Chapter 63 Leaving the AO

Chapter 63 Leaving the AO

Meanwhile, at Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

Graves and all of the Specter's squads moved methodically down the road, following a carefully planned route towards one of the tall buildings that offered an ideal location for extraction. n)/OvElbIn

They had been in the city for the past six hours, and the situation was far from enjoyable. Every minute brought encounters with the relentless undead. Their kill count had steadily risen, surpassing 100 as time went on.

With each step, the tally of the undead they had dispatched continued to climb. They were already informed about the successful defense of the Oriental. Now, the only thing they have to do is go back to the Oriental.

"Sir there it is!" One of Graves's men pointed at the tall building in the distance.

Graves nodded, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of movement. The building they needed to reach was across the intersection, and between them and their destination, a horde of wandering zombies roamed aimlessly.

He brought his squad to a halt and crouched down, signaling for them to do the same. They took cover behind abandoned vehicles and debris strewn across the road, their weapons at the ready.

"We are going to need a distraction," Graves said, his voice low but determined, as he glanced at his squads.

"How about throwing grenades, sir? That will draw them out of our way," one of Graves's men suggested, his fingers already on a grenade pin.

Graves considered the idea for a moment. The noise from explosions would undoubtedly attract the attention of the nearby undead, but it might be their best chance to create an opening.

"Good call," Graves replied, giving a curt nod and pointing his fingers. "Throw it over there."

The designated squad members swiftly readied their grenades. With precise movements, they pulled the pins and hurled the grenade toward different areas, strategically creating a series of controlled blasts. The grenades erupted with sharp, concussive cracks, instantly capturing the undead's attention.

As the explosions echoed through the streets, the zombies that had been shuffling aimlessly now stumbled and staggered toward the sources of the noise. The distraction worked just as planned, drawing the undead horde away from the intersection, albeit temporarily.

Graves seized the opportunity. "Move, move, move!" he ordered, his voice sharp and clear. His squads sprang into action, sprinting across the intersection with their weapons raised and ready to fire.

As they got across the intersection, they entered the revolving glass doors of the tall building, moving quickly to secure the entrance. After that, they locked it.

"Clear the lobby, make sure it's secure," Graves ordered his squads as they spread out, moving cautiously through the dimly lit space. They checked corners and blind spots, ensuring that no undead lurked within.

After a few tense minutes, one of the squad members signaled the all-clear. The lobby was secured

"Okay, let's call it in," Graves said as he reached for his radio. "Blackwatch, this is Specter-1, requests immediate extraction. The current position is a residential building called Suites. We'll rope our position once we are on the rooftop."

Static crackled through the radio for a moment before a voice responded. "Specter-1, this is Blackwatch. Copy that, extraction inbound, eta twelve minutes. Sit tight and hold your position. Over."

"Copy, out here," Graves responded and turned to his men. "Since there is no electricity, we will use the stairs."

"How many floors do you think this building has?" one of the squad members asked as they headed over to the emergency doors.

Graves considered the question. "Hard to say, given the height of the building and, I'd say about over sixty floors."

Upon hearing that speculation, Graves's men exchanged surprised glances. In their full combat gear, it's one hell of a climb. But nevertheless, they have no choice. No electricity means no elevators, they have to do it the hard way.

While making their way up to the stairs, one of Graves's men asked.

"Do you think there are still survivors inside this building?"

"Probably," Graves replied. "Not just in this building, in others too. But we can't afford to check all of them, not with our numbers. I'll speak with Eagle Actual later about a possible search and rescue operation in this area."

Ten minutes later, they arrived at the rooftop. They were panting and sweating, their muscles aching from the grueling climb up over sixty floors. The rooftop offered a panoramic view of the city.

"It was said that this city is a bustling metropolis. High-end residential buildings, rich people, luxurious restaurants, everything. There's no way all the people living here died during the outbreak. They must be hiding somewhere within those buildings," Graves commented.

The radio crackled in Graves's chest, indicating an incoming transmission.

Graves spoke into his radio, acknowledging the incoming transmission. "Dustoff 1-1, this is Specter-1, solid copy. We'll rope our position once we spot you."

***

One minute and thirty seconds later, Graves and his men heard the sound of the helicopter rotors growing louder, and they spotted Dustoff 1-1 approaching from the northwest.

Graves brought his binoculars up and peered towards the approaching Dustoff 1-1. Based on its appearance, it was a Boeing CH-47 Chinook.

"Let's rope our position boys," Graves said and one of his men pointed the IR Laser up and swirled it in a circular motion, creating a visible signal for the approaching Dustoff 1-1.

"We see you now, Specter-1, fifteen seconds out."

Graves and his men watched as the Chinook descended on the helipad of the

rooftop.

Seconds later, it landed on the helipad. The rear cargo ramp lowered, revealing the interior of the Chinook.

It was a welcome sight for the tired and battered Specter team.

One by one, Graves's squad entered the Chinook and took their seats inside. Once every member of his squad entered, Graves walked forward. But just before he could take a step into the helicopter, something bright hit his eyes.

"That was a laser, sir."

Graves raised his hands, blocking the beam of light that hit his eyes... He quickly scanned the area, trying to locate the source of the laser.

And he found it, a residential building. Graves brought his binoculars up and focused on the source of the laser. He could see a figure from one of the units holding the laser pointer. It was a clear signal, someone trying to get their attention.

Focusing on it, he saw a man waving at them, jumping up and down to make himself more visible.

"I see him," Graves said to his squad members. "There are indeed survivors in this area. Unfortunately, we can't take them as the helicopter is full. I'm going to signal them to wait."