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2024-10-29 19:42:56The group moved out, following Titan's directions. They navigated through the deserted streets, their senses heightened by the ever-present danger. As they approached Ryan's location, they could hear the growls and snarls of the ragers.
Ryan was cornered in an alley, desperately trying to fend off the ragers with a makeshift weapon. His face was a mask of fear and determination. "Ryan!" Jake shouted, rushing forward. “I’m sorry Jake. I thought I could show you that I could also do operations.” Ryan said, almost crying. The team formed a protective circle around the boy, fighting off the ragers with all their might. Luckily for them, the ragers were the first strain and weren’t fast at all. Mason's drones provided crucial support, their sonic cannons disorienting the ragers and giving the group a chance to strike. But the sheer number of ragers made it clear that this was a losing battle. "We need to fall back!" Mason shouted. "There's too many of them!" As they started to retreat, a deafening roar echoed through the alley. The juggernaut was back, and it was furious. It barreled towards them, its massive form smashing through anything in its path. Jake knew they couldn't outrun it. Mason smiled again and made his hands into a fist. “Titan, ready the cannons” “Yes Sir” A high-pitched humming sound follow after Titans voice. Boom !!!! The canon went firing. It wouldn’t stop the juggernaut’s movement, but it slowed it down. There was still a problem, the other ragers were already circling in on them. Mason had to deploy the two drones to help take care of that while he kept firing the mini cannon he wore on his hand. The mini cannon effectiveness was minute compared to the ones the drones had. “We need to fall back. I can’t keep this for much longer” Mason said. The guns and his team were firing wasn’t doing any real damage. Jake looked around; he saw that there was no way to escape if Mason kept dividing his resources amongst all the ragers. He made a split-second decision. He turned to Liam, saying;” Do you still have any bombs with you?” Liam was confused. “Yes, I do. But I haven’t worked on the timer yet. If activated, it could detonate immediately. There’s no chance of using it without suicide” “suicide” Jake was half smiling. Liam became more confused. He was already getting an idea of what Jake wanted to do. “Hand me the bomb” “Why?” “Just do it” Liam reluctantly gave Jake the bomb, wondering why he wanted it. Jake went over to Mason, muttering something to him. Mason sighed and nodded. "Get Ryan out of here," he ordered to his team. "I'll hold the juggernaut off." “Hold it off? , with guns? You saw what that thing can do.” Maria said. “Trust me, I have a plan. I always do” Jake smiled at Maria. Sam immediately understood the assignment and held the boy with his left hand. "No!" Ryan cried. "I can't leave you!" He was feeling remorse, because he was the one who made the decision of going against Jake’s order and leaving the base. "You have to," Jake said firmly. "Go with them. Now!" Just then, Mason handed his hand cannons to Jake as they had spoken about. “I’ll get them home safely” He re-assured Jake. Jake nodded and looked at his team. They immediately knew what to do. They held off Ryan. Mason withdrew his drones from the juggernaut and targeted the other ragers as Jake had ordered., creating an open path for them to walk through. Jake charged at the juggernaut, drawing its attention away from the group. He fought with everything he had, using the sonic cannon Mason had given him and his machine gun to keep the beast at bay. The more he fired the canon, the more distraught and angrier the juggernaut became. The juggernaut roared in frustration, its powerful limbs smashing into the walls around him. It swung one of its arms towards Jake. He ducked, firing the cannon on the arm that was swung. For a second, it could not move the hand. But then, it came back into control. Jake wiped the smear of blood on his lips and took a stance, looking at the creature. He knew his bones would break if he took a hit from the juggernaut’s swings.
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"Jake, come on!" Maria shouted, but Jake shook his head. "Go!" he yelled. "I'll hold it off and come join you guys soon." He smiled a fake smile. One that Maria knew would be the last. Amongst everyone on the team, she was the one closest to Jake. They would always sit at the balcony at nights looking at the moon while she would tell Jake of her nightmares. Jake wasn’t one to express his feelings. She never knew he dreamt of his daughter every day. He never mentioned anything about her. Once, she kissed him but he withdrew, saying nothing as he stood and left the balcony. Since then, they always looked at each other differently. Watching him die would destroy her. With sadness in their eyes, the group retreated, dragging a reluctant Ryan and a crying Maria with them. Mason's drones provided cover, but even his advanced weaponry couldn't stop the juggernaut for long. As they reached the safety of the warehouse, a gut-wrenching scream echoed through the air. Ryan turned back, his he
N-23: The last days Chapter 11 - Virus profile - 1
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N-23: The last days Chapter 13 - Aftermath
The explosion shattered the night, sending a shockwave that rippled through the surrounding landscape. A plume of fire and smoke billowed into the sky, briefly illuminating the darkness as debris rained down. Ryan’s ears rang from the blast, his vision blurred by tears and smoke. He tried to process what had just happened, but his mind refused to accept it. Jake, the man who had been like a father to him, was gone—ripped apart by the juggernaut and consumed in the explosion. Maria’s scream pierced through the noise, dragging Ryan back to reality. She struggled against Alex’s grip, desperate to run back toward the burning wreckage that had once been their friend and leader. “Jake!” she cried, her voice raw and broken. “Jake!” Alex felt like he was moving through molasses as he reached out to her. He had to stop her, had to make her see that it was too late, but the words caught in his throat. Instead, he could only watch as she crumpled to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.
