N-23: The last days

Chapter 8 - Escape and rescue

“Who the hell are you anyway?” Alex asked, looking directly into Mason’s eyes. Everyone had different questions, but there was no time to entertain them.

“I’m the guy who saved your asses. Look, we ain’t got no time for questions. Unless you want that big guy over there ripping us apart, we need to find way to get out of here” Mason said.

He was already tired of hearing questions and was already wishing he had left. Jake understood what the team needed and spoke to them in private. He wanted them to avoid asking questions but try to make it back to base.

“Alright” Mason said, breaking the silence. “We don’t have that much time. That juggernaut will be back on its feet any minute now, and when it does, it’ll be angrier than before. We need to move fast and quietly"

“Wait” jake interjected. “What the hell is a juggernaut? Why’d you call the other ones hyper-ragers”

His whole team looked at him, since he was the one that said no questions. Mason took a deep breath, knowing these questions would never end.

"The N-23 virus doesn't just turn people into mindless, aggressive predators. Over time, some of the infected have mutated into different forms. The ones you see running around like wild animals? Those are hyper-ragers. They move faster and are more aggressive than regular ragers. But juggernauts... they're different. They're bigger, stronger, and a lot harder to kill. They seem to have an enhanced resistance to most forms of attack."

The team exchanged uneasy glances.

"How many other mutations are there?" one of them asked, her voice trembling.

"I've encountered a few, I have like a manual or sorts for that but I’ll show you guys when we escape." Mason replied. "Some are stealthy, almost invisible until they're right on top of you. Others have developed a sort of hive mind, coordinating their attacks. But juggernauts are the worst. They're almost impossible to bring down permanently."

"So how do we get out of here?" Jake asked, trying to keep the fear out of his voice. "We can't outrun that thing, and we can't fight it, right?"

Mason nodded. "We need to be smart. We use the environment to our advantage. Titan is already scouting ahead. By the way, Titan is the artificial intelligence I designed against the ragers. The drones will help us find a path with the least resistance."

As if on cue, the drone that once left buzzed back to Mason, its red light blinking.

"Sir, I've identified a route through the alleys that should keep us hidden from most of the ragers. However, the juggernaut is likely to follow us."

"Then we make sure it can't," Mason said grimly. He then turned to Jake and his team "Everyone, stay close and follow my lead."

The group nodded, trusting Mason’s judgement. They moved cautiously through the debris-strewn streets, guided by Titan's directions. One of the drones had gone before them, clearing their path and informing Mason of any nearby rager. Every shadow seemed to hide a threat, every sound made them flinch. The city's decay was palpable, with crumbling buildings and rusting vehicles marking their path. Every step was a test of nerves.

They had made it halfway to their destination, near a warehouse and barricaded themselves inside. It was dimly lit and cluttered with old machinery and crates, but it provided a temporary haven. Mason quickly set up his equipment, activating and checking their status. The sonic cannon had finished charging up for another round. Jake’s team looked around for weapons they could use.

“Titan, report,” he commanded.

“Sir, we have a situation” Titan voice crackled through the receiver. “ The drone sent ahead of you has detected a group of ragers converging on a young male approximately half a mile from your location.”

Mason’s eyes widened.” Describe him”

“The boy appears to be light skinned, with dark hair and wearing a grey jacket. He seems to be holding some kind of crowbar. He is currently trying to evade the ragers but he is outnumbered.”

Jake’s heart sank. “Ryan,” He whispered. He turned to his group, his face pale. “Ryan is in danger; he must have followed us”

“You know that lad?” Mason asked.

“He is part of our enclave” Maria said, tears almost in her eyes. “We need to go get him”

Without hesitation, Jake stood up. Mason already knew what he wanted to say. He placed his hands on Jake’s shoulder.

“it’s too risky. The juggernaut is still out there, and we barely made it alive”

Jake knew what he had to do. “I’ll go alone. Just please help get my family home safe”.

Liam stepped forward. “We are a team; we’ll all go together”. Jake looked at the rest of the team, they had affirmation all written on their faces. They were ready to put their lives on the line for the other. Mason shrugged, reluctantly nodding.

“Alright, but we need to be smart about this. Titan, guide us to little lad’s location, and keep us updated on the ragers’ movements.”

“Understood sir” Titan responded.