The Camp York convoy went back the same way they came. Only difference? They were down one man.

Honestly, Aryan didn't mind. Yes. Jacob was a Tier 1 Mutant, but there were dozens of Tier 1 Mutants in Camp York, most of whom have declared their submission to one of the four Tier 2 Mutants like knights would to feudal lords. Jacob, on the other hand, decided that he was too good for that.

Sure. He had his freedom, but at the same time, no one would bother avenging him when he died.

In contrast, what Fortress Alpha could provide for Camp York was impressive. Food. Lot’s of food. After Aryan declared his intentions by discarding Jacob’s deceased corpse, as a show of good faith, Caity gave Aryan a tour of their food storage. Hot dogs. Hamburgers. Biscuits. There were even a few glasses of wines, one of which Aryan carried with him back to Camp York. These were things Aryan hasn’t seen for quite a while.

In exchange, the information that Camp York had to provide was trivial. Yes. Empowering Fortress Alpha might end up biting Camp York in the ass in the future, but this was the apocalyptic world. Anyone might die the next day. Might as well have all the party now and forget about this tiny, inconvenient thing called the future!

Somber music played in the dark halls of Eagle’s Nest.

17 Phasewalkers fell at Fortress Alpha. 12 more gave their lives exploring the perimeter of the fortress, hunting down the beasts that survived the onslaught. They gave their lives on foreign ground, and today, their remains were returned to the Fatherland they gave their lives to protect.

A week has passed since Caity first reported back to General Kennedy. By cross-referencing the cell samples collected from the Mutated Animals and the Phasewalkers, the scientists have determined that the Alpha Virus that has caused all the mutations hasn’t infiltrated any of the Phasewalkers. In fact, it didn't seem to be able to be transmitted through open air, at least not anymore.

As a matter of fact, even inside the bodies of the Mutated Animals that the Phasewalkers brought back, the density of Alpha Virus has dropped to an insignificant amount for some unknown reason. Scientists suggested that this virus behaved unlike the viruses on Earth did. Instead of duplicating itself, the Alpha Virus exhausted its life, permanently altering the life form of its host.

But...why? That didn't make any evolutionary sense! Then again, it was a problem for Section X scientists, not the Phasewalkers.

Caity, Eric, and Ryan stood in front of the Hall of Martyrs. A number of Section X officials stood beside them. All of the agents and instructors wore black suits in solidarity. The military personnel, including the Phasewalkers, wore their uniforms.

29 figures walked into the Hall of Martyrs, all of whom were carrying a jar. Every single one of these jars contained the ashes of a fallen Phasewalker. Despite what the research said, to prevent the risk of infection, the bodies of all the Phasewalkers killed were incinerated, leaving their ashes to be returned.

The figures walked slowly. They were those close to the fallen. Brothers and sisters in arms. Even lovers. Now, they were the ones to send the martyrs into their final slumber.

There were already 29 open slots in the Hall of Martyrs. The 29 Phasewalkers rested the jars into compartments, which merged into the slots. On computer screens, the name, rank, and information of the fallen were projected, ensuring that while their lives have been ended, the memories of their struggle and sacrifice would live on.

The 29 Phasewalkers saluted in silence before slowly backing away.

As they departed, Caity slowly walked up to one of the slots. She quietly read through the words on the screen.

Name: Jessie Borne.

Generation I Phasewalker.

Jan 11, 2003 - June 1, 2020

Age: 17

Rank: Private. 1st Armored Company. 1st Phasewalker Battalion. The Phasewalker Corps.

Private Borne was killed in action in the defense of Fortress Alpha.

Compensation: $10,000/month for his family, evenly distributed between his two parents, four grandparents, and two sisters.

Caity quietly saluted. Ryan and Eric did the same thing. Ryan glanced at the compensation attribute. He talked to the President specifically and had this part added. The information here was public to everyone in the Phasewalker Corps. This way, if there was some sort of corruption, anyone could point it out easily.

Caity walked to the next slot.

Name: Mason Redfield.

Generation I Phasewalker.

April 20, 2004 - June 3, 2020

Age: 16

Rank: Private. 4th Motorized Company. 1st Phasewalker Battalion. The Phasewalker Corps.

Private Redfield was killed in action in combat around Fortress Alpha.

