A Dance Of Crowns & Thrones | Book I

Chapter 65 | Annihilation | Death To The Survivors

Cid ran down the list, his holographic projections showing the devastation on the ground. The images were grainy, but the destruction was unmistakable—buildings reduced to rubble, cities erased from existence.

"Ramos, Saint Irons, Mehta, High Cliff, Capital Irvine, Ether-ton, Bulguria, Saint Cristos, Portland, Baulkham," Cid recited, the names hanging heavily in the air.

It was evident from what they could see that the buildings had been demolished rather than striving in their natural existence where they once were.

Toni was the first to voice the question on everyone's mind, "They're all targeted and gone?"

"Outrigger and Sea-tac?" Matthew's voice snapped, his fear slightly raising. What was happening? What was Ezra's motive behind this chaos?

Cid provided more information, his voice heavy with distress. "Safe, but they're shut down and on the defense. Back-up bases from Akron, Met Cliff, Inverell, and Saint Brighton have already been dispatched to the Outrigger. Anywhere that held survivors was targeted. SeaTac, as we know, has its own defense."

The gravity of the situation sunk in, and Richie couldn't conceal his disbelief. "And all those Academies you just listed are gone?"

"They levelled the land," Cid confirmed, distraught with the loss of his academies.

Matthew looked to his soldiers; Jesse, Toni, and Richie stood the closest. Mya and Jasmine were closer, with his more elite soldiers like Sawyer and Luke and a few more soldiers on their heels. The collective expression mirrored his own: a mixture of shock, disbelief, and deep down fear.

'What the fuck! What the fuck! What the fuckkkk....' Matthew's mind raced. "Toni, Richie, Jesse, with me. We'll hit the Outrigger."

"Matthew?" Cid started, bewildered.

"Sawyer, Mya, weapons. I want seven crafts in the air immediately. Head to SeaTac now!"

"Luke, Erica, I want soldiers on the Outrigger now. Get all the protocol teams on any available crafts. Now!" The urgency in Matthew's commands resonated as they mobilized to respond to the unfolding crisis.

"Jasmine communications, open the link. I want you talking to me at all times with updates, follow the guys every movement and report what I need!"

Sawyer, Mya, Jasmine, Luke, and Erica nodded in unison, swiftly taking off without waiting for further instructions, their focus fixed on executing their assigned tasks.

"Brax. East coast with Macha Six!" Matthew's tone got fiercer with each order. "Tee, sweep the destroyed sites take Zeta five, nine and fourteen. Dean, take Grey team three with you and whatever other team available; assess the borders and towns. If there's any hint of danger, relocate them immediately."

Brax, Tee and Dean instantly left the office.

Cid, however, stared at the man barking orders, perplexed about where his mind had been. "What are you doing?"

"Taking charge of this shit." Matthew snapped back, "we're at war, Cid. That's it. Ezra targeted more of the survivors. She's after something or someone; I fucken knew this was bigger than we thought! I fucken knew it!"

Cid took a moment to absorb the information. "She's up to something."

"Of course, she's fucken up to something!" Matthew snarled back at the blatantly obvious assumption Cid made.

"But the question is what?" Jesse pondered, tapping her fingers against her lips, searching for an answer. She  felt like they were missing a crucial piece of the puzzle.