villagers who volunteered graciously welcomed the soldiers. Among them was the woman who had almost been shot at the fortress wall’s entrance.

“Oh, aren’t you that…”

“Yes, officers,” the woman bowed. “Please accept these small offerings of ours.”

The soldiers who once pointed their guns at her scratched their cheeks. A short awkwardness halted the line, only to be pushed by their growling stomachs.

The jovial atmosphere calmed the soldier’s taut nerves, relishing the savor deep in their minds.

“Where’s Hans?” Yunera looked around.

“The Commander has been taken back to the base,” a soldier commented. “Does Miss Yunera have some business with our Commander?”

“No, I was just worried,” Yunera frowned. Why would he suddenly worry for that guy?

She evaded the soldier’s gaze, shifting her eyes into the corner.

Kimmy sat alone, fidgeting on her smooth fingers. Yunera wanted to approach but decided against it. Now wasn’t the time to tease a young maiden. She went back to work, forgetting the flow of time.

Soon, the soldiers returned to their work. A few monitored the still-rampaging hive body, shrinking by the minute.

The Echo Squads remained on their spots, sending communications back to Point Bravo now and then.

Zolyah returned to Point Alpha and entered a repurposed temporary hospital field. She arrived in the second floor of the building and approached the third door to the left.

“Who is it?” Sofia woke up from the knocks.

“Tough girl, forgetting me now?” Zolyah turned the doorknob and walked in.

“Ah, Zolyah?” Sofia was surprised. “You’re back, and you’re well.”

“You expect me to die out there?” Zolyah gritted her teeth.

“Uhm, no,” Sofia shook her head. “It was just… I was surprised that you weren’t injured.”

“If you’re a tough girl, I’m tougher than you.” Zolyah winked, caressing Sofia’s hand. “How are the wounds?”

“I can still eat,” Sofia chuckled, followed by a cough.

“You shouldn’t tell jokes in your condition,” Zolyah raised her voice. “Do you understand?”

“Yes, yes, Ms. Sniper,” Sofia agreed. “How did it go?”

“Very alright,” Zolyah leaned on the chair. “We got to kill two hives in a single day. Minimal casualties. A lot of drama. And a lot of kills on mine.”

“A shame I couldn’t join you in the last fight,” Sofia said. “I expect it was thrilling to you?”

“Girl, is a large mass of flesh hurling towards you thrilling?” Zolyah shrugged. “You shouldn’t feel shame. You should feel relieved.”

“I am a soldier, just like you, Zolyah,” Sofia reminded. “Fighting is what I am here for. If I cannot fight, then what purpose do I serve.”

“Yes, yes, I know,” Zolyah bowed her head.

“What about the Commander? Is he safe?”

“Back in the base. I heard from Dmitri he’s planning things again.”

“He sure has a lot of plans for us to do.”

“Girl, you just said fighting is what you are living for,” Zolyah raised her eyebrows. “Why are you complaining about it now?”

“I am sorry, okay?” Sofia pleaded.

The two girls bickered and chattered back and forth. Their topics shifted from the battlefield, into rumors, and into girl stuff.

A female medic went past Sofia’s room and felt relief after hearing their talks. She continued until the corner of the second floor—Records section.

On her arms were thick pages of written reports.

As she opened the door, she encountered a Male Medic writing something on the table.

“How’s the investigation, Clara?”

“Unclear,” Clara responded. “We are of limited samples for the psychic aura’s effect. These are the soldiers’ testimonies. Dominic, write them in.”

She put the papers on the edge of his table, then proceed to sit on her chair.

“What about the spores?” He asked. “Did they get a good sample?”

“The spores dusted as soon as they landed,” Clara shook a container filled with yellowish orange dust. “Care to research on this?”

“We aren’t pure researchers,” Dominic frowned. “If the Tech Lab was here, we would have better facilities.”

“And we don’t, so we have to improvise,” Clara played with the container. “Isn’t it peculiar? A Male Medic writing reports?”

“It’s in my blood to write things down,” Dominic retorted. “If I remember correctly, it should be Female Medics handling this one.”

“Sorry, pretty face,” Clara winked. “Guess the boss likes me more than you.”

“Talking about the boss,” Dominic stopped writing and turned to her. “Did he really not experience the psychic aura’s effect?”

“Nope,” Clara closed her eyes. “Jack and a few witnesses can testify to that.”

“Impressive,” Dominic remarked. “He is truly worthy of becoming our Commander.”

“If not him, then who else?”

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