Chapter 52: First Strike, Strategic Defense
Ryan knew he couldn’t fight them all at once. He had to break their formation, create chaos. He also knew they were expecting him to make a run for it.
So, he did exactly what they expected. He feigned panic, his eyes darting to the left, then to the right, as if searching for an escape path that wasn’t there. He was playing the part of the cornered rat.
Kane’s soldiers took the bait. They advanced more quickly, their movements becoming more aggressive as they scented an easy victory.
Just as they were about to close in, Ryan exploded into motion. He didn’t run away; he dove forward, sliding behind a large, low-profile Precursor control console that sat directly in the path of one of the fire teams. From their perspective, it looked like a desperate, last-ditch move for cover.
They were wrong.
This was the console he had noticed earlier, the one his Neural Symbiote Map had flagged with a tiny, hidden icon labeled "Auxiliary Defense Sub-System."
Hidden in a small, recessed panel on the side of the console was a power receptacle. Ryan ripped his "Charged god Power Core" from his belt.
The Tier 4 battery hummed with contained energy. He slammed it into the receptacle with a satisfying thunk.
For a second, nothing happened. Then, a low hum started to build, quickly escalating into a high-pitched whine of dormant technology roaring back to life.
The Crimson Banner soldiers paused, confused by the sound. On the ceiling high above them, a hidden panel slid open. A sleek, multi-barreled turret descended, its optical sensors glowing a bright, menacing blue. It swiveled, its motors nearly silent, and locked onto Kane’s advancing squads.
Before they could even fully register the new threat, the turret opened fire.