Compensation: $5,000/month for his parents. Top medical treatment for his grandmother.

A picture of the private came along with the descriptions. It was taken before the Phasewalkers crossed the Portal. The man. No. The teen had a small smile on. It was obvious he was nervous, but in the green uniform, he looked spirited.

A few days later and all that was left of him was a jar of ashes.

Caity saluted, doing her best to keep her eyes dry.

As Caity and Eric moved on, Ryan quietly tapped a hidden key, and a separate compartment jumped out. Ryan quietly took out a small shield from his pocket and rested it inside the compartment.

Even being a Shieldbearer wasn’t a free pass from death.

After a few more slots, Caity stopped in front of a particular slot.

Name: Berry Davis.

Generation I Phasewalker.

Nov 29, 2002 - June 3, 2020

Age: 18

Rank: Captain. 2nd Airborne Company. 1st Phasewalker Battalion. The Phasewalker Corps.

Captain Davis was killed in action in combat around Fortress Alpha.

Compensation: $15,000/month donated to a verified charity anonymously.

Yes. Captain Davis of the 2nd Airborne Company, one of the initial leaders of the Phasewalker Corps, was killed in action just days after the battle at Fortress Alpha. When his company was in the air, scouting for potential threats, danger came down from the skies in the form of a Mutated Eagle. The Eagle smashed into the helicopter blades of the attack chopper Captain Davis was on and brought the whole thing down.

All four Phasewalkers aboard were killed instantly.

Just like that.

Davis’s position was taken by a Phasewalker Private who fought well during the battles. Captain Blyfield. Looking at the stern, unfaltering look of Davis on the computer screen for one last time, she saluted with shaking hands.

This time, she couldn’t help but feel her eyes go a little wet.

When all the respect was paid and all the grief was settled, General Kennedy walked up to Caity.

“500 Generation II Phasewalkers have completed their basic training. They are ready to be deployed through the Portal, under your command. 1,000 Generation III Phasewalkers have been recruited.”

Generation I Phasewalkers referred to the first 400 Phasewalkers. They were better trained, relatively, and all of them were deployed across the Portal. 300 of them served as the military wing inside the 1st Phasewalker Battalion while the rest acted in non-combat roles.

Generation II Phasewalkers were the 500 recruits who entered the program when the battalion first crossed. They knew how to shoot rifles and follow orders, sort of, but time didn't allow them to be well-practiced in anything else. Sending them into danger would result in a disaster. Eric knew that very well.

“Sir, wouldn’t it be more responsible to have them finish all their training before putting them in danger?” He wondered.

“They will not take part in any combat role until they are ready.” Caity declared quietly. “Their task will be to defend Fortress Alpha and free up more of the Generation I Phasewalkers for further missions.”

Eric’s mouth hung open, but Caity glared at her mate just once to shut him up.

Finally, the Colonel turned and moved to leave the room. Just before she departed, she gave one final look at the Hall of Martyrs.

How many more? How many more Phasewalkers would march across the Portal, only to go back home in tiny jars? Eagle’s Nest. The Portal. World Alpha. The Portal. The Hall of Martyrs. It was like different stations of a train and the notion terrified Caity Hunter.

But as the Commander of the Phasewalkers, she couldn’t stop this train. Even if she could, she wouldn’t. She wouldn’t stop it because stopping Project Phasewalker here and now would mean condemning billions to death, or worse, in the future. Billions of her own people, inhabitants of her world.

Project Phasewalker had to continue, and if it meant a thousand more names into the Hall of Martyrs, then so be it.

The most she could do was minimize the number of names.

The arrival of 500 Generation II Phasewalkers added a lot more heat into Fortress Alpha. Right now, there were fewer than 900 Phasewalkers in the fortress, 770 of them being in combat roles.

All 5 of the original Companies were modified so each of them included 144 units. With the units in place, the addition of weapons, armored vehicles, and aircraft was barely an issue.

In addition to modifying the Companies, Caity created the Battalion Security Platoon, which was a unit composed of 50 Generation I Phasewalkers. Their job was simple: act as the guards to the commanding officers of the Battalion. If the situation called for, they would step in and enforce the Battalion leader’s orders.

