The cold wind cut through the valley, sharp against exposed skin. Zero moved with precision, each step measured as he approached the sniper nest. The camouflaged position was tucked into a rocky outcrop that overlooked a long stretch of frozen terrain. It offered a direct line of sight to the target site nestled against the base of a mountain. Barren terrain. Dense trees. Ice-crusted rocks. Ideal for long-range overwatch.
His boots barely made a sound. The integrated dampeners in his exosuit absorbed most of the impact. He became a silhouette blending into the landscape. Every motion was deliberate. Quiet. Controlled.
The SRG-1 rifle was already calibrated. Zero rested it across the stabilizing mount and brought the scope to his eye. He exhaled slowly. The target zone was quiet. A concrete structure embedded into the mountain. One entrance. Guarded. Minimal movement.
Zero switched on his comm. "In position."
Vera's voice came back, low and direct. "Spy's inside. Drone uplink in sixty. You'll have full visuals. Confirm scope calibration."
He adjusted the dial. The reticle shimmered for half a second before stabilizing. Wind compensation activated. Thermal overlay calibrated. His HUD flashed synced status across the display.
"Calibrated," Zero said.
Eclipse, his embedded AI, confirmed the diagnostics. "Optics stable. Railgun systems charged. Ready for ballistic integration."
The nest was cold. The kind of cold that seeped into joints and wires. Zero didn't move. He waited.
Minutes passed. The drone feed appeared on his display. A split-screen HUD showed the interior of the bunker. Corridors. Reinforced doors. Heat signatures. Guards moved with slow, routine patterns.
Then came the target. Center of the feed. Human. Male. Mid-forties. Standing near the control console in the command room. Minimal movement. Profile confirmed.
"Visual on target," Vera said. "He's in your quadrant. You've got one clean shot. After that, fallback to Point Delta. Extraction in twelve."
Zero adjusted the magnification. The target was standing behind partial cover. Timing would be critical.
"Eclipse. Compute trajectory. Full overlay."
"Confirmed. Wind speed six meters per second from north-northeast. Range 1,382 meters. Target partially shielded. Shot window in eight seconds."
Zero's finger rested near the trigger. His breathing slowed. Heartbeat steady. Everything else fell away. No distractions. No sound. Just the data stream and the thin arc of opportunity.
He watched the guards shift. One stepped away. The target leaned forward. His torso emerged fully from behind the console.
"Execute," Vera said.
Zero pulled the trigger.
The SRG-1 railgun fired without flash. A silent burst of electromagnetic force launched the round downrange. The projectile broke the sound barrier before the sound even arrived. One second later, the target dropped. Clean shot. No exit wound. Internal damage catastrophic.
"Target neutralized," Eclipse confirmed.
Zero remained on the scope. No movement inside the room. Then panic. Guards shouting. One slammed a hand on the console. Emergency lights activated. Security lockdown initiated.
"Vera. Bunker's gone active. I'm moving."
"Copy. Extraction route remains unchanged. Avoid main ridge. Thermal scans show patrols converging from northwest."
Zero dismantled the rifle in seconds. Each part locked into a magnetic case. He slung it across his back and crawled out of the nest. The terrain was uneven but offered multiple paths for evasion. He moved low through the brush, minimizing exposure.
"Eclipse. Monitor patrol frequencies. Scramble if pinged."
"Affirmative. Passive scan only. Signal lock avoided."
Down the slope, he found cover behind a fallen tree. Movement above. Two enemy scouts passed without pause. Their visors flicked across the ground but didn't register him. Zero stayed still until they were gone.
He moved again. Faster now. Extraction was still a few minutes out. The snow muffled his steps, but it also hid sound. That cut both ways.
At the base of the hill, he checked his beacon.
"Approaching Point Delta," he reported.
Vera responded immediately. "Drone sweep clear. QRF will be overhead in ninety seconds. You have hostiles in pursuit. Southeast flank. You need to keep moving."
Zero increased speed. The terrain opened into a wide basin. Too exposed. He angled toward a narrow ravine with thick brush and scattered boulders. Better concealment.
Gunfire echoed from behind. Controlled bursts. They were close.
"Eclipse. Flare suppression ready. Deploy on my mark."
"Ready."
He reached the ravine. Dropped low. Activated the flare.
A burst of light blinded the valley. Eclipse overlaid interference patterns across the field. The enemy lost tracking. Zero kept moving.
He reached the extraction point.
"Touchdown in thirty," Vera called out.
He crouched beneath a large stone shelf. Pulse steady. Rifle reassembled. In case.
A low hum built overhead. Dropship silhouette against the night sky. Rear ramp opened.
"Visual confirmed," Eclipse said.
Zero moved. Fast. Covered the last twenty meters and vaulted onto the ramp. Inside, the hold was dim. Two operators waited with rifles raised, then lowered once they confirmed his ID.
The ramp closed.
"Extraction complete," Vera's voice said.
Zero sat down. No words. Just silence and the quiet hum of flight. The shot was made. The mission was done. But another operation would come soon.
He closed his eyes.
His mind never stopped moving.