"URBAN WARFARE FOR AUTONOMOUS UNITS IS DISALLOWED. ALL ACU UNITS INSTRUCTED TO AVOID URBAN ZONES."
Allen sighed. "Any chance we can bend that rule a bit?"
"NEGATIVE."
"And I'll have to clear the city out myself." He muttered.
"Negative. Artillery and other forms of long-range weaponry can still be used by the ACUs to assist in combat."
"HOWEVER, ALLOCATING ACUS FOR SUPPORT WILL BE LIMITED."
"To assist human operatives is of utmost priority."
"FOR A LONG–"
"Alright, enough you two. Focus." Allen raised his voice. "I don't want to sit here and listen to fucking children."
"Apologies."
"What's the time?" Allen glanced at his PDA.
...
"Fuck it's late." He yawned.
Harper entered, saluted, and approached her console without missing a beat.
"Alright." Allen clicked his tongue. "Any risk for civilian casualties?"
"Estimates suggest a possible casualty rate of five percent. No confirmed casualties as of now."
"NEGATIVE. NEW REPORT STATES SEVEN CASUALTIES, ALL FATAL."
"Where?" Allen looked up at the wall of screens.
"MARKING NOW."
A red dot appeared on the map. Then Cv-7 zoomed in on the image, while simultaneously displaying a live feed from a passing satellite. Although the feed was incredibly fuzzy, he could make out a street with two ACUs covered in pink ink.
"Well, fuck." Allen stood tall.
"CONTACTING NIXUS COMMAND."
...
"LAYING A FORMAL COMPLAINT. DISORDERLY CONDUCT WITH CIVILIANS PRESENT."
"I'm greenlighting a strike team. Four ACUs targeting those two. Now." Allen ordered.
"Queuing order now."
"And I..." He paused, a heavy silence hanging in the room.
Harper, concerned, broke the silence. "Allen, you alright?"
"Just need sleep." He admitted. "Sleep deprivation will do that to you."
"And..." Harper hesitated, sensing there was more.
"And I'm on duty with no relief. Stuck here for another twelve hours." Allen sighed. "Alright, grab your gear."
Harper nodded, rushing to the lockers.
Allen grabbed his PDA and rifle, both by the door. When Harper joined, they left the Control Room.
"Meet me by the entrance." Allen directed.
"Yessir." Harper replied.
Harper jogged off, while Allen continued down the hallway.
He made his way toward the barracks that Sasha should've been in. Well, her and the Agents.
Turning the corner, Allen anticipated either the usual silence or a hum of activity. Instead, an unusual sound, something wet, reached his ears. It took him a moment to pinpoint its source.
YOU ARE READING
The Time from Before
FanfictionTime is the force that shapes life. It is the constant that drives change and evolution. As time flows, life adapts and thrives in new environments and challenges. New forms of intelligence and culture emerge, creating diverse and complex societies...
