The LIRI pursuit squad didn't move like the guards from the perimeter. These were 'Black-Ops'—men who moved in a silent, staggered diamond formation. Their NVGs (Night Vision Goggles) cut through the marsh mist like twin emerald daggers.
[Combat Mode Initialized.]
[Enemies Detected: 6]
4 Tactical Operators (Level 4)
2 Combat Androids (Level 5)
"They're crossing the choke point near the old weir," Shelton whispered, his eyes glowing blue as he stared into the 'Artificer' interface projected by his gauntlet. "Tory, I've got their comms. They think we're still hunkered down in the redwood."
"Perfect," I said. I felt the [Pack-Link] humming. It was no longer a flicker; it was a steady, golden tether connecting my mind to theirs. "Hi, you're the bait. Lead them into the 'Kill Zone'."
Hi grinned, his orange eyes shimmering. "Finally, a job I was born for. Running away while looking fabulous."
[Skill Activated: Sonic Dash!]
Hi didn't just run; he became a blurred streak of orange light. He zipped across the water's surface, the 'crack' of a small sonic boom echoing through the swamp.
"Subject sighted! Sector 4!" a guard shouted.
The squad shifted, their rifles tracking the orange blur.
"Now, Shelton!" I barked.
Shelton slammed his gauntlet-clad hand into the mud.
[Skill Activated: System Overclock!]
A pulse of electromagnetic energy rippled outward. The guards' NVGs flickered and died. Their high-tech rifles jammed as the electronic firing pins were scrambled.
"My eyes! I'm blind!"
In the sudden darkness, the hunters became the hunted.
"Ben, take the center. I'll take the flanks," I commanded.
[Skill Activated: Predator's Eye + Feral Burst!]
I moved. With my [Agility: 17], the world was a still-frame movie. I slid through the shadows, my claws finding the gaps in the tactical armor of the first guard.
[Guard Neutralized! Exp +40]
Across the clearing, Ben was a juggernaut. A combat android tried to swing a heavy baton at him, but Ben didn't dodge. He caught the blow with his forearm, the [Guardian] shimmer absorbing the impact.
"My turn," Ben growled.
He gripped the android's head and twisted. Metal screeched and sparks flew as he ripped the processor core clean out of its neck.
[Combat Android Destroyed! Exp +100]
The remaining guards tried to retreat, but the marsh itself seemed to turn against them. Hi was circling them so fast he created a vortex of mist and mud, keeping them disoriented.
I lunged for the final Operator. He reached for a sidearm, but I was faster. I pinned him against a cypress tree, my claws inches from his throat.
"Tell the Tracker," I hissed, my voice echoing with the System's 'Alpha' resonance. "The wolves are tired of running."
I knocked him out with a single blow to the temple.
[Quest 'Counter-Ambush' ... COMPLETED!]
[Rewards Distribution:]
Total Exp: 600 (Split among Pack)
Level Up! Tory (Level 3 -> Level 4)
Level Up! Ben, Shelton, Hi (All Level 2)
[Bonus Reward: Skill Book 'Pack Mental Map' Found!]
As the silence returned to the marsh, the golden light of the Level Up washed over us. But the celebration was short-lived.
A high-pitched, inhuman shriek pierced the air from the north. It wasn't a drone, and it wasn't a guard.
[Warning! 'The Tracker' has entered 'Enraged State'.]
[Distance: 200 Meters... and closing fast.]
"He's not waiting anymore," Shelton said, his gauntlet sparking. "He saw what we did to his team. Tory, he's coming for blood."
I looked at the 'Skill Book' in my hand. We had seconds to prepare for a Level 12 Boss fight.
"Everyone," I said, my heart thumping with a mix of fear and lethal excitement. "Spend your points. The real fight starts now."
---
A Triple Level Up! The Pack is getting stronger, but The Tracker is S-Rank for a reason. What 'Stat' should Tory dump all her points into to survive?
A) More Agility (Speed is Life)
B) Constitution (Tank the hits)
C) Intelligence (Master the System)
Comment your choice!