RTS System in the Apocalypse-Chapter 40: Breaching

Corpses lay scattered inside the bank’s premises. The chilly wind blew from the entrance, chilling a squad of soldiers as they sneaked into the rear.

Fluorescent lights flickered above, dimly illuminating the messy office blocks.

Tables and chairs were pushed aside, the open path leading into a secured door. Behind it was a large gray metallic vault at the center—Dmitri’s target for today.

Thick metal bars barred the team’s advance. The security door in between did not.

"Give me the card."

Jenkins handed a bloodied card. Printed on it was the bank manager’s face and name.

A smooth swipe triggered a beep, switching the light from red to green. Dmitri pushed the door open and stepped in front of the vault.

"No combination, right?" Dmitri asked.

"Lost in the mess." Jenkins shrugged.

"We’re running out of time. Breaching then."

Dmitri tapped on the vault’s frame. Dull thudding echoed on his ears.

"Vault’s a little thick."

His eyes scanned the door patiently, feeling the coldness of the metallic frame. Then, his eyes caught on.

The hinge side was reinforced. The lock side wasn’t.

"This will do."

He placed a breaching charge near the thinner side. Fixing the wires and fuse in place, he signaled the team to retreat.

"B1 reporting in. Charge is placed. All teams, report status. B1 out." Dmitri radioed.

"T1 & T2 here. Traps in place. Escape route is ready, waiting for the go. T1 & T2 out."

"S1 reporting. Spotted a suspicious individual. Might be the guy who can scale walls. B1, any suggestions? S1 out."

"S1, keep an eye on that guy. Apprehend if necessary. AX1, assist S1, over."

"Roger that, B1. AX1, moving out."

"S1 moving out."

The radio fell silent.

Dmitri and Jenkins exchanged a glance.

The trigger was pulled. The fuse hissed softly. Time slowly ticked by.

Then the charge went off.

The shockwave slammed through the vault room, rattling their teeth and driving a pressure wave into their chests.

Metal squealed as the vault door tore free from its concrete frame, crashing inward in a cloud of dust, debris, and sparks.

The floor under their feet trembled, their trembling hands holding onto the wall.

A second later, the bank’s alarm blared to life. It was sharp and shrill, echoing across the urban fringe.

Heads turned. Bodies shifted.

The horde of zombies from the suburban area began to move—like a tsunami about to swallow the bank whole.

"This is T1. We have heavy undead movement coming—west and north!"

"Roger that." Dmitri replied. "B1 and B2 on the move."

He looked at Jenkins, "No time like now."

The breaching team held their breaths and passed through the billowing dust. Stepping inside the vault room, bronze deposit boxes surrounded them.

At the corner were 6 brick-sized gold bars shining under the dim light, mixed with worn-out paper currency.

On Dmitri’s hands were rings holding several keys. He tossed a few ones and ordered.

"Here’s the keys. Thirty seconds per box. Grab what you can."

Fingers turned quickly. Hands pulled fast. Contents were dumped and stuffed away without inspection.

The vault room turned chaotic—the outside world wasn’t different as well.

"Get down, you slimy fuck!" Adrian slammed the suspicious figure to the ground. Bone cracked as the man’s left arm twisted the wrong way.

"You—ah!" Zimmer, caught by the auxiliary squad, screamed. "The warlord will not forget this, you hear me?"

"Oh I hear you all right," Adrian spit on Zimmer’s face, "I won’t either."

Elise zipped Zimmer’s arms in place, ending his desperate struggle.

"Good." Adrian grabbed Zimmer by the neck, pulling him close. "Be obedient like my dog here. Do anything funny and I’ll break more of your limbs."

He shoved the captive toward Elise and moved to the front. The alarm still blared, unceasing.

"AX1, reporting in." Adrian said into the comm, "We have captured the intruder. Possible HVT. B1, should we bring him in?"

"Rendezvous to the guard post." Dmitri replied, "S1, watch their retreat. Package has been secured. B1 and B2 moving out."

Dmitri secured his tactical pack tightly. The six gold bars had been settled inside. With every deposit box laying empty, nothing else inside the vault room was noteworthy.

"Jenkins, take point," he ordered, "I’ll take rear. Move!"

The squads flowed out of the bank in line formation. Jenkins’s aim snapped right, "Contact—right side of the street!"

Suppressed gunfire erupted from his gun. Zombies dropped as rounds pierced through their skulls.

B1 and B2 sprinted across the street, zombies on their tail.

"Frag out!"

An Army Soldier, standing from the rooftops, hurled the grenade over his shoulder. It bounced once, scuttling into the concrete toward the horde.