N-23: The last days Chapter 14 - visit of pain
The walk back to the enclave was slow and silent, the weight of what they had just experienced hanging heavily over them. Every step felt like a struggle, as if the very earth beneath them was trying to pull them down, to drag them into the same abyss that had claimed Jake. Mason was the only one who wasn’t dragged by what had happened. He had just met Jake, so he wasn’t emotionally attached, though he felt for Jake’s team. His two drones went ahead of them, scanning the perimeter ahead to scout out routes that were ragers free. It was a long and silent walk back to the enclave but after some hours, they were at its gate. Mario, as the enclave called him, was the gate keeper. He was in-charge of watching over the base surroundings for incoming ragers. He had a shift partner, Marcus but Marcus usually slacks off. Mar io could easily read the room as the team approached him. At first, he wondered why they held long faces as their number were complete and they even had one more. “R
N-23: The last days Chapter 15 - Hope
Ryan sat by the gates, thinking. He couldn’t help but continuously blame himself for what happened to Jake. If only he had stayed in the enclave; Thoughts like that. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Sam looking at him with a mix of concern and something else—something that looked almost like respect. “Jake would be proud of you,” Sam said quietly. “He always believed in you.” Ryan didn’t know how to respond to that, so he just nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. The words were meant to comfort, but they only made the ache in his chest grow stronger. Jake had believed in him, and now Jake was gone. How was he supposed to live up to that? Sam’s expression softened, and he squeezed Ryan’s shoulder before letting go. “Get some rest,” he said. “We have a lot of work to do tomorrow.” Ryan nodded again, though the idea of sleep seemed impossible. His mind was too full of thoughts, memories, and emotions that refused to be silenced. But he knew that Sam was
N-23: The last days Chapter 1 - The dream
“Stay close to me, Mel!” Jake shouted, his voice barely audible over the cacophony of growls and screams. His daughter, clutching a small, blood-stained baseball bat, stood behind him, her eyes wide with fear and determination. She had learned to fight, too. There was no other choice in this world. Something lunged at them, its mouth open in a silent scream. It was half dead and carried the smell of rotten corpse along with it. It was called a Rager. Jake drove his spear into its chest, feeling the resistance of bone and muscle before it pierced the heart. Trying to kil them like humans would do nothing most times, depending on the durability of the Rager. This one was no exception as it still continued to move even after its heart was struck. Mel screamed and used her bat continuously to bash its head until it longer moved. The rager fell, but in its place, two more had emerged, their eyes blazing with the hunger for flesh. “Mel, now!!” Jake yelled. Mel swung her bat with all her
N-23: The last days Chapter 2 - The ambush i
The sun hung low in the sky, casting shadows over the landscape as Jake tightened his grip on the makeshift spear. The strong stench of death hung in the air and he could barely breathe. Literally, there were decomposing bodies all over the city, a grim reminder of what once was. “When would this end?” He muttered to himself. A year had passed since the N-23 virus had shattered civilization, rendering the world hostile and broken. At the onset, people thought they would band together against the threat. But survival instincts made them selfish, turning on one another. Supplies were stolen, fights broke out, and some even resorted to cannibalism. The common enemy was forgotten as the struggle for survival took precedence. Some formed colonies or enclaves to increases their chances. Jake’s enclave, repurposed from an old military base stood as a beacon of hope in the chaos, but supplies were dwindling. He knew that today’s scavenging mission was critical for their survival. He glanc
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Ryan sat by the gates, thinking. He couldn’t help but continuously blame himself for what happened to Jake. If only he had stayed in the enclave; Thoughts like that. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Sam looking at him with a mix of concern and something else—something that looked almost like respect. “Jake would be proud of you,” Sam said quietly. “He always believed in you.” Ryan didn’t know how to respond to that, so he just nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. The words were meant to comfort, but they only made the ache in his chest grow stronger. Jake had believed in him, and now Jake was gone. How was he supposed to live up to that? Sam’s expression softened, and he squeezed Ryan’s shoulder before letting go. “Get some rest,” he said. “We have a lot of work to do tomorrow.” Ryan nodded again, though the idea of sleep seemed impossible. His mind was too full of thoughts, memories, and emotions that refused to be silenced. But he knew that Sam was
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Chapter 14 - visit of pain
The walk back to the enclave was slow and silent, the weight of what they had just experienced hanging heavily over them. Every step felt like a struggle, as if the very earth beneath them was trying to pull them down, to drag them into the same abyss that had claimed Jake. Mason was the only one who wasn’t dragged by what had happened. He had just met Jake, so he wasn’t emotionally attached, though he felt for Jake’s team. His two drones went ahead of them, scanning the perimeter ahead to scout out routes that were ragers free. It was a long and silent walk back to the enclave but after some hours, they were at its gate. Mario, as the enclave called him, was the gate keeper. He was in-charge of watching over the base surroundings for incoming ragers. He had a shift partner, Marcus but Marcus usually slacks off. Mar io could easily read the room as the team approached him. At first, he wondered why they held long faces as their number were complete and they even had one more. “R
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Chapter 13 - Aftermath
The explosion shattered the night, sending a shockwave that rippled through the surrounding landscape. A plume of fire and smoke billowed into the sky, briefly illuminating the darkness as debris rained down. Ryan’s ears rang from the blast, his vision blurred by tears and smoke. He tried to process what had just happened, but his mind refused to accept it. Jake, the man who had been like a father to him, was gone—ripped apart by the juggernaut and consumed in the explosion. Maria’s scream pierced through the noise, dragging Ryan back to reality. She struggled against Alex’s grip, desperate to run back toward the burning wreckage that had once been their friend and leader. “Jake!” she cried, her voice raw and broken. “Jake!” Alex felt like he was moving through molasses as he reached out to her. He had to stop her, had to make her see that it was too late, but the words caught in his throat. Instead, he could only watch as she crumpled to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.
