Chapter 14: The First Siege

The facility was silent. Too silent.

I sat near one of the reinforced barricades, rifle in hand, eyes locked on the flickering surveillance monitors. Outside, the storm had passed, leaving behind an eerie, unnatural stillness. The creatures were out there. Watching. Waiting.

Daniel leaned against the wall beside me, his new rail rifle resting on his lap. "It's like they're planning something," he muttered.

I didn't like the sound of that.

System Notification:

Alert: Unusual movement detected. Hostiles repositioning. Estimating attack formation…

My grip tightened on my rifle. "They are."

The First Strike

The first attack came suddenly.

A piercing screech echoed through the icy wasteland, followed by the thunderous pounding of multiple creatures charging toward the facility. The cameras flickered, static filling some feeds as the creatures darted past blind spots.

Then—impact.

The walls shuddered as something massive slammed against the outer barricades. Metal groaned under the force.

Daniel jumped to his feet. "That's not just one of them."

I switched to thermal imaging. My stomach tightened.

A larger silhouette stood among the smaller ones, its movements calculated.

System Identification: Apex Predator Variant Detected

Classification: Void Stalker

Traits: Extreme agility, shadow blending, adaptive attack strategies

Void Stalker. That was new.

Turrets Engaged

The first automated turret locked onto movement and opened fire. The sharp whir of high-speed rounds filled the air as bullets tore into the approaching creatures.

Shrieks of pain. Blood sprayed against the snow.

But they didn't retreat.

They learned.

A group of them zigzagged through the barrage, avoiding direct fire, while others used the corpses as shields, pushing forward despite the hail of bullets.

Daniel cursed. "They're adapting too fast!"

The Void Stalker was still in the shadows, observing. Studying our defenses.

And then—it moved.

The Apex Predator Attacks

One moment it was standing still.

The next, it was inside.

The motion alarms blared, but it was already past the barricades, slipping through the smallest gap in our defenses. A black blur darted across the room, vanishing into the dim lighting.

My system flashed a warning.

System Notification:

Warning: High-speed movement detected inside perimeter.

Daniel spun, aiming wildly. "Where the hell is it?"

A deep, inhuman clicking came from above.

I barely had time to react before it dropped from the ceiling.

Close Quarters Combat

The Void Stalker lunged—straight at me.

I threw myself backward as razor-sharp claws slashed through the air, narrowly missing my chest. The creature landed with unnatural grace, its black, sinewy form almost melting into the shadows.

I fired.

The rail rifle roared, sending a concussive blast of energy. The shot hit—but the thing twisted mid-air, absorbing most of the impact before vanishing again.

It was too fast.

Daniel fired off a burst, but his shots tore through empty air. The creature was using the facility's structure against us, darting between beams, clinging to the ceiling.

It wasn't just strong.

It was intelligent.

Setting the Trap

I took a slow breath, forcing myself to think. If bullets weren't working, I needed another strategy.

System Calculation:

Best course of action: Forced exposure.

I flicked a switch on my wristpad.

Facility Command: Activate Emergency Lighting – Full Output.

Every floodlight in the facility flared to life, banishing the shadows. The Void Stalker shrieked, its body twitching as if in pain.

It wasn't just hiding in the dark—it needed it.

Daniel didn't hesitate. He aimed. "Say goodnight, freak."

The rail rifle hummed as he pulled the trigger—

—A direct hit.

The energy round ripped through the creature's torso, sending it crashing to the ground. It twitched violently, its form struggling against the artificial light.

I didn't give it a second chance.

I walked up, raised my rifle, and fired point-blank.

The Void Stalker stilled.

Then, it disintegrated into blackened ash.

Victory?

The silence that followed was unnatural.

The remaining creatures outside suddenly stopped their attack.

I switched to the cameras. The pack—they were retreating.

Daniel let out a shaky breath. "Did we just scare them off?"

I wasn't convinced. The Void Stalker had been leading them. If this was their response to losing an apex predator…

I exhaled, checking my system for updates.

System Notification:

Void Stalker eliminated. Analyzing enemy behavior…

Warning: Pack retreating does not indicate submission.

Prediction: They will return. Stronger. More organized.

I looked at Daniel.

"They're not running," I said. "They're learning."

He paled. "Which means next time—"

"They'll be ready for us."