This unit was created on the advice of Ryan. The Battalion Commissar keenly pointed out that with hundreds of troops in the battalion, all of them dealing with weapons and death on a daily basis, the Commissars might need a little more authority to get things done. This was where the Security Platoon came in.

Caity thought the advice was really well. As a reward, she entrusted them to the best person available: Ryan Carlson. The look on Ryan’s face as he tried to escape the role, and his dismal when that effort failed, was priceless.

Unfortunately, while the additional troops helped, it also meant the overall quality of the troops dropped. Ryan, in an emergency, had to add two additional Lieutenant Commissars to each company to further enforce authority and improve morale. He didn't know how much it would help, but he hoped it was enough.

As a result, Fortress Alpha has become a lot more chaotic. Every day, Generation I Phasewalkers were doing their best to bring their comrades up to speed, not that they themselves were the most talented and experienced troops either.

In a corner of Fortress Alpha, Alex leaned against the armor of an M1A2 battle tank. Two months ago, she was a track and field runner. Now, she was running her finger along the cold barrel of an M4A1.

Attached to the muzzle of the weapon was a silencer. After a while of research, Section X scientists finally came to the conclusion that Mutants were especially attracted by sound. A wave of gunshots could alert every Mutated Animal in a five-kilometer radius. Solution? Just add silencers to all the guns and hope to deal with the enemies as quietly as possible.

Simple. Alex just hoped it was also effective.

A figure with a white armband walked up to her. “Hmmm...Lieutenant?” The figure asked in a soft, female voice. “Hello. My name is Chelsea. I’m a combat medic and I’m assigned to your platoon.”

Alex rose her eyebrows as she looked up. The vast majority of the Phasewalkers were guys. Yes. The commanding Colonel was a gal, but the fact was in most cases, men were better fighters than women. Of course, there were exceptions. Alex herself, for example, made it to the rank of a Lieutenant in the 4th Motorized Company, commanding a platoon of 36 troopers.

In the Phasewalker Corps, as long as you were capable, no one gave a damn about your gender or your race.

Alex herself was capable, but when she saw the fellow female Phasewalker, she was obviously displeased.

“Medic, huh?” She asked slowly.

“Yes sir.”

“Well, let me give you a suggestion.” Alex was cocky, and for the right reason. She might be the same age as Chelsea, but unlike the Generation II Phasewalker, Alex has seen combat. Plus, this Chelsea girl looked too nice and friendly to be a combatant. “Change your major. Be an analyst or something. Medics here?” She shrugged. “That’s funny.”

“Why?” The blonde combat medic wondered curiously. “It’s as important to heal our own as it is to kill our enemies.”

Her rebellious tone annoyed Alex, who stood up straight and leaned toward Chelsea. Alex was 6 feet tall, towering half a feet above Chelsea, but the smaller medic stood her ground.

“Here’s the thing, Private,” Alex replied slowly, carefully observing Chelsea's reaction. “We have lost 29 of us. Well, 40 in total. 40 Generation I Phasewalkers, dead. And we didn't have a single wounded.” She pointed at the outside of the fortress. “The things we face out there, those Mutants. They don’t wound. They don’t leave survivors. If they get close enough to strike you down, you are dead.”

She was terrifying, and that was exactly what she wanted. “It would be a shame if a Tiger or something bites your pretty little head off.”

But Chelsea wasn’t ready to give up just yet.

“If you don’t need a medic, then just treat me as a regular Trooper. I don’t care what job I take. I want to fight.”

“Why? Really?” Alex groaned and tossed her arms up in frustration. She was almost screaming. “Why the hell would you want to get involved in the fighting like that? Are you suicidal or what? Being an analyst gets you the same benefits!”

“I'm not in it for the benefits. I'm in it because it’s my duty.” Chelsea’s answer was quiet but determined. “I have seen what the Alpha Virus did to this world. General Kennedy showed your body cameras to us. It is up to us to keep Earth from turning into a wasteland like World Alpha, and I am willing to do my part.” Her eyes flickered. “Just like what Colonel Hunter said.”

Alex swore she saw stars in Chelsea’s eyes when she mentioned Caity Hunter. Finally, she gave in. The Phasewalkers weren’t exactly in the place to pick and choose. “Just stick to me. Do what I do.” She sighed. “That’s probably your greatest chance of not entering the Hall of Martyrs.”

Chelsea nodded obediently.