Alex watched from their usual rooftop as the others got outfitted below, settling down in a chair, "So, as you get ready... What do you want to do? Survival, or a short campaign?"

Dr Elune looked up, "That depends... What kind of campaign are we talking?"

"Procedurally generated quests, tailored to mimic the war. Rescuing survivors, capturing key points, defending them, etcetera."

Max nodded with a grin, "I gave the campaign a short try, once... Rather unforgiving, haha."  He looked around, and pointed down the street, "I made it... Three blocks, I think? Didn't even rescue the first survivor."

"Oh? You got a survivor quest first? Mine was a couting mission." Tom chuckled as he finished selecting his equipment, "I got a bit further, about ten blocks... Lots of hiding and waiting, though. Almost made it to my vantage point, I think..."

"Nah, you were only halfway there." Giggling as they brought up some displays, Alex hummed, "The NPCs that were accompanying both of you weren't that good... But, now you are a team of three. Should be better this time, right?"

"Suuuure." Dr Elune smiled to themself, thinking that this would be a rather short adventure from the sounds of it.

"Hey, a question... How come you never join in? You are always monitoring things from up there." Max scratched as his chin, looking up curiously.

Tom nodded, chuckling quietly, "You're right... Maybe you should join us down here, one time."

"Nuh uh, someone has to be GM... And, uh, the interface isn't very user-friendly yet." Poking their tongue out, Alex smirked, "Besides... I do have a preference for Stratagy games."

"Hah, I knew you were guiding them! Well, I will beet your tactics yet." Tom and Dr Elune looked to each other and chuckled, nodding as if to agree with Max.

Alex floated up higher above them, calling down, "Well, looks like you want the campaign this time, then? If so, I should scurry somewhere else, or I would break your immersion~"

The group nodded, hefting their rifles as Alex shot off into the distance... And disappeared once out fo sight, observing them through the sim directly. Much more convenient, that way. "Okay then... I'll start your mission breifing now. Head on inside." A door appeared in the wall next to them, a dimly lit room on the other side.

A small crowd of people glanced over at them, shrugging as they returned to what they were doing, mostly inspecting weapons or eating lumps of... What was probably food. At the end of the room was a lit map table, an officer glancing up to breifly beckon them over.

Shuffling thorugh the crowded bunker, Dr Elune whistled appreciatively as they looked around, before a little notification appeared inside their helmet from Alex, "Warning: NPCs will get confused if you break character. I can fix their 'memory' after, but try not to do that~" Trying not to chuckle, the doctor subtly nodded, dismissing the notification as they followed Max and Tom.

"New guys, or did you find your way here from another bunker?"

Tom glanced at Max, who shrugged, "Both. Did some scouting a few months back, just got back from debreifing those at HQ." Alex smirked to themself, interesting compramise.

The officer sat back against the wall, glancing them up and down dismissively, "Well, we will take who we can get. If you guys already know the way to survive here, even better." Pointing past them at Dr Elune, the officer frowned, "That one doesn't look like a returning soldier, though."

"Nah, got assigned to us on our way back. Sam's new." Glancing down at the map, Tom hid a smirk, "We'll look after 'em... Right, Max?"

"Right." Looking at the officer, he raised an eyebrow, "How should I adress you, Captain?"

The officer looked down, glancing at their jacket, "Ah, this ain't mine. Got it in the middle of an ambush, and have been meaning to fix it... I'm only a Master Sergeant. Ron is fine, makes things simple."

Max nodded, "Will do, Ron." Glancing over at Tom, he rubbed at his chin, "Well, we are still fresh and ready to go... Anything needing attention?"

Ron though about it for a sec, leaning towards the map again, "We do have a late scouting expidition... I have been considering sending a tentative rescue cum-backup squad."

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Tom pointed to a segment on the map, "Here right? The turns there could easily hide a trap."

"That's the one. The distress beacons haven't gone off, so they are either still alive, or went instantly."

Max dry swallowed, sighing. "Lovely. Either a gentle walk, or hell itself. Will we have anyone else in our group?"

"I'll check if a few guys are rested enough... But, considering you probably don't have much to do but run back either way, I'll probably only send one more." Grimacing, Ron waved idly to one of the benches, "Take a moment as I prepare your assigned call signs, and get your beacons calibrated."

Nodding, Max unclipped a tiny orb from his jacket, handing it over. Tom did the same, Dr Elune following suit before they shuffled to their designated corner. "So... Guess I should start asking questions."

Tom laughed, sitting down with a thud, "Ask away, Private Sam."

Glancing between their own jacket and Tom's, the doctor smirked as they sat down, "Yeah, first thing first... Are you a higher rank than me?"

Max nodded, "We both earnt Corporal from survival mode, byu the looks of it. Guess you need to prove yourself... Private."

Groaning, the doctor glanced back at the map, "Besides the delightful array of things about to shoot at us.... Beacons?"

"Yup. Set to trigger a broadcast if you die, or if you activate it manually. Also syncs up to a watch." Holding up his wrist, Max turned his on, "See these red areas? It means someone died there recently."

Dr Elune gulped, "... Oh. I thought it would be some way of finding everyone else. You know, the people still alive."

"Can't. Our enemy can hack anything instantly. The broadcasts get shut of a second after we fire them, so this is all from a memory bank... One that is about to be updatyed by Ron."

"Ohhh. That makes sense. No radio comunnication whatsoever, huh?"

"Not even a little. Long distance can sometimes get away with light transmissions... Sometimes." Chuckling evilly, Tom poked the doctor in the knee, "First peice of advice: Don't get seen."

Max laughed as he nodded, "Second? Every surface can probably trigger a trap. You will get used to checking everything."

Sighing as they hung their head, Dr Elune smiled, "I wil try and learn quickly then. Is survival mode any better?"

"Yes and no. Better supplies, but no bunkers to hide in, like this one. Just constant waves of stuff trying to kil you."

"Great." Looking up as Ron approached, the group straightened as he came up beside them.

"Good news, I do have one other newbie to send in with you, but that's it. Everyone else has missions to prepare for... Or recover from."

Max and Tom nodded calmly, "Thank you, sir. From the look of the route, we will be back in two hours."

"Hope to see you then. There will not be a third team." Turning, Ron pointed to the front door, "The other Private will meet you outside in ten minutes, with your beacons."

Tom and Max saluted to the back of Ron's head, groaning as they got up, "Good to see we won't be waiting very long."

Dr Elune giggled, "What, Alec makes you wait?"

"Sometimes, yeah. Gives us time to plan. It would be best to get this one done quick, though... I have a feeling things will be crazier on the way back."

"If we get that far, you mean." Chuckling, Max wandered out fo the door first. the other two followe behinf, Dr Elune in particular squirming at the distinct feeling that they should have done some tutorials or something first.

It was not long before a voice interrupted theit musing from behind them, "Private First Class, reporting. You two seem to have a plan already huh?"

Turning, the guys nodded, chuckling as they pluicked their beacons out of her hand, "So, you any good?"

"Probably not as good as you guys, but I could catch up if I actually tried." Grinning, she turned to the doctor, "So... Alex suckered you in, huh?"

Dr Elune simply laughed as they shook their head in wonder, "Seems so... Nice job sneaking past us, Hope."

"Thanks! The look on your face was so worth it."