Chapter 34 — Shadows Rising
Location: FOB Echo Point – Command Core Time: 13:30 | Day 14 of Infection Collapse
The lights above the Command Core flickered as the storm system rolling over the mountains drew closer. A cold wind pushed against the reinforced glass of the bunker's north-facing windows, humming like a distant alarm. Inside, Logan Hale stood before the operations board, face lit by the glow of decrypted data pulled from the Ukrainian facility's blackbox.
Wraith, Petrescu, Dumitrescu, and Dr. Moraru surrounded him, eyes fixed on the slowly unfolding intel.
> [ENCRYPTED NODE RECOVERED: BLACKROOT-27 LOG | PARTIAL TRANSLATION ENABLED] "...enhanced neural retention... field-adaptive memory tethering... enemy entities developing squad-level structure... cross-language pattern recognition confirmed..."
Wraith exhaled through his nose. "They're not just learning our tactics. They're deciphering our comms."
Moraru looked over the medical scans again. "The Omega-class infected shares brainwave activity patterns similar to trained recon units. It's like its subconscious runs fire drills."
Logan pinched the bridge of his nose. "Every infected we face from this point forward is a veteran. Not a monster."
> [SYSTEM ALERT: WAR CREDITS BALANCE – 1,237.2] [UPGRADE UNLOCKED: TIER III STRUCTURES / BASE MORALITY PROTOCOLS / COMMAND NETWORK LINK]
He made a decision.
> [CONSTRUCTION ORDERED: Tier III Command Center Expansion – 400 WAR CREDITS] [UPGRADE ORDERED: Communications Encryption Grid – 160 WAR CREDITS] [NEW BALANCE: 677.2 WAR CREDITS]
Hammer's voice buzzed in from the southern perimeter. "We've got the trench expansions halfway done, sir. Also, we finally pulled Stalker-One out of the shop. Took two drones and a makeshift gearbox, but she's back."
> [VEHICLE RESTORED: M1128 Stryker Mobile Gun System – OPERATIONAL]
Reaper One walked in through the west door, armor scorched from the morning's defense.
"We need to start counter-raids. Psychological pressure. Make them bleed."
Logan nodded. "We will."
---
Location: Sector 6F – Abandoned Logistics Station Time: 15:04
Echo Recon Unit Echo-5 patrolled through the moss-covered ruins of an old logistics depot east of Suceava. Sofia led the team alongside Dragan, now promoted to specialist, with Mihai and two Phantom operators in support.
A signal pinged on their HUDs.
> [SIGNATURE DETECTED – UNKNOWN NETWORK – TRANSMISSION BURSTS (UNMANNED)]
They tracked the source to a half-collapsed office trailer, where inside, a battered laptop buzzed faintly beside a long-dead body. A blinking light showed it had been attempting to upload data to an unknown satellite address.
"Still transmitting?" Sofia asked.
"Looks like it," Mihai said. "But the power's coming from a self-contained generator. Military-grade. This wasn't civilian."
They secured the device and marked the station for further recovery.
> [MISSION REWARD: +90 WAR CREDITS | Possible Intel Node]
---
Location: Echo Point – Medbay & Barracks Time: 17:26
That evening, Dr. Moraru sat beside the sedated Omega-014, reviewing scans. A faint change—subtle shifts in electrical signals. She leaned closer. Then she heard it again.
Murmuring.
Almost inaudible.
"...flank right... watch the crossfield... fire two... reposition..."
It wasn't speaking nonsense. It was running drills.
She recorded it all.
In the barracks, Dumitrescu led training exercises for new recruits. Lena was improving with small arms. Cristian was already integrated into radio relay. Iulian was learning how to work the turret systems under Hammer's guidance.
Echo Point was growing. Not just with walls and guns. With cohesion.
---
Location: Command Core – Briefing Chamber Time: 18:02
Logan stood before the assembled Echo officers.
"Tonight, we launch our first deliberate engagement beyond the Listening Post grid. Phantom Bravo will insert at Grid 7C. Objectives:
1. Destroy radio jammers
2. Confirm presence of second Omega
3. Recover additional node data if possible
Stalker-One and Rhino-One will provide overwatch. Reaper and Wraith lead assault squads. Petrescu, Sofia, and Dumitrescu rotate defense command."
Everyone nodded.
As the sky darkened over Echo Point, the teams prepared in silence.
There were no illusions anymore. This wasn't just survival.
This was a war against an enemy that understood the battlefield as well as they did.
And it was learning faster every day.