Dmitri’s team rammed through the building entrance. The door shut behind them.

Zombies piled against it, clawing their way inside.

Suddenly, the explosion hit.

The shockwave ripped around, dust shaking loose from the walls and the ceiling.

"Upstairs, now!" Dmitri ordered.

The team rushed upward and weaved through the marked traps left by T1 and T2. Footsteps rumbled on the stairs until they reached the rooftop.

Gunfire erupted into their ears.

Soldiers angled their rifles downward, tearing into the swarm below. Zombies fell, bodies stacking on the street.

"Breach team’s up! Withdraw!" Hopkins shouted.

Gunfire loosened, then stopped. His squad covered the front, followed by the breaching team on the rear.

Without hesitation, the squads ran onto the wooden plank bridging the gap, moving as one across the rooftops.

Their smooth retreat continued, picking up T2 on the way.

"Breaching and trap teams on retreat. S1 and AX1, status report!" Dmitri called out.

"A little complication over here!" S1 hastily radioed, gunshots echoing from the other side.

"What complications?" Dmitri frowned.

"HVT’s best friend. We are handling it." S1 replied, "Watch out, B1. There might be another person around. S1 out."

"Copy, S1."

What? Another intruder?

Dmitri’s heart pounded—a sense of unease grew within him. He looked ahead, realizing that the team had crossed the last wooden plank.

Rex barked at him, urging Dmitri to come over. As he picked up his pace, the wind around him shifted.

"Dmitri, watch out!" Jenkins warned too late.

A figure crashed into the makeshift bridge, tearing it in half. Dmitri threw himself back, rolling on the cement.

Before he could take a breath in, a blade light gleamed into his vision. He tilted his head, scraping a wound on his right cheek.

"Oh?"

A woman stood on the ledge, gripping the bloodied katana.

Rex snarled, straining against Jenkins.

"Damn it," Jenkins cursed, "Shoot that woman!"

"No!" Dmitri signaled, "Fall back. I’ll catch up."

"As if I’d let you!"

Her figure suddenly blurred. Dmitri snapped to the left, unleashing his combat knife. Sparks flew out as the two blades collided.

The impact drove them apart.

Dmitri gritted, Is this a superhuman?

"Quite skillful, I see!"

She struck again.

Dmitri’s pistol came up under his arms, catching her off guard.

The shot rang out.

She twisted, the blade knocking the round aside. The second shot forced her back, missing her ear by inches.

Her smile faltered, replaced by a frown. She slashed, wanting to chop that arm off.

However, the wind suddenly howled and her katana shattered.

The broken blade tore past between the two of them, exploding the concrete across the roof.

His comms buzzed.

"Sorry for the late assist," a woman said, amused, "Sniper Zolya on overwatch. Reporting for duty."

Far from the rooftops, the scope’s sight centered on the enemy’s figure. Zolya held the Barrett M82 tightly, her steady finger already on the trigger.

The bullet shot out, bursting the afterimage.

"Target got away," Zolya clicked her tongue. "I apologize, comrade."

Dmitri shook his head, "It’s fine. Thanks for the help."

"You should save it for later." she adjusted her sights, "A few zombies are knocking on your feet."

Growls arrived on Dmitri’s rear, pulling him out of his trance.

"Right. Cover me."

"Don’t worry, sweet heart," Zolya chuckled, "I won’t let you die on my watch."

Dmitri exhaled and moved.

He sprinted and leapt across the narrow gap. His hands reached onto the ledge, barely climbing on the way out—shots cracking behind him.

The rooftop door slammed open. Rex barreled into him, barking wildly.

"Miss me?" Dmitri laughed, ruffling the dog’s fur, "Let’s go!"

The alarm faded behind them as he rejoined the group in the guard post. Adrian and the others visibly relaxed upon seeing him.

"This the HVT?" Dmitri asked, eyeing Zimmer’s battered face.

"Yeah, quite the celebrity he is," Adrian puffed a smoke, "He’s not happy at the moment."

"What happened?"

"His friend didn’t make it."

Zolya stepped up behind Dmitri, tapping his shoulder. She carried a long black case—the Barrett secured inside.

"You?" Dmitri smirked.

"I did," Zolya shook his hand, "Pity the playful girl friend got away."

"We’ll get to that," Dmitri stepped out of the guard post, "For now, we grab our haul and move.

The armored SUV roared over the highway stretching over the horizon.

The setting sun cast a long shadow of the platoon marching behind. Their return not only carried the spoils of war, but the victory that led to it.