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Chapter 12 - virus profile - 2
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Chapter 11 - Virus profile - 1
N-23 Virus Profile Written by Mason Grey, Scientist and technologist. Introduction Over time, I, Mason grey had carried out various theoretical and practical experiments on these Ragers, to come up with a survival profile for them. Some of the results, shocking and the mutations, breathe taking. This document delves into the scientific intricacies of how the virus hijacks human physiology, the mutations that have given rise to various Rager variants, and the countermeasures that have shown some promise in containing its spread. The following sections will detail the virus’s transmission, transmission phases, biological mechanisms, and the emerging strategies to counter this unprecedented threat. Stay vigilant, stay informed, and never underestimate the cunning of the N-23 virus. Overview The N-23 virus, also known as Necrovirus-23, is a highly engineered pathogen designed with a sinister purpose. Its origins remain shrouded in mystery, but its effects are devastatingly clea
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Chapter 10 - The Sacrifice II
"Jake, come on!" Maria shouted, but Jake shook his head. "Go!" he yelled. "I'll hold it off and come join you guys soon." He smiled a fake smile. One that Maria knew would be the last. Amongst everyone on the team, she was the one closest to Jake. They would always sit at the balcony at nights looking at the moon while she would tell Jake of her nightmares. Jake wasn’t one to express his feelings. She never knew he dreamt of his daughter every day. He never mentioned anything about her. Once, she kissed him but he withdrew, saying nothing as he stood and left the balcony. Since then, they always looked at each other differently. Watching him die would destroy her. With sadness in their eyes, the group retreated, dragging a reluctant Ryan and a crying Maria with them. Mason's drones provided cover, but even his advanced weaponry couldn't stop the juggernaut for long. As they reached the safety of the warehouse, a gut-wrenching scream echoed through the air. Ryan turned back, his he
- N-23: The last days
Chapter 9 - The sacrifice I
The group moved out, following Titan's directions. They navigated through the deserted streets, their senses heightened by the ever-present danger. As they approached Ryan's location, they could hear the growls and snarls of the ragers. Ryan was cornered in an alley, desperately trying to fend off the ragers with a makeshift weapon. His face was a mask of fear and determination. "Ryan!" Jake shouted, rushing forward. “I’m sorry Jake. I thought I could show you that I could also do operations.” Ryan said, almost crying. The team formed a protective circle around the boy, fighting off the ragers with all their might. Luckily for them, the ragers were the first strain and weren’t fast at all. Mason's drones provided crucial support, their sonic cannons disorienting the ragers and giving the group a chance to strike. But the sheer number of ragers made it clear that this was a losing battle. "We need to fall back!" Mason shouted. "There's too many of them!" As they started to r
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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 q
- N-23: The last days
Chapter 7 - The sound of survival
Mason had Titan power the cannon and shot at the juggernaut, but this time it did nothing than push the juggernaut a few meters back. Mason’s face showed excitement; he was loving the fight. Meanwhile, Jake’s team was managing. Due to the help of the initial sonic canon, the agility of the hyper-ragers were slowed down. It made things easier for them. Rita was a beast; severing heads like she was playing a zombie video game. Maria who was weak was getting a hang of it. She would use the spear given to her by Jake, piercing the heads of ragers. Though she was slow. Rita killed four per one of Maria’s kills. Sam had no problem getting close to ragers. His shooting skills made him keep his distance. Alex and Liam were clumsy as usual, making jokes of everything. Jake on the other hand was weak, still feeling pains from the shockwaves of the explosions. “We are done over here” Jake yelled over to Mason, breathing so fast. “Titan, increase the output and the frequency of the blast.
