Weapon System in Zombie Apocalypse

[Time: 0900 Hours]

[Location: Conrad Hotel – Command Center]

[Date: May 30, 2024]

Thomas walked into the Command Center, his steps firm, his expression unreadable. Phillip and Rebecca followed behind, both sensing the urgency in his posture.

Inside, his officers were already present. Marcus Holt, Deputy Chief of Staff, stood at the head of the table, while the heads of the Army, Air Force, Logistics, Security, and Civilian Affairs were seated around the large tactical display. The room buzzed with quiet conversations, but all fell silent when Thomas entered.

He wasted no time.

"We have a problem."

He told them about the mission's description that he received from the system and a minute later, silence filled the room as they processed the information.

Marcus was the first to react. His fingers curled into fists. "Eight hundred thousand?" he repeated, voice steady but grave. "That's more than double the largest horde we've encountered."

Elias Carter, Chief of Army, leaned forward, eyes locked on the screen. "And the system is cutting off all support? No summoning, no purchases, nothing?"

"Correct," Thomas confirmed. "For the next two hours, we're on our own."

Adrian Vance, Chief of Air Force, clicked his tongue. "We need confirmation. I'll deploy a MQ-8 Fire Scout north of our position immediately."

"Do it."

Adrian turned to his officers and gave the order. Within minutes, a the MQ-8 Fire Scout Drone was airborne, soaring towards EDSA, the main arterial road leading towards MOA Complex from the northern part of Metro Manila.

Five minutes later, live feed images began appearing on the large screen.

The aerial view showed the highways, once packed with cars, now filled with tens of thousands of zombies. They moved in a fast relentless march, , funneled between the abandoned vehicles that clogged the roads. Many were crawling over car hoods, others forcing their way through narrow gaps between buses and trucks.

Howard Briggs, Chief of Logistics & Supply, inhaled sharply. "Jesus. They're coming from all directions."

"Look at EDSA," Vincent Rourke, Director of Security, pointed at the live drone footage. "Traffic congestion is slowing them down. Probably from when the outbreak first started—rush hour panic left the roads gridlocked."

Thomas nodded. "That's buying us time, but they're still coming. Once they reach Roxas Boulevard, they'll have a clear path to us."

Marcus took a deep breath. "Estimated time of arrival?"

Adrian checked the drone telemetry. "Given the congestion and density of the horde, I'd say they'll hit our perimeter in approximately one hour and fifty minutes."

Silence settled over the room. The weight of reality pressed on everyone's shoulders.

"I don't know whether it was a divine intervention or the system that is causing those zombies to come over to us, but nevertheless, the threat is real and we have to be ready when they arrive."

Elias Carter, Chief of Army, broke the silence. "Sir, this calls for a full-scale mobilization."

Adrian Vance, Chief of Air Force, nodded. "We can't wait for them to hit our walls. We take the fight outside the perimeter and thin them out before they get too close."

Vincent Rourke, Director of Security, agreed. "We deploy snipers, gunners, and strike teams. We turn the northern approach into a meat grinder."

Marcus Holt looked to Thomas. "Sir, we need authorization to initiate full military mobilization."

Thomas exhaled sharply, scanning the drone feed once more before making his decision. "Do it."

[MOBILIZATION INITIATED]

A red alert flashed across the command screens. Immediately, sirens blared throughout MOA Complex, signaling full-scale combat deployment.

Within minutes, thousands of summoned troops moved with precision across the complex, executing their roles with military efficiency.

M939 Trucks, Oshkosh MRAPs, and IFVs roared to life, soldiers rapidly loading into the transport vehicles. Convoys were forming at strategic exit points, preparing to push outward and establish the first line of defense.

Apache helicopters, stationed on makeshift helipads atop the mall's parking buildings, whined as their rotors powered up. Black Hawks began lifting off, carrying infantry squads to forward positions outside the complex.

"Alright, listen up!" bellowed Richards, one of the senior officers assigned to direct ground operations. His voice cut through the controlled chaos of mobilization.

"First line units, you're boarding the trucks. You hold EDSA until you hear the order to fall back. No heroics! Second line, you reinforce the first the moment they break through! Heavy gunners, I want LMGs and grenade launchers on every major choke point. If anything gets too close, I want it shredded before it even reaches our barricades! Understood?!"

"YES, SIR!" thousands of voices roared back in unison.

In the distance, M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks rumbled forward, their 120mm cannons loaded and ready to fire. Engineers finished mounting TOW missile systems onto key intersections leading towards the battlefield.

Up on the tallest buildings around MOA, snipers took up their positions.

"Adjust windage. That's a long way to hit."

"Rangefinder says 900 meters to the first bottleneck. Perfect kill zone."

"Targets incoming in about two hours. Upon arrival, old fire until command gives the green light."

"Talon-One, engines green, ready for takeoff."

"Talon-Two, all systems operational. Give us the go, command."

Inside the cockpit of Talon-One, the lead AH-64E Apache Guardian, the pilot Captain Daniels adjusted his targeting system while his co-pilot armed the Hellfire missiles.

"This is Viper Command. You are cleared for takeoff."

The Apaches lifted off, banking northward toward the incoming horde.

***

Meanwhile, inside the command center, Thomas realized something. "They are coming from EDSA right?"

"Yes sir."

"In that case, let's slow them down a bit further so we can buy ourselves more time."

"What's the plan sir?"

"There is a bridge called Guadalupe bridge that cross the Pasig river. It's the main bridge so bringing If we take it down, it'll cut off a massive portion of the horde from getting a straight shot at us."

Howard immediately pulled up a structural map of the bridge on one of the screens. "That bridge is reinforced, but given the damage from abandoned vehicles, a well-placed explosive strike should collapse it."

Thomas nodded. "What's the fastest way we can destroy it?"

Adrian Vance, Chief of Air Force, spoke up. "A Patriot missile can be reconfigured for ground-target destruction, but that's overkill. We'd be wasting a strategic air-defense asset."

"It's okay, I want you to reconfigure that missile right now. Don't stop thinking it would be a waste, it will be a waste if we can't even use it."

"Yes sir! I'll send the order. Time for reconfiguration is fifteen minutes. Some zombies might be able to cross the bridge by that time."

"It's okay, we'll send the Apaches to clean them up."