Chapter 17: the war begins

The explosion still echoed in their trail as James and his team sprinted down the hill, dodging bullets and debris. The Black Sun base was burning—tents were on fire, alarms wailed, and troopers fought to establish a perimeter. But James didn't believe they had more than a few minutes before the fight actually began.

"Go! We must destroy their command post!" James yelled, firing wildly into the confusion.

Carter got reloaded, the two of them ducking down behind a wrecked truck. "They've got an awful lot more troops than we thought!"

Maria grinned, rubbing soot from her eyes. "Well. More to shoot."

Logan, despite his grip on his wound but not planning to let that cripple him in formation, tossed a grenade over the barricade. BOOM! Black Sun troops ducked for cover as shrapnel shredded their line.

Then the floodlights, lighting up dozens of armored cars that roared to life.

Kane's voice thundered from the speakers.

"You think you can stop us? Haven will burn, and you'll all scream to death."

James gritted his teeth. "Not today."

⸻

The Push to the Command Center

The battlefield was a whirlwind of shots, explosions, and screams. James led the team through the blazing wreckage, grabbing every bit of cover that they could.

Maria and Carter pushed the left flank, eliminating enemies with precise fire. Logan, despite being injured, fought as if he had nothing to lose.

James sprinted toward the middle command center, dodging crates as bullets flew past his head. He spotted the radio tower, where Kane's forces were directing their troops.

"We destroy that tower, we sever their communications."

"We destroy it," Carter concurred. "Say no more.".

He took a rocket launcher they had grabbed before and launched it.

FWOOOSH!

The missile cut through the air and reduced the tower to a burning fireball. Sparks rained like hail as the radio equipment within was burned into crumpled metal.

The Black Sun was blinded.

James wheeled around to Maria. "Get in! We have to locate Kane!"

⸻

Kane's Last Stand

They stormed into the command center, room by room of close-quarters carnage. Black Sun soldiers fought like hell, but James and his team were faster, more deadly.

Finally, they reached the central control room—and Kane had been waiting for them.

He stood in front of a gigantic holographic map, still oozing from the wound James had given him a moment before. His expression was cold, calculating.

"Think this counts?" Kane sneered. "You may have the cure, but this isn't a world for the weak. You can't stop what is coming."

James trained his rifle. "You're wrong. Tonight, it ends."

Kane rushed in, drawing out a massive combat knife. James dodged just in time as the blade passed through his vest.

The two men crashed into the table, radios and maps splashing on the floor. Kane was large, but James was faster. He landed a vicious punch to Kane's ribcage, then slammed him against the wall.

Kane reeled but didn't go down. Instead, he pulled out a gun and pressed it to James's chest.

Before he could shoot—

BANG!

Maria reached him first.

Kane's eyes bulged as the round entered him in the center of the chest. He gasped, staggered, and toppled to the ground.

It was over.

James looked down at the corpse, panting. "No more Black Sun."

⸻

Victory… But Not Without Cost

On the battlefield, the battle was theirs. With their leader dead and communications cut, the rest of the Black Sun soldiers were in full retreat.

By dawn, the base was theirs.

But at a cost.

Logan slumped against a wall, bleeding out. Carter's arm was wrapped and running blood. Dozens of Haven soldiers were dead.

Maria wiped her forehead. "We won. But this isn't over, is it?"

James nodded. "No. But we just gave humanity a chance."

He pulled the vial of the cure from his pocket.

"This is where the real fight begins."Chapter 22: The War Begins

The explosion still echoed behind them as James and his team sprinted down the hill, dodging bullets and shrapnel. The Black Sun base was destroyed—fire engulfed the camp, alarms shrieked, and soldiers fought to establish a perimeter. But James believed they had only a few minutes before the real battle began.

"Move! We have to blow their command station!" James yelled, firing into the melee.

Carter was re-loading behind a wrecked vehicle as they advanced together. "They've got a whole lot more men than we expected!"

Maria grinned, smudging filth from her cheek. "Good. More targets."

Logan, holding his wound although he wasn't going to let it keep him in line, tossed a grenade over the barricade. BOOM! Black Sun soldiers dove for cover as shrapnel tore their ranks.

Then the floodlights, illuminating dozens of armored cars that revved into life.

Kane's voice boomed from the speakers.

"You think you can stop us? Haven will burn, and you'll all scream to death."

James clamped his teeth. "Not today."

⸻

The Push to the Command Center

The battlefield was a maelstrom of shots, explosions, and screams. James shoved the team through the burning wreckage, picking up every bit of cover that they could.

Maria and Carter pushed the left flank forward, taking out enemies with precise shots. Logan fought as if he didn't care that he had a bullet in him.

James sprinted to the mid-command center, dodging crates and bullets whizzing past his head. He spotted the radio tower where Kane's soldiers were directing his troops.

"We take out that tower, we cut off their communications."

"We take it out," Carter said. "You don't have to say anything.".

He pulled out a rocket launcher they had grabbed previously and launched it.

FWOOOSH!

The missile cut through the air and reduced the tower to a burning fireball. Sparks rained down like hail as the radio equipment within was burnt into mangled metal.

The Black Sun was blinded.

James turned to Maria. "Get in! We have to find Kane!"

⸻

Kane's Last Stand

They stormed the command center, room after room of vicious close-quarters combat. Black Sun soldiers fought like demons, but James and his men were faster, more lethal.

Finally, they reached the control room proper—and Kane was waiting.

He stood before a massive holographic map, still bleeding from the wound James had given him barely a second ago. His face was icy, calculating.

"Think this matters?" Kane sneered. "You may have the cure, but this is not a weak world. You can't stop what's coming."

James raised his rifle. "You're wrong. Tonight, it ends."

Kane rushed, drawing out an enormous combat knife. James dodged just in time as the blade cut through his vest.

The two men crashed against the table, maps and radios flying onto the floor. Kane was strong, but James was faster. He delivered a vicious punch to Kane's ribs, followed by a crash against the wall.

Kane stumbled but did not topple. Instead, he pulled out a gun and held it against James's chest.

Before he could shoot—

BANG!

Maria arrived first.

Kane's eyes bulged as the bullet caught him right between the heart. He gasped, staggered, and went down.

It was all finished.

James glared down at the corpse, panting. "No more Black Sun."

⸻

Victory… But Not Without Cost

On the ground, the battle was going in their favor. With their leader dead and communication out, the rest of Black Sun troops began to fall back.

By the break of day, the base was theirs.

But at what cost.

Logan slumped against a wall, bleeding out. Carter had his arm wrapped and covered in blood. Dozens of Haven soldiers lay dead.

Maria dabbed the sweat from her forehead. "We won. But this isn't over, is it?"

James nodded. "No. But we just gave humanity a chance."

He pulled out the vial of the cure from his pocket.

"This is where the real fight begins."