As the helicopter gained altitude, Advik Bhardwaj looked down at the rooftop one last time. The remaining zombies swarmed aimlessly, their grotesque forms still reaching for the departing aircraft. The Viper circled back around, unleashing a final strafing run that decimated the remaining horde before banking away to join the extraction formation.
"Everyone accounted for?" Advik Bhardwaj asked.
"All present and accounted for, sir," Sandeep replied, securing his weapon. The soldiers gave brief nods of confirmation.
Advik Bhardwaj exhaled slowly, the weight of the mission's success settling over him. Despite the chaos, they had accomplished their objective, all of the survivors were safe.
"Mission is complete. We're heading back to base," Advik Bhardwaj said through the comms.
"Copy that, Cobra Actual. Falling in," the Viper pilot responded.
The helicopters flew in formation, the city below growing smaller as they ascended into the sky.
As the helicopters soared through the night sky, a familiar ding echoed in Advik Bhardwaj's mind. The system interface materialized before him, the glowing text filling his vision.
[System Notification:
Mission Complete Recurring – Rescue Survivors
Objective: Successfully extract and rescue survivors from the university complex.
Status: Completed
Rewards:
50,000 Experience Points
15,000 Blood Coins]
[Level Up! New Level: 12]
Advik Bhardwaj blinked, absorbing the information. The interface faded as the notification completed. He felt a small surge of energy coursing through him.
"Sir?" Sandeep's voice brought him back to reality.
Advik Bhardwaj nodded, shaking off the notification's lingering presence. "Mission's done. We'll debrief once we're back at Leela Palace hotel."
The helicopters soon arrived at the Leela Palace Hotel. The massive structure stood illuminated like a beacon of safety amid the darkness of the surrounding city. As the Black Hawks descended onto the spacious helipad, soldiers on the ground signaled their approach. The rotors slowed gradually as the aircraft touched down, the familiar hum finally easing into silence.
Advik Bhardwaj and his team disembarked, guiding the survivors down the helipad stairwell. Priya stayed close to him, her grip on the blanket tightening nervously as they made their way inside.
"Alright," Advik Bhardwaj said, addressing the remaining soldiers and survivors. "You're safe now. We have rooms prepared for all of you. Food and water will be delivered shortly. Rest, and recover. We'll discuss the next steps tomorrow."
Sandeep nodded and turned to the soldiers. "Escort the survivors to their rooms. Ensure they get settled in properly."
"Yes, sir," asoldier responded, stepping forward to lead the group.
The survivors shuffled forward, their exhaustion finally catching up to them. The tension in their bodies seemed to ease as they realized they were truly safe. Priya glanced at Advik Bhardwaj, her eyes filled with both gratitude and lingering fear.
"Thank you... for rescuing me back there," she said softly.
"You don't need to thank me," Advik Bhardwaj replied, placing a reassuring hand on hershoulder. "You survived. That's what matters. Get some rest."
Advik Bhardwaj gently squeezed her shoulder, his expression softening. "I know. It's not easy, but you need your strength. You've been through a lot. Tomorrow, we'll talk about everything else. For now, rest."
Priya wiped her eyes with the corner of the blanket and gave a small nod. "Okay… thank you."
She turned and followed the other survivors, who were being escorted by soldiers to their assigned rooms. Advik Bhardwaj watched her disappear down the corridor, her steps still unsteady. Sandeep approached from behind, his boots echoing softly against the polished floor.
"Everyone's getting settled," Sandeep reported. "Medical's been notified. We'll have a team check on the survivors first thing in the morning."
"Good," Advik Bhardwaj replied with a sigh. "Make sure they also get meals tonight. We don't need anyone collapsing from hunger or exhaustion."
"Already arranged," Sandeep confirmed, his tone steady and efficient. "You should get some rest too, sir."
Advik Bhardwaj gave a faint smirk. "You sound like my ethics."
Sandeep chuckled lightly. "Someone's got to look out for you. You've been pushing yourself too hard."
"I'll rest soon," Advik Bhardwaj assured him. "After I finish reviewing the mission data."
Sandeep nodded, understanding the routine. "Alright. I'll check in with the rest of the team. Debrief is still set for an hour?"
"Yeah. I want everyone ready."
An hour later, Advik Bhardwaj entered the briefing room at the Leela Palace Hotel, the atmosphere tense yet focused. Soldiers and team leaders, including Sandeep, stood at attention before taking their seats. The room was equipped with tactical displays and digital monitors that showed an overview of the condominium complex, mission data, and key highlights from the operation.
Advik Bhardwaj stood at the front of the room, placing his hands on the table as he surveyed the team. "Let's get this started. Sandeep, give me the initial report."
Sandeep nodded and stood, pulling up a display of mission footage. "The primary objective rescuing the survivors was accomplished with minimal casualties on our side. No wounded, no losses. We extracted nine survivors. Hawk 2 handled the extraction successfully, while Viper 1 provided crucial fire support to clear the rooftop perimeter."
The footage played in the background, showing key moments: the stairwell defense, the Viper's strafing runs, and the tactical retreat to the helicopter. The soldiers watched silently, some still tense from the memory of the relentless horde.
Sandeep continued. "The horde presence at the condominium complex was higher than anticipated, especially near the stairwell and rooftop. We managed to neutralize over a hundred hostiles, but they kept coming, suggesting an increased rate of zombie congregation in densely populated areas."
Advik Bhardwaj folded his arms. "We were fortunate that the helicopters arrived on time. If Hawk 2 had been delayed, we'd have had more casualties or worse."
"Sir, it's clear that these hordes are becoming more organized or reactive. We need to consider the possibility that some mutated variants are capable of drawing other zombies toward noise or human activity."
"No, that is just their heightened senses," Abbas simply dismissed and elaborated. "Their heightened senses explain the increased congregation of zombies. They're instinctively drawn to noise and movement in densely populated areas. It's not about organization—it's just survival behavior on a massive scale."