Chapter 5.9: The Tipping Point

Mark’s Dilemma – To Push or Prepare?

The flames still burned behind them, thick black smoke twisting into the Martian sky.

The infested crater had been purged, but Mark wasn’t celebrating.

He stood at the edge of a cliffside, looking down at the scorched battlefield. The scent of charred parasite flesh mixed with the dry, iron-rich air of Mars.

For the first time in weeks, they had won.

But for how long?

Sophie approached, wiping sweat from her face. "We burned them good, but this isn’t over. They’re already adapting. You saw how some of them lasted longer in the fire than they should have."

Jonathan, sitting on a rock nearby, adjusted his grip on his hammer. "If we keep pushing, we might kill them faster than they can evolve."

Rhea, her rifle slung over her back, shook her head. "Or we’ll burn through our ammo and fuel before we get the job done."

Mark’s mind raced.

They had two options: