Chapter 32 – A Net Without Gaps
Morning light seeped through the windows of the old building that had become their temporary shelter. Dust floated in the air, dancing in the faint sunlight, yet not a single smile could be found among those who woke up that morning.
Altair sat on the second floor, leaning against a cracked wall, his eyes staring at the small screen in his hand. The communicator buzzed constantly, displaying data from command headquarters. Sofia approached, offering a cup of hot water. Her face was weary, but still calm.
"You didn’t sleep well, did you?" Sofia asked softly.
Altair nodded slowly, then shook his head. "It’s not about sleep. I just received a report from Reinhart."
Sofia sat beside him, waiting for an explanation.
"It’s not just us. Almost all groups assigned to killing zombie rank 3... failed. Some even vanished entirely. Not a single survivor."
Sofia’s eyes widened. "What do you mean ’vanished entirely’?"
Altair turned the screen toward her, showing the names of units now marked as eliminated. No green signals or active coordinates. Just red... and silence.
"The Northeast Group lost contact two days ago. The last recording shows a battle with a large creature—possibly not zombie rank 3 maybe mutant animal. Then the Southern Group 1 was destroyed last night. Even the Steel Horse Unit... disappeared without a trace. No signal, bodies and tracks."
Sofia fell silent. Her whole body felt colder than usual.
"Reinhart’s realized the situation is deteriorating," Altair continued, his voice low. "He’s ordered reserve forces to be sent to the remaining active groups, including us."