Chapter 10

10

ROS

R os stood in the control center, a place usually humming with routine operations, now transformed into the nerve center of a desperate battle for survival. Monitors lining the walls displayed real-time feeds from various parts of the base, each screen showing a different slice of the chaos unfolding outside. The room crackled with frantic energy as officers barked orders into radios, coordinating the defense and relaying crucial information.

Ros's eyes flicked between the screens and the tactical map spread out before her. Colored markers represented the insurgent forces moving with alarming speed and coordination. She could hear the distant thud of explosions, spray of gunfire, and shouts of soldiers echoing through the base.

Her mind raced, processing the flood of information pouring in. Reports of insurgents breaching the perimeter, taking out key infrastructure, and engaging in fierce firefights with her troops flashed across the screens. They had been taken by surprise, but Fort Independence had been through worse. She couldn't let fear cloud her judgment, not when so many lives depended on her decisions.

"Status on the north perimeter?" Ros demanded, her voice sharp, cutting through the noise in the room.

"North perimeter is holding, but barely, ma'am," an officer responded, his face pale under the harsh lights. "We've got a heavy concentration of enemy forces pushing that way. They're trying to flank us."

Ros's jaw tightened. "Reinforce the perimeter with the second battalion. We can't let them get around us. What's the status of the generators?"

Another officer checked his screen before answering. "Captain Bennett's team secured it, General. Power is restored and holding steady."

Relief flickered briefly in Ros's chest. Scarlett had come through—of course she had. But there was no time to dwell on that. She had to stay focused.

"Good. Make sure communications stay up. If we lose power again, we're sitting ducks." Ros's gaze shifted back to the map, assessing the situation. "Get me a line to Colonel Hale. We need artillery support on the southern ridge. I want those insurgents pinned down."

"Yes, ma'am," the officer responded, already relaying the order.

Ros continued to issue commands, her mind a well-oiled machine despite the chaos. But beneath the surface, a storm raged. The memory of Scarlett, from just hours ago, filled her thoughts—Scarlett in her quarters, Scarlett's voice as she tried to reason with her, the pain in her eyes when Ros ended things between them. It was all still too raw, too close to the surface.

She forced herself to push those thoughts aside, but it was like trying to dam a river with her hands. Every decision she made, every move she ordered, felt heavier because she knew Scarlett was out there somewhere on this base risking her life to protect what they had built. The very thought made Ros's heart ache, but she couldn't afford to let her emotions take over. Not now.

"General," another officer called out, drawing her attention to a flashing red icon on the map. "We've got insurgents breaching the east wall. They're trying to reach the control center."

Ros's stomach dropped. The control center was their last line of defense. If the insurgents got inside, it would be over.

"Lock down all access points," she ordered, her voice cold and controlled. "Divert the nearest platoon to intercept. We can't let them reach us."

The officers around her moved swiftly, their focus razor sharp. Ros felt a grim satisfaction in their efficiency, even as the tension in the room ratcheted up another notch. She stepped closer to the map, studying the situation with a practiced eye. There were too many variables, too many things that could go wrong. But she knew they had to hold out and fight until the last man.

"Ma'am, incoming transmission from Colonel Hale," an officer reported.

"Put him through," Ros replied, stepping to the communication console.

Hale's voice crackled through the speakers. "General Carson, we're ready to fire on your command. Coordinates locked."

"Fire at will," Ros said, her voice steady despite the turmoil churning inside her.

Seconds later, the distant thump of artillery fire echoed across the base, followed by a series of explosions on the southern ridge. Ros watched as the insurgents' advance faltered, their positions rocked by the bombardment. But it wasn't enough to turn the tide. Not yet.

"General, we've lost contact with Bravo squad," another officer reported, his voice strained. "Last known position was near the east wall. They were under heavy fire."

Ros's heart skipped a beat. Bravo squad had been tasked with securing the generators. If they were down, Scarlett could be in even greater danger. The thought made her feel like she was walking a tightrope, one misstep away from disaster.

"Redirect Delta squad to the east wall," she ordered, her voice betraying none of the fear gnawing at her. "We can't lose that position."

She couldn't let herself think about what might have happened to Scarlett. Not now. There was too much at stake, too many lives on the line.

As the minutes dragged on, Ros fought to maintain control, her mind a battlefield of its own. Every decision felt like it could be the one that tipped the balance—either toward victory or disaster. But she knew one thing for sure: If they made it through this, she would have to confront the fallout of her decision to end things with Scarlett.

The base shook with another explosion, and Ros gripped the edge of the table, forcing herself to stay focused. She couldn't afford to let her thoughts wander. Not when the battle was still raging.

"General, enemy forces are retreating!" an officer shouted, his voice tinged with disbelief.

Ros's eyes snapped to the map where the insurgents' positions were indeed falling back, their assault faltering in the face of the base's defense. Relief washed over her like a wave, but she didn't allow herself to relax just yet. The insurgents were cunning; they might just be regrouping for another attack.

"Hold your positions," she ordered. "Stay alert for any counterattacks. We're not out of this yet."

But as the minutes passed and the retreat continued, it became clear that the insurgents were pulling back for good. Ros let out a slow breath, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly. They had held the line. Fort Independence was still standing.

The base was a mess, but they had won.