The team ducked behind overturned cars and broken barriers.
Then Cade’s voice ca sharp through the comms. "Use your detonators now."
Each of them pulled out a compact, high-tech device. Without hesitation, they pressed the triggers at the sa ti.
Click.
A heartbeat later... BOOOOMMMM!
A massive explosion erupted from the south. Asphalt and debris blasted into the air, buildings collapsing into dust within a hundred-ter radius. The shockwave rolled through the streets, rattling windows and sending loose tal clattering across the ground.
Dust and smoke surged upward, forming a thick cloud that swallowed the area and cut off visibility.
It didn’t take long. From every direction, infected began to move. They rushed toward the source of the explosion, drawn toward the blast like moths to fire.
Cade did not waste the chance. "Move."
Using the chaos as cover, the squad slipped into the side streets, advancing with controlled speed while the explosion did its job, pulling everything away from their path.
.....
Inside the mall, Jaxon and his group were gathering supplies when the explosion hit.
The sound reached them a second later as all of them froze, their heads snapping toward the source.
"Retreat now!" Jaxon said at once.
Without wasting a second, he swept everything they had gathered into his storage. The group turned and ran, rushing out of the building and back toward the outskirts of the city.
’What the hell are those agents doing?’ Jaxon’s thoughts raced. ’Did they already pull out? Why trigger sothing like that?’
That kind of explosion would draw everything in the area, no, more than that. It might wake sothing deeper within the city.
He pushed the thought aside and focused on moving, keeping pace while making sure the others stayed close. Right now, getting out safely was all that mattered.
.....
From the very center of the city, a strange vibration rippled through the air, followed by a distorted echo that spread in every direction.
Cade’s team, moving quietly along the streets, suddenly froze. Then it hit them.
A sharp, chaotic sound pierced their ears.
"....gh!"
All five of them instinctively covered their ears, their movents breaking as the noise slamd into their heads. It was like a swarm of mosquitoes buzzing, but far louder, harsher, and completely disorienting. It felt like the sound was drilling straight into their minds, scrambling their senses.
"What the hell is this...?" Kael muttered, barely hearing his own voice.
One by one, they dropped to a knee, teeth clenched, trying to endure it. The sound dragged on, stretching past a minute, before it finally began to fade.
Silence returned, but not completely. A faint ringing lingered in their ears. They slowly looked at each other, breathing uneven.
"What was that..." Lyra muttered, frowning. "What kind of infected makes a sound like that?"
No one answered. And before they could recover, the ground beneath them trembled again, this ti stronger.
A low rumble rolled through the streets. Dust shook loose from nearby structures as the vibration intensified, forcing them down for balance.
From every direction, howls and roars began to rise as infected began responding, voices rising from buildings, alleys, rooftops.
"Captain," Raya called out, steadying herself. "What’s the plan?"
Cade didn’t hesitate. His gaze locked toward the center of the city with cold eyes. "We move straight to the source and finish the mission."
No one questioned it. And in the next second, all five of them burst into motion, sprinting at full speed toward the heart of the city.
Without warning, a crawler dropped from above, lunging straight at Cade.
He reacted instantly, pulling the shotgun from his back and firing in one clean motion.
BANG.
The blast sent the creature flying, its body tearing apart midair before crashing onto the pavent in pieces.
"Captain," Kael’s voice ca through. "Multiple contacts. They’re coming in."
Cade didn’t hesitate. "Prepare for combat. We push to the center fast. Call the chopper once we secure the area."
"I’ve been waiting for this, Captain." Raya smiled as she raised her sleek submachine gun. "This is gonna be fun."
From the surrounding buildings, movent erupted. Windows shattered, doors burst open. Dozens of infected poured out, sprinting toward them.
"Raya."
"On it." She pulled out two compact explosives, one in each hand, her grin widening. "Boom ti."
She hurled them down the street.
A split second later... BOOM. BOOM.
The explosions tore through the rushing infected, blasting bodies apart and collapsing sections of nearby structures. Dust and debris filled the air as several of the creatures were buried under the rubble.
At the sa ti, Lyra stepped forward, flicking several round canisters ahead.
They burst, not into fire, but into thick clouds of smoke that rapidly spread across the street.
"On ," Lyra called, already pulling on her gas mask.
The others followed without hesitation, securing their masks as they moved.
Raya charged straight into the smoke, disappearing within seconds. The infected rushed in after her, drawn by her.
Inside the dense haze, gunfire erupted. Muzzle flashes flickered like lightning in the fog.
Lyra moved through it effortlessly, as if she could see everything clearly. She weaved between the infected, striking with precision while they stumbled blindly, unable to track her.
"Captain, we’re almost out of the smoke range," Lyra said, her voice steady over the comms.
"Cassian, cover us," Cade said. Then he moved forward, taking the lead this ti, with Kael close behind him.
Cassian broke off, climbing to higher ground. Within seconds, he was in position, rifle steady as he resud overwatch.
The team pushed forward as one. Each movent tight and coordinated, no wasted steps, no hesitation.
Cade led from the front, his shotgun booming in controlled bursts. Even the grasshopper-type infected that leapt toward them were blasted out of the air before they could get close.
Right behind him, Kael moved in sync, covering blind spots while mapping out their route in real ti, guiding their advance with quick, precise calls.
Raya surged ahead on the flank, fast and aggressive. She tossed explosives into clustered infected, then followed up with short bursts from her weapon, never slowing down.
Lyra stayed close to her side, rifle steady as she picked off targets, occasionally throwing smoke to break lines of sight. The two fought side by side, moving in sync.
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