Location: Echo Point Outpost, Sector 4A – Romanian-Ukrainian Border
Time: 09:45 | Day 2 of Infection Collapse
The sky was heavy with smoke. Echo Point, once a forward operating outpost, now stood as a makeshift bastion in a war where the rules of engagement had been rewritten.
Logan Hale stood on the upper terrace of the bunker, watching his squad move to strengthen their defenses. The morning light flickered through the haze, casting an eerie glow across the compound. His boots scuffed the cracked concrete as he paced, scanning the horizon. The last battle had been brutal, but it was only a glimpse of what was coming.
His HUD pinged. Another wave of infected was approaching—but not yet. They still had time to prepare.
"Reaper, ammo check?" Logan asked over the comms.
"Drum loaded. 72% capacity," Reaper One responded in his deep, mechanical voice, standing sentinel at the southern breach, his Gatling gun resting on his shoulder.
"Good. Wraith, what's the status on the sensor grid?"
Wraith appeared from behind the bunker wall, flipping his rifle to safety. "The sensor web's holding. No movement in the northern sector for now, but we're not clear. We need more supplies, Logan. We're down to our last few mags for the M4s."
Logan grimaced. He opened the Military Command System.
> [WAR CREDITS: 139.2]
[Available Summons – Tactical Support Tier II]
– Tier-1 Infantry Unit (Modern Tech) – 15 WAR CREDITS
– Ammo Crate (5.56mm NATO, x6 Mags) – 6 WAR CREDITS
– Heavy Ammo Drum (7.62mm, Reaper-Pattern) – 8 WAR CREDITS
– Field Medic Unit – 30 WAR CREDITS
– Mobile Recon Scout (Wheeled) – 50 WAR CREDITS
– Advanced Sandbag Barricades – 10 WAR CREDITS
– Automatic Perimeter Turret (5.56mm) – 35 WAR CREDITS
Logan selected:
> [Summon: 2x Tier-1 Infantry Units (Modern Tech)]
[Summon: Advanced Ammo Cache]
[Summon: Automatic Perimeter Turret (5.56mm)]
[WAR CREDITS Remaining: 50.2]
The shimmering light of the summoning ritual was followed by the hum of power as the system initiated the reinforcements. A moment later, two infantry units appeared—equipped with tactical rifles and modern combat gear. The first man, a short but lean soldier with a buzzcut, saluted as he approached.
"Private Ionescu, reporting for duty, Commander."
The second man, taller, with a scar running down his cheek, nodded. "Sergeant Neagu. Ready for action."
"Get them in position, Wraith. Reaper, you're on standby for perimeter breach," Logan ordered, glancing at the new arrivals.
The second item dropped into the debris-filled compound—a crate of ammo and an automatic perimeter turret. Hammer, the engineer, moved quickly to set it up by the north gate.
"These should help keep the smaller ones from getting through. The turret's got heat sensors and a low-caliber rate of fire for crowd control," Hammer explained, rolling the turret into position. "Not bad for a makeshift base."
Logan checked the ammo crate and tossed a mag to Petrescu, who was already reloading his weapon. Sofia stood nearby, her sidearm at the ready but her eyes distant.
"How's the head, Sofia?" Logan asked gently.
She shook her head but didn't speak. She had seen too much already, and it was weighing heavily on her. She was still a civilian in this war—more of a liability than an asset—but Logan had a soft spot for the young girl. He couldn't help it. She had potential, even if she didn't realize it yet.
Before he could say anything else, the system pinged again.
> [HOSTILE FORCE APPROACHING – ETA: 20 MINUTES]
[New Estimate: 50+ Hostiles | Tactical Coordination Detected]
"Everyone in position," Logan ordered, voice low. "Wraith, you and I will take the western breach. Petrescu and Neagu, cover the north. Reaper, you stay mobile. Hammer, ready the barricades."
The squad responded like clockwork, each member finding their place in the compound's perimeter. Reaper One moved swiftly to the southern edge, where the second turret had just been deployed. His Gatling gun whirred as it locked into place.
Logan climbed to the second floor of the command bunker, scanning the compound below with his rifle.
Suddenly, Sofia appeared beside him, holding her pipe tightly. "I can help. I'm not useless."
Logan glanced at her. "Stay with Hammer. When the breach happens, you follow his lead."
She didn't argue, which was a good sign. But he could see the determination in her eyes.
The infected weren't just mindless anymore. They were adapting, learning. Logan had seen it firsthand—how the virus was evolving, how the infected were coordinating. And the worst part? They seemed to remember. Logan wasn't sure how, but the signs were there.
They would use weapons. They would flank, ambush, and they would overwhelm if he wasn't careful. The battlefield had changed. The virus had changed.
> [SYSTEM UPDATE – VIRUS EVOLUTION DATA: Class Bravo/Delta Blends]
[Coordinated Behavior Detected: Infected Retaining Military Tactics]
Logan pulled up the virus research data from the outpost's pre-collapse database. The virus didn't kill—it remade its hosts. And those hosts retained some knowledge of their former lives. Soldiers, civilians, engineers—each infected was like a cracked mirror of who they used to be.
He read further.
> [Research Note: Virus Spread Rate]
[Initial Infection Phase: 70% of Population Infected within First Week]
[Secondary Infection Phase: 90% Mutation Rate within Two Days]
[Adaptive Memory Fragmentation: Infected Become More Tactical After Initial Infection]
So far, only a fraction of the infected showed the higher-level cognitive abilities. But Logan had seen enough. It wasn't just about surviving anymore—it was about surviving against an enemy that was growing smarter every day.
The crackle of gunfire interrupted his thoughts.
"Logan!" Wraith's voice came through the comms. "We've got movement—multiple breaches coming from the west and south!"
Logan cursed under his breath and grabbed his rifle. "Reaper, you're on the south. Petrescu, cover the east. I'll handle the west with Wraith."
The squad split and moved into position as the first wave of infected emerged from the fog, moving swiftly and silently.
The battle began again.