By the time the others arrived at Judy's Makeup Store, we'd already swept the storefront and locked down a perimeter. The walls still smelled like dust and old perfume, but it was quiet and secure for now anyway.
Nicole walked in first, flanked by Devan and Jesse. Bravo team was sharp-eyed and steady, weapons holstered but close.
Charlie arrived next—Viktor, Mitch, Sloan, Giselle, and Hirose. They looked tired, bloodied in spots, but ready.
Delta followed. Logan's crew—Jordan, Laney, Kyle, and Briar—were already in formation. I could tell Logan was trying to guide Kyle into being more professional.
I stood at the front, hands resting on my belt, and waited until every pair of eyes was on me.
Before I spoke, I turned slightly, gesturing toward the young girl beside Sol. "This is Karen," I said. "We found her hiding in the restrooms. Her sister was taken by goblins, but she chose to come with us. She's under Alpha's protection for now."
Karen shifted uncomfortably under all the stares, eyes darting away.
I crossed my arms and nodded toward the group. "Before I tell you what happened with my team, I want to hear from the rest of you. Any contact? Movement?"
Nicole spoke first, calm and precise. "Bravo didn't see any hostiles. We swept our route and found what looked like an old survivor's hideout. The back room of a clothing boutique was barricaded with display racks. Bloodstains by the exit suggest whoever stayed there either died or ran. They left behind some canned goods, bandages, and bottled water."
Viktor scratched his beard and said, "Charlie saw old blood trails. Probably a goblin activity from earlier today. No one was alive. Place stinks. We looted a few knives and food scraps."
Logan from Delta added, "Dead quiet. We checked a dozen storefronts. The only thing moving was a rat. We're clear."
Didn't find much it looks like but it's better than nothing. I wonder where all the other survivors are? Maybe there is another group looking for people and creating a base. Not important right now, the Chosen are. Everyone was waiting for me to respond to their reports and I gave them a nod.
"First good job and I am glad everyone came back safe. Now for my team, we ran into a group calling themselves the Chosen which is most likely the group Wei Shen mentioned before," I said without preamble. "Three of them attacked. They had System-granted abilities—one used a speed boost, one enhanced their strength, and the last used a stun skill. Sol, Liam, Amber, and I took them down."
I didn't need to explain more. The blood still on my boots did that for me.
"They were part of a larger group," I continued. "They've taken up position in the electronics wing. Six confirmed, possibly more. They've claimed control of the Beginner's Store."
Laney raised her hand slightly. "What even is the Beginner's Store?"
I nodded. "The prisoner I interrogated told me it was a store that only people level 10 and under can go into. It sells skill books, equipment, and potions. All for bronze coins. Goblins drop some, but they don't give much compared to humans. The Chosen found it easier to kill people instead of goblins which I could understand why."
Viktor leaned against a makeup counter, arms crossed. "Figures. Store like that's prime real estate. If the System's limiting entry to level tens and under, it's a damn noob-killer trap."
Nicole crossed her arms. "Then we go there. We wipe them out. They're a danger to us and any survivor dumb enough to wander near."
Mitch scoffed from the back. "If that reason's what lets you sleep at night, sure. But let's be real—we're killing them because they control the store and we want their XP and coins."
Liam glared at him, but Nicole chuckled.
"You're right," she said, not missing a beat. "No reason to sugarcoat it. We're killing them because they're in the way. Nothing more. Nothing less."
Mitch blinked like he expected a fight—but smiled instead.
Sloan shifted beside him. "Should we find Marco? Let him know his guy was one of the ones they killed?"
I shook my head. "No. I warned him we wouldn't go out of our way to protect his people. Finding him would waste time. We're not waiting for a maybe."
Logan spoke next, eyes focused. "So what's the plan?"
I turned to Nicole. "You've got the most tactical experience. You lead this one."
Nicole looked at me for a long second, like she was waiting for me to change my mind but I didn't. Finally, she nodded.
She unrolled a crude, hand-drawn map of the second floor and set it across the counter.
"We're here," she said, tapping Judy's. "The electronics wing starts here—two storefronts north and across the main corridor. According to what Jasmine's source said, there are three ways to reach the Beginner's Store from this level. From the front, left flank through a service hallway, and a narrow rear corridor that loops around the loading zone."
She looked up. "Our objective is to eliminate every Chosen in the area and secure the Beginner's Store. The assumption is six targets, but we treat it as ten. Unknowns are always worse than confirmed."
She pointed to each group.
"Alpha will hold the entry corridor—Jasmine, Sol, Liam, Amber, and Karen. I will coordinate the attack and then rejoin Bravo before the breach. If any of them break formation and try to run, you intercept."
"Bravo will flank left through the service hallway. Josh, Liz, Jesse, Devan—you move quick and silent. Devan, you take point. Flush anyone hiding behind stock rooms or false walls."
"Charlie—Viktor, Mitch, Sloan, Giselle, Hirose—you're taking the rear corridor. It's tight, so move in a staggered line. If they've laid traps, I trust Viktor and Giselle to spot them first. Mitch, you're rear guard."
"Delta—Logan, Jordan, Laney, Kyle, Briar—you'll be our anchor. Once Alpha pushes forward, Delta will split and breach the right-side wall of the electronics store. You'll hit from the side and draw their attention inward. Jordan, use that strength of yours to punch a way in if needed."
Jordan grinned giving Nicole a thumbs up and some of the guys around him patting his back.
Nicole circled the center of the map while chuckling at their antics. "All squads converge here. This should be the Beginner's Store entrance. Once the signal is given, it's a pincer. Front. Left. Rear. Side. Chosen won't know what hit them."
She rolled up the map and met everyone's eyes. "No hesitation. No negotiation. You see a mask, you take the shot."
Hirose spoke up, voice calm. "What if they take off the mask? Or if someone's there without one at all?"
A heavy silence followed.
Mitch shrugged from the back. "Then kill 'em anyway. Why take the risk? More XP, more loot."
Liam's glare returned. "You suggesting we just kill everyone?"
Nicole didn't flinch. "No. We don't kill people just because we can. If they're not wearing a mask, and they're not attacking us, we don't strike first."
She looked around at everyone. "But if they're aiding the Chosen or threatening our teams—we put them down."
I nodded. "Agreed. We don't waste time second-guessing, but we're not butchers either. Nicole called it and we all will follow her lead. Anything else?"
Nicole paused before stowing the map. "One last thing. We're done with sloppy movement. No chatter unless it's mission-critical. No second-guessing your team leads. This is a clean sweep, not a scavenger run."
I added, "If you hesitate, you die. If someone near you hesitates, cover them but don't wait on them. If a team falls behind, keep moving. We don't know if the Chosen are coordinated, but after what happened at the sporting goods store, we need to be better."
Everyone went still. That was what I wanted.
Nicole unrolled the map once more and waved a few of the newer or quieter members over—Liz, Jesse, Kyle, and Karen among them. "If you need to double-check where you're going or what your team's role is, come here now. This is your last chance before boots hit the floor."
She walked them through the routes again, pointing to each position with her gloved finger, voice low but firm.
"We leave in five. Final checks. Gear up."
They scattered to prepare. And I watched the corridor where the Chosen were waiting, my fingers already tingling for a blade.
Time to find that store.