RTS System in the Apocalypse: New World

Another burst followed several seconds later.

The loading crews slowed. Several soldiers near the warehouse entrance turned toward the southern side of Site Three before another series of shots carried between the buildings.

The slower fire of an autocannon joined them.

Matilda changed channels.

"Fairy to Commercial Center garrison. Report."

"Multiple concentrations approaching from the east and southeast. Forward patrols are withdrawing. Several thousand contacts have entered our sector. More are following."

Hans opened the Radar map.

Red markers were moving across the eastern side of Westgate in separate groups. Some followed the wider roads toward the Commercial Center. Others continued south through the blocks leading toward Highcross.

They were not moving as one horde. The concentrations remained divided between the roads and buildings, though most continued toward Highcross.

The operation had continued for hours. Aircraft, artillery, vehicle weapons, and hundreds of thousands of infected had filled the district with enough noise to reach farther than Hans expected.

The eastern and southeastern concentrations had finally moved. These were the same groups Site Three had spent days preparing to receive.

The Engineers had narrowed their approaches with freight containers, abandoned trucks, concrete barriers, and industrial fencing. Seven Pillboxes covered the eastern and southeastern sectors, while the Garrison Post anchored the center behind them.

The infected had reacted only after the fighting moved south.

Now they were approaching the secured routes instead of Site Three.

"Commercial Center garrison, withdraw every forward patrol," Matilda ordered. "Hold the center. Do not pursue."

"Commercial Center copies."

The autocannon fired again, then stopped.

Hans followed the southern groups until their markers disappeared beyond the Physical Radar Facility’s coverage. Highcross remained outside the map now that he and the Armored Command Truck had returned to Site Three.

South One and South Two still had their local channels. Neither could reach the base.

"They cannot hear us," Hans said.

"No, Commander."

The warehouse remained open behind them. Another reinforced container waited near the unloading lane while recovery trucks continued entering through the eastern gate.

Hans looked toward the approaching contacts.

"Stop the unloading. Prepare Site Three."

Matilda opened the internal channel.

"Site Three, defensive positions. All recovery traffic will halt inside the Wall. Eastern and southeastern sectors prepare for contact."

Acknowledgements followed across the channel.

Priya directed the lifting vehicle away from the unloading lane. Soldiers closed the reinforced containers already inside and moved the remaining crews toward the protected sections of the warehouse.

Outside, the base changed around them.

The permanent garrison moved toward the eastern Wall. Infantry entered the Pillboxes and the Garrison Post, while the armored reserve separated between the marked lanes behind the obstacle lines. The Hellhammers received new firing sectors but remained silent.

Nothing had entered their range yet.

Hans returned to the Radar.

Several gray groups remained inside the blocks between the moving concentrations and the secured southern roads. Some occupied buildings near the Commercial Center. Others were scattered farther south, close to routes the infected were already approaching.

Drawing the concentrations north immediately would carry them across those positions.

"Clear the survivors from the routes," Hans said. "Then bring the infected here."

Matilda studied the movements for several seconds.

"Understood."

She changed to the reserve channel.

"Two reserve Guardian APCs to the southern lane. Veteran squads aboard. Proceed to Highcross, reinforce the recovery corridor, and confirm the western route remains open."

"Reserve receives."

The two APCs left the armored holding area together. Their rear ramps lowered near the southern garrison, where two max-promoted squads were already waiting with their equipment.

They boarded without delaying the vehicles.

Matilda continued.

"Once contact is established, recovery operations in Highcross will stop. South One and South Two will consolidate around their secured sectors and protect the recovery teams. They are not to advance east."

"Understood."

The APC ramps closed.

Both vehicles would use the western secured route, away from the largest concentrations visible on the Radar. They would remain together until reaching Highcross, then deliver the orders to the two platoons separately.

Hans looked toward the Airfield channel.

"Use the Strikers to bring the concentrations north."

Matilda nodded.

"Fairy to Flight Operations. Launch Striker One through Striker Three. Prepare Falcon One and Falcon Two for evacuation support. Striker One will establish relay with South One. Striker Two will contact South Two once both aircraft enter local range."

"Flight Operations receives."

The aircraft would reach Highcross before the APCs, allowing them to restore contact with both platoons. The lure would still wait until the ground routes were confirmed and the survivor positions were clear.

The Strikers could keep the approaching groups away from the survivor positions in the meantime, while the Falcons handled anyone trapped on rooftops or inside buildings the APCs could no longer reach safely.

Matilda marked the known neutral groups.

"Commercial Center will extract the nearest survivors and move them west. The reserve vehicles will take the groups along the western road. Falcons receive the isolated positions."

The assignments entered the local channels.

The Highcross contact pair departed first. Separate recovery vehicles followed through two lanes; one group moved toward the Commercial Center while the others took the cleared western roads toward the marked survivor positions.

The gray markers remained where they were.

The first aircraft departed the Airfield several minutes later.

"Striker One to Flight Operations. Airborne."

"Striker Two airborne."

"Striker Three airborne."

Their markers appeared west of Grefort before turning toward Site Three.

Hans watched them cross the map.

The new aircraft waiting inside the production queue would not take part in this battle. Neither would the six squads, six Guardian APCs, Vanguards, or Hellhammers he had just purchased.

Site Three did not need them yet.

The Wall, the staggered obstacles, the seven Pillboxes, the Garrison Post, and the veteran garrison had been waiting for this since the southern advance began.

Hans looked at the eastern concentrations.

This time, he intended to make them come closer.

To the skies, Flight Operations separated the three Strikers before they reached Site Three.

Striker One turned toward the eastern roads approaching the Commercial Center. Striker Two continued farther southeast, while Striker Three remained closer to the secured routes marked for the recovery vehicles.

The two Falcons departed soon afterward.

Their markers crossed the western side of the Radar before following the same southern corridor. Falcon One remained behind Striker Three, while Falcon Two took the route toward the isolated groups farther south.

Matilda continued adjusting the ground response.

The Guardian APCs assigned to the nearest survivor locations divided at the first intersection. One moved toward the Commercial Center, where the garrison still held the roads around the earlier shopping complex. The others continued through Westgate, following routes that placed buildings between them and the largest concentrations.

The red markers kept moving.

Some entered the firing lanes around the Commercial Center and slowed as the garrison engaged them. Others passed farther south without turning toward the gunfire, their movement still directed toward Highcross.

The contact element carrying orders to South One and South Two reached the southern edge of the Radar several minutes later.

Both Guardian APCs disappeared from the map.

Hans returned his attention to the survivor groups still inside coverage.

The first reserve vehicle stopped behind a row of connected buildings. Its veteran squad dismounted through the rear ramp and entered through a side passage while the APC turned its autocannon toward the eastern road.

A group of infected had already entered the next block.

"Recovery Two to Fairy. Entering the first location."

"Proceed," Matilda answered.

The squad disappeared into the building.

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