Chapter 398: Secured.

Chapter 398: 398: Secured.

Nobody answered immediately.

That was the problem, they didn’t know what the data contained, whether this man’s injury mattered more or what the academy expected. It was a thought the academy had put them in a limbo and expected them to come out with the perfect solution.

Antony looked at the soldier, then at the medical kit.

"Can you walk with support?"

He shook his head.

"Not a kilometer."

"That wasn’t my question."

A slight pause as he thought.

"Yes. Short distance."

Antony looked toward Gareth.

"We don’t need to carry him to the collection point."

Gareth understood.

"The vehicle."

Antony nodded.

"Get him away from the damaged engine. Find somewhere defensible nearby. Leon stabilizes the leg properly. We mark his position. When we reach higher ground, we transmit it repeatedly until something gets through."

Leon nodded.

"That preserves most of the medicine too."

Rebecca added, "And we don’t abandon the mission."

Gareth looked toward the soldier.

"Can you remain alone if we put you somewhere safe?"

The soldier shrugged.

"That’s your decision, Candidate."

Antony sighed.

"I really dislike how everyone employed by this academy talks."

For the first time, the soldier almost smiled. They moved him but not far.

There was an old concrete maintenance shelter less than two hundred meters away. Leon and Gareth supported the soldier while Antony and Rebecca checked it first. Mira listened for nearby beasts.

The shelter was ugly and small but secure. Leon finished treating the leg while the organised a little. They left one bottle of water for the man.

Antony looked at their supplies.

"One?"

Gareth nodded. "He has his own emergency pack inside the vehicle. We’re not giving away half our water."

The soldier looked at him.

"You checked."

Gareth met his eyes.

"Yes."

Antony smiled slightly.

Before leaving, Gareth raised the communication device.

"Academy Command, Squad Seventeen reporting injured academy personnel. Patrol road approximately two-point-six kilometers southwest of marker C-Twelve. Individual stabilized inside concrete maintenance shelter. Requires recovery."

Static.

Gareth tried again.

Nothing.

Mira pointed uphill.

"Try again when we reach the ridge."

The soldier watched them leave.

"Candidates."

They turned.

His expression was neutral.

"Good luck."

Antony pointed toward him.

"That sounds suspiciously like approval."

The soldier didn’t answer, he leaned against the wall and closed his eyes.

Antony smiled.

"I’ll take it."

They continued. The ridge gave them enough signal to transmit the coordinates, at least Antony thought it did.

A distorted acknowledgement came through.

"...received... Seventeen..."

Gareth lowered the device.

"Good enough."

Antony checked the time. They’d lost twelve minutes which wasn’t that disastrous. They pushed harder.

An hour later, the first request for assistance came from another squad. The communication device suddenly crackled.

"...any squad... Sector... two beasts... request support..."

Gareth stopped.

"Repeat."

Static.

Then:

"...Squad Forty-Two... pinned... eastern service trail... two Tier Three..."

Rebecca looked at the map.

"That’s less than a kilometer from us."

Mira listened out and after several seconds, she pointed southeast.

"I hear fighting."

Antony could hear faint gunfire now too. Gareth’s expression tightened.

It was another squad fighting two tier three beasts. They were already behind their original schedule.

Leon asked the obvious question.

"Are we helping?"

Gareth looked toward Observation Post Four’s direction, then toward the distant gunfire.

"Two Tier Three could cost us badly."

Rebecca frowned. "They specifically requested assistance."

"And we have a mission."

Antony looked at Gareth.

This decision was harder than the injured soldier. That man had been stable but another squad might actually be in danger.

Mira closed her eyes again.

"Gunfire stopped."

Everyone became quiet.

Then she said, "I still hear movement."

"Human?" Gareth asked.

"Yes. Several."

Antony exhaled.

"Then they’re alive."

Another transmission broke through.

"...Forty-Two... beasts moving north... one injured... no longer pinned..."

Gareth immediately raised the device.

"Squad Forty-Two, this is Seventeen. We are approximately eight hundred meters northwest. Do you require immediate combat support?"

Static.

Then a voice.

"...negative... beasts disengaged... injured member mobile... continuing..."

Gareth nodded.

"Then we’re not diverting."

Antony actually appreciated the distinction. They hadn’t ignored the call, they’d assessed it. The situation changed so no need to play heroes.

"Continue," Gareth said.

They moved forward.

By late morning, Observation Post Four finally appeared between the trees. The structure was much smaller than Antony expected.

A squat reinforced building stood atop a rocky rise, surrounded by an old perimeter fence. One observation tower leaned slightly to one side. No academy personnel were visible.

Mira stopped them before the gate.

"I hear movement inside."

Antony immediately raised the rifle.

"Human?"

She frowned.

"No."

Gareth drew his sword.

"How many?"

"At least three."

Rebecca readied her spear.

"Tier two?"

"I think so."

Antony looked at Gareth.

"Going around isn’t an option this time."

"No."

"Wonderful."

They entered.

The first beast came through a broken window. It was lean and fast.

Antony fired once.

The round struck its shoulder. Rebecca finished it before it recovered, her spear driving through the side of its neck.

The second attacked Leon. His forearm hardened beneath a layer of concentrated energy from his core. Claws struck his arm but he barely moved.

Gareth came from the side, he swung his sword, power concentrating along the impact. The blade cut deep. The beast collapsed on the spot.

"Third!" Mira shouted.

Antony turned.

It was too close for the rifle. He dropped the barrel, drew his shorter blade and stepped back.

The creature lunged.

He met it, although not directly. He shifted just enough to avoid the claws, grabbed the creature behind its neck with his free hand and used his greater strength to redirect its momentum.

The beast hit the wall.

Rebecca’s spear came over Antony’s shoulder, the point entering its skull.

Antony looked back as Rebecca pulled her spear free.

"You’re welcome."

"I had it."

"You were holding its neck."

"Exactly. Completely under control."

She wiped the spear.

"Of course."

Gareth checked the building.

"More?"

Mira listened.

"No movement."

They entered carefully. Observation Post Four had clearly been abandoned as part of the scenario. It had dust everywhere, old equipment lying around, broken screens and a few storage lockers.

The map indicated the data unit should be in the communications room. Gareth led them there but it was locked.

Antony looked at the door.

"Do we have a key?"

Mira checked the map.

"No."

Gareth examined the lock.

"Electronic panel is dead."

Leon looked at Antony who looked back.

"What?" Antony sighed. "Every time something heavy needs moving, everyone suddenly remembers me."

Gareth stepped aside.

"Would you prefer we ask Mira?"

Mira raised both hands.

"Please don’t."

Antony placed his blade away. He examined the door since he was not opening it by brute force especially since the hinges were old.

He smiled.

"Leon."

He came beside him.

"Hit here."

Antony pointed.

Leon reinforced his arm before punching. The first strike damaged the hinge. Antony kicked the lower section. Gareth joined.

With three impacts, the door gave out.

He looked toward Mira.

"See? Teamwork."

"You kicked a door."

"Together."

Inside, they found the data unit. A small reinforced rectangular device sat inside a marked container.

Gareth removed it.

Antony opened the carrying case and placed it. The device fit perfectly.

A light activated.

[DATA UNIT SECURED.]

Mira smiled.

"Finally."

Rebecca checked the time.

"We’re not doing badly."

Antony looked at it.

They had several hours before fourteen hundred, almost suspiciously plenty.

He looked around.

"I don’t like this."