Eva and her companions took their seats, though Eva and Carlin couldn't seem to take their eyes off Alex.
"I'll get straight to the point," Adkins began, his voice firm and direct. "Some of us possess
Have unique abilities. Under Colonel Conrad's orders, after the last Amica attack, we tracked them back to their base and gathered a wealth of intelligence. What I'm about to share is critical—not just for our survival, but perhaps for the fate of the city and the entire world."
As Adkins spoke, the gravity of the situation settled over everyone in the room. Adkins wasn't the type to exaggerate, which only heightened the tension.
The group straightened in their seats, their full attention now on him. Sensing this, Adkins continued.
"After infiltrating the enemy's hideout, we discovered that the Amica is a hive species, controlled by a central mind that governs all its metallic creatures. One of our operatives, at a tremendous cost, uncovered that the Amica feed on metals. The central body processes this metal to produce more of these monstrous creatures. Theoretically, they can reproduce endlessly, destroying everything in their path."
The room was silent, the weight of the revelation hitting everyone like a blow. Even Alex felt the enormity of the situation. If left unchecked, the Amica would annihilate humanity—it was only a matter of time. With the abundance of metal in the city, their numbers could reach into the millions within months. An organized army of that size would extinguish any hope humanity had of survival in this harsh new world.
"Realizing the severity of the threat, the Colonel devised a plan," Adkins explained. "We intend to gather all the groups within the campus and, using the intelligence we've collected, launch an assault on their hideout to eliminate the central mind. If we succeed,
all the Amica should cease functioning, according to our findings."
Adkins turned his gaze to Alex. Initially, he had assumed Henry was the leader, but it had become clear upon arrival that Alex was the one truly in charge. Now, all eyes were on Alex, waiting for his response.
"How reliable is your intel regarding the location of this central brain? And if we do manage to destroy it, what guarantees do we have that the other creatures will die and we won't be trapped in an endless cycle of fighting off waves of monsters?"
Ignoring the stares of the others, Alex directed his sharp questions at Adkins. Despite the critical nature of the situation, Alex saw gaping holes in their plan, particularly regarding the accuracy and reliability of their information.
"Our intelligence was paid for with the blood of our comrades," Adkins replied bluntly. "We can't confirm it with absolute certainty, but we're 90% confident. The choice to join us—or not—is yours."
Adkins' honesty was brutal, but Alex and the others knew the stakes. Allowing the Amica to continue unchecked was tantamount to letting a plague ravage the world. For Alex, Henry, and even the rest of the group, doing nothing wasn't an option.
"What's your plan? Surely you're not planning to charge in without a strategy. I want to hear every detail," Alex demanded, his tone sharp.
As he spoke, a dangerous aura radiated from Alex, enveloping the room. It was as though a battlefield drenched in blood had materialized around them. Everyone, including his own comrades, felt an icy chill run down their spines. Even Adkins and his men couldn't hide their discomfort as cold sweat began to bead on their foreheads. Adkins instinctively knew that any wrong move could cost him his life.
.
After a few tense moments, the suffocating aura dissipated, and the room exhaled collectively. Adkins studied Alex with newfound respect. He realized that Alex's sheer presence was unmatched, even by the strongest person he had ever known—Colonel Conrad. This revelation left Adkins feeling conflicted, though he kept his expression neutral. Meeting Alex's eyes, he continued calmly.
"The Colonel's plan is straightforward but
effective. The central brain is located at the end of each gate the Amica have opened. Beyond these gates lies a massive cavity they've constructed—a nest housing thousands of their metallic creatures. Infiltrating it directly is nearly impossible. Each group will attack through a separate gate, forcing the Amica to split their forces and weakening their defenses."
.
Adkins explained the strategy in detail. It was a simple plan: divide and attack, stretching the enemy's defenses thin. However, the same logic applied to their own forces. Splitting into multiple groups would also significantly weaken their attacking power.
.
"Once enough Amica have been destroyed, we'll send a select team to eliminate the central brain. By that point, the Amica should be defensive enough to divert a significant portion of their forces to counter our attacks, leaving their core defenses vulnerable."
.
Adkins finished his explanation. Everyone was deep in thought, weighing the plan's potential for success—or failure.