There was a full ten minutes of deafening silence as people across the world attempted to process the events that had just transpired. The horror of the creatures from within the tower had left the masses speechless. As foreign citizens focused on the tower, the locals had most of their attention consumed by mourning their fallen comrades, friends and family members. A somber atmosphere enveloped the entire planet and the tension felt almost tangible.

As the silence fell away, it was replaced with panicked yells and despairing cries. Individuals ran through the streets shouting about the apocalypse and that we're facing an alien invasion and that we should give up and surrender. I don't think they considered the logistics of exactly how they could surrender.

Silence quickly returned, this time by military enforcement. More and more trucks full of soldiers and supplies pulled up and cordoned off the perimeter of monstrous activity with lengths of barbed wire fences and warning signs. I don't think the barbed wire will deter the monsters though, it seems like its more to keep civilians out, though I don't think anyone in their right mind would want to go in there. Command tents were deployed and guard stations erected to better control the area from the ground.

There was a special news broadcast in which a high ranking military officer declared that Carson city had become an 'active war zone' and all citizens were forced to evacuate as their hometown was no longer a safe space for civilians. Thus, the local people were ousted from their homes and forced to leave behind the stable lives they had known seemingly forever to assume the role of the always uncertain refugees.

Simultaneously, religious groups all around the world took this chance as a recruitment drive and publicized the use of their churches for beds or homes as well as providing food for the faithful. Of course as a pragmatic person, I could see through their schemes immediately. Would the churches really provide care for the refugees for free? I believed that those that accepted the help of the church would be stripped of every last penny they had left in order to live an 'immaterial lifestyle' and that they would be looked upon favorably by their god for their generous 'donations'.

While the religious groups made a killing, the rest of the world watched and waited with baited breaths, praying that no more monsters would spill from the tower. If they did, it could mean the end of all human life on the planet because the weapons wielded by the wolds strongest forces couldn't even leave a dent on their tough skin. As time went on, it seemed like the wish of the people came true... well, partially, at least.

A month passed with no activity from the surrounded tower, so the military decided to adopt a more aggressive approach. They recruited the best of the best from spec ops groups worldwide and consolidated those chosen into a single task force. Their objective? Enter the tower and explore the inside, as well as to assess the likelihood of another 'outbreak' as it had been dubbed.

At first the members were skeptical of the seemingly suicidal mission, however, they were offered excellent rewards should they accept the undertaking. When they emerged they would be given enough money to live the rest of their lives in luxury. And, in the event that they didn't return with the team, the reward would be passed to their next of kin, ensuring that they would be well looked after. Eventually all the members of the task force agreed to participate in the scouting mission identified as operation 'sneak peek'. The 'Redemption' task force would spend the next two weeks completing training exercises in order to ensure flawless teamwork and to get comfortable working alongside their new comrades.

Two weeks later...

The members of Redemption were all standing outside the towers' ominously gaping maw. Nothing could be seed from the outside, only a twenty meter tall and 15 meter wide arched Vantablack wall recessed in the side of the tower was visible, even when an IMALENT MS18 torch, which currently holds the title of 'brightest', was shone inside, no difference was seen. It was as if the entrance was consuming the light.

Each soldier was armed to the teeth with all of the latest equipment and if all else failed, they had an extremely sharp dagger equipped at their hips. They each carried a rucksack filled with essentials, food and water. They were standing around the entrance saying their farewells to their loved ones, whether it was their last reunion or not. As this mission was critical to all of humanity it was naturally broadcast worldwide.

I watched in awe as Redemption finished saying their goodbyes and lined up to enter the tower as one, each sporting a determined expression and fire in their eyes, as if asserting their dominance on the tower.

Again, we waited... and waited... and waited some more...

It felt like everyone on the planet was watching this broadcast, hell it felt like the planet itself was watching the tower's entrance. But even so an entire 24 hours went by... nothing. Then another 24 hours passed with no activity.

Just as the married women and men were starting to feel like widows and widowers, there was movement and a figure emerged from the blackness. The figure proceeded two steps forward and collapsed, unconscious. The man, now fully illuminated, was a sorry sight. He was bleeding in several places and his whole left arm was missing. His clothing was in tatters and all of his top of the line military equipment was gone with the exception of the dulled and chipped dagger which even in his unconscious state was gripped tightly in his right hand.

A stretcher was brought forth immediately, and presumably, the only survivor of Redemption was loaded onboard and carried off to the field hospital. A woman and a child could be seen running after the medical team seemingly delayed as the husband and father was almost beyond recognition.

In the days that followed, no one else emerged from the tower's bowels. Thus prompted some mixed opinions of whether operation sneak peek had succeeded or failed.