Miller rode into the safe zone and saw them as prepared as they could be. Over a thousand guns were on the wall, and most of them were inexperienced shooters. Most had nothing more than a small 9mm pistol or perhaps a hunting rifle. He did see several however in reserve with shotguns of all kinds. Which he guessed was as smart as they could be. Let the longer-ranged people shoot first and when things get close up. Clear the deck with buckshot. Rinse and repeat.

It was halfway into the compound when his truck stopped to let him and the other soldiers off, before starting to move back to the old motor pool. So the next truck can unload.

“ Team A, take section 16 of the northwest wall. Team B, take section 1 of the northeast wall. Team C...”

As one of the former Master Sergeants started directing the disembarking teams. Both naming them and setting them up where they will be needed most. As first off the truck, he and his team were given the left side position to where the Dreadnaught stood.

It took a full day for the military convoy to reach the new basecamp their officers had chosen for them. But unlike the safe zone, their storage would not work. Add in the fact the morale hits of losing easy access to showers, restrooms, and warm food in addition to the drama before they left. Then add the fact that they left, many of them abandoning friends and family.

It was two days ago when what was destined to happen. Someone got drunk and decided they were going to go back to their wife. Screw command and their orders. What should have happened in his unit should have just subdued him and let him sleep it off. Instead, his unit started helping him pack up.

Worse, they did not hide the fact. Which caused other units to do the same. Within the hour the battalion was split. Most of the senior staff and the more seasoned veterans or those without families or just wanting to survive were on one side. On the other, the volunteers, the patriotic, and those with someone they abandoned in the safe zone. Were on the opposing side. That is when the system intervenes.

Duty to your {Oath} or duty to your {Contract}. A faction-sized conflict has arisen. As a result, the faction ‘National Guard’ has been forcefully dissolved. All assets are up for the taking. Will you try to discuss this peacefully? Will you take it by force? Will you steal while others are distracted? Will you flee while leaving it all behind? Choose now.

With that message, Miller told the truck driver to gun it. Only about two hundred made it out before someone took a ground-to-air missile and hit one of the evacuating trucks and sealed the gate with the wreck.

They waited over an hour for others to join them, but instead, they encountered ants. Their predictions of them moving slowly were off by a large amount. As they were over a hundred miles away from their safety zone. Which means David was right. Scouting parties for the ants must have started appearing the day they left.

And now they are back. The open area allowed the convoy that returned to avoid most of the ant patrols by virtue of just being faster, but the last five miles had them weaving through barricades and land mine zones. The very last mile had taken them over an hour.

Miller could see the swarm of ants heading their way not caring about such things. Little specks of light were all he could make out, but he could tell there were a lot of them going off. By the simple fact that the horizon was covered in moving bodies.

And now he had nothing else to do but sit and wait. To think about his life choices. To really regret re-upping his stay in service right before this all happened. As the specks of the ants grew larger and the explosions grew bigger he closed his eyes and remembered a certain day in his life.

The first time he was truly betrayed by his leaders. Except it was not his military leaders but that of the civil government. He was only a private then. One fresh out of boot. One who did not understand which orders should be followed and which must not. Just when the first bullet was fired and the president gave the direct order to open fire. He only hesitated long enough to not be the first...

But that day was the worst in his life. He had to admit this one might be a close second. And when the bugs appeared on the edge of the complete wall of wooden spike barriers, barb wire fencing, and land mines not even buried, something changed. Something shifted and he did not know what till he looked to his right as he heard something.

‘Klang!’

‘Klang!’

‘Klang!’

Miller looked to the Dreadnaught and saw him lifting his right fist as he began stomping his left foot.

‘Klang!’

‘Klang!’

‘Klang!’

As the Dreadnaught continued, others started joining in.

‘Klang!’

‘Klang!’

‘Klang!’

As if all of humanity was of one mind. Of one spirit. Taking anything they had that was metal and banging it against something else metal.

‘Klang!’

‘Klang!’

‘Klang!’

And then the Dreadnaught stopped stomping and raised a single finger. Before anyone else could move again, a concussive force knocked everyone on the wall but the Dreadnaught back a step and the wind out of them. Regaining his bearings Miller could only see lines upon lines of ants engulfed by fire. The safe paths through the other traps and resistances were now burning for over a mile distance. And yet, far beyond them, Miller could still see the endless swarm approaching.