The front gate was off limits. 

Every remaining Pioneer survivor had only one option left for survival. They had to head further underground, rushing down one narrow path and down a set of stairs. What followed was a vast tunnel network below the facility spanning for almost five miles south-east. Over a dozen jeeps were parked here, ready to be driven down the escape route. 

The Division were unaware of it, as of now. No doubt when they're finished with their massacre, they'll find it and track the survivors down. 

One after one, every vehicle had sped off, carrying at least five personnel each. Given how many Pioneers worked here, there weren't enough transports for everyone. But it didn't seem to matter. Most of them were already dead to begin with.

There were a few of them left, preparing to leave. They were waiting before they could drive to safety. That's when a door opened leading into the tunnel, revealing two guards struggling to carry one other person.

Once they saw who it was they carried, many of the Pioneers made room in one of the jeeps. Ebony was carefully dragged into the backseat, still keen on survival. His protests were ignored as the remaining guards rushed in and the engines were started.

Despite how injured he was, he didn't enjoy the prospect of retreating and leaving everything behind. All that he's done for this place. His research, his prized possessions and innovations; all gone. A part of him wished he could at least die fighting, because he has nothing left to live for.

He was forced to lay wounded atop the cushions as a few other men sat beside him with their guns ready. It wouldn't take long before any of the Division units arrive to the underground tunnel.

Only three jeeps were left. With Ebony secured and protected by several other guards, they were ready to begin moving.

But when one of them looked back at the entrance, they began to panic. A swarm of agents rushed in, many of them already aiming their guns and opening fire on the jeeps.

Bullets rained fire, crashing into the back of the three vehicles speeding off. All the guards lowered their heads, hoping to escape this nightmare once and for all. Fortunately, these cars were fitted with bulletproof armor. They can take this punishment and come out nearly unscathed.

Unfortunately, they were not explosive-proof.

Two agents pulled out attachments for their rifles. Fitting them underneath the handguards, they slid in perfectly well and had their own alternate trigger. Switching a lever caused the rifle to fire its secret ability.

From within the attachment, a miniature missile was launched upon pulling the lever. It was shot forward, zooming through the air faster than anyone could keep up with.

The first missile flew past the jeeps, blowing up the air in front of them. However, the second one was far more accurate.

Of the three escaping Pioneer vehicles, the center jeep was struck in the back with a rocket. The explosion shot the car upwards as it lost all control and crashed uncontrollably in a never-ending tumble.

The other two jeeps never stopped. They continued speeding down the tunnel in hopes of reaching the exit.

Ebony was in the right-sided car. He was on route to freedom, but at what cost?

What was the point of living anymore?

The end of the tunnel was reached, revealing a secret exit located by a farm. Each escaping jeep drove out of the tunnel and into a large shed that was used to cover up their base of operations. The doors of the shed were automatically opened, allowing the vehicles to drive out and finally escape into the open, outside world.

The agents behind didn't pursue after the remaining escapees. A few of them approached the one jeep they had detonated inside the tunnel, keeping their weapons ready.

Only one Pioneer guard had survived the crash, struggling to crawl out of the upside-down vehicle. He barely had time to process his surroundings when he spotted several people standing above him.

The guard wasn't even given a chance to plead for his life. He was just gunned down on the spot.

With the final bullet fired, this short invasion was concluded.

════ ⋆★⋆ ════

Back on the surface, Agent Trinity stepped over the corpses of all the guards they had killed.

She felt absolutely no sympathy for any of them. Disregarding the scattered remains of Axis below her, she continued to walk out towards the cold snowy fields of Hokkaido.

She reached for her earpiece, connecting back to Australian headquarters. It didn't take long before she heard a voice on the other end.

"So, is it done?" The Director asked, anticipating a response.

"The Pioneers are dead, and the virus is ours."

Cuntfield formed a smile that reached his ears. "Hell yes mate! Bloody well fucking done! Oh and tell me, no agent deaths, right?"

"Only one Division casualty. Our systems detected a single vital flatline." Trin sighed as she said it. She still wasn't in a good mood.

"Who even cares at this point, it's only one! We still did it baby! Woooooooo!!" The Director laughed, celebrating the moment. "Yeah, spoke to another agent earlier. One of them said they saw that Arab guy with the explosives die. Boom Boom dude ha. Heard he strapped a bomb to his chest and said 'Admiral Ackbar' or whatever they say before prematurely blowing up. Only ended up killing himself in the blast and no one else."

Trin never smiled or laughed. There was still something on her mind.

"Director, there's still Ebony McJackson. He escaped with a handful of his guards. Some agents are tracking them down underground in a tunnel system. But if he manages to avoid capture, then he still classifies as a threat."

"Huh, did he escape with any important characters at least?" The Director's question further annoyed her.

She paused for a second, looking behind her at the cave. "Everyone's dead, Director. It's just Ebony that remains as high priority."

"I wouldn't say high priority. He's lost his terrorist organization, there's nothing he could possibly do aside from hiding the rest of his life from us. We've won Trinity, let's savor the moment."

Just as she was about to respond, Trin noticed several agents exiting the cave. They were carrying one other corpse. But this particular body didn't belong to the Pioneers.

They were carrying Agent Tron.

Trin scowled, giving a dirty look of disapproval as the dead agent was gently lowered onto the snow. A snowmobile quickly entered the scene, parking beside the operatives as they prepared to haul Tron out of here.

She turned her head away from them, returning to the call. "This is your victory, not mine. As long as Ebony continues to live, my mission isn't over."

Right before she could end the conversation, the Director hit her with a question. "Suit yourself Agent Trin. We've still got one of them on their way here as a prisoner for interrogation. But what about Tron? I assume he's already been recovered?"

Once more, she hesitated before answering. "He's all yours."

The call was abruptly ended on the spot. Trin left the scene as she made her way out of the surrounding woods. Behind her, the agents were ready to begin demolition. It was time to wipe this facility off the face of the planet.

Hokkaido really was something special to look at during the cold winter. After everything that had just happened, even she needed a break from it all. Nakatomamu offered her that break as she stepped out into the open snowy grass and watched the sunrise from the nearby valleys.

For the first time in a long time, she took a deep breath and exhaled calmly.

So many deaths have been caused, and she feels somewhat relaxed. Only one more is needed before she can find true salvation during these days.

She'll secure closure for all the families affected by Ebony's actions.

Most of all, she'll also do it for Ruben; her one and only son.

════ ⋆★⋆ ════

A hand erected from the rubble.

Jax let out a series of coughs as he tried to focus. His surroundings were blurry, and the ringing in his ears was driving him crazy. What happened to him?

He was lying on the floor right beside the dead agent. A chunk of concrete had crushed his torso, securely pinning his lifeless body. As for Jax, he was unscathed; sort of. The bullet in his leg still hurt like hell.

Reaching for his desk above, he grasped its edge and pulled himself up following a sequence of grunts. Several thoughts rushed through his mind, trying to remind him of his mission.

Evacuation. Time was of the essence, he needs to move now.

But what would he take with him? The whole point of coming here was to save his belongings, anything that he cherishes the most.

Yet it took him this long to realize that it was useless. He was lucky enough to survive for this long. With the base on the brink of utter collapse, how could he even think of escaping with handfuls of his personal items? And what would he take? A teddy bear he had since his childhood? Photos of his family who are most likely living a better life than he is? What is something that's worth risking his life for?

So in his fragile state, he stood in his room and glanced at everything he had. He knew what he had to do. It was enough to have him shed a tear.

He left his room with nothing. His life is far more valuable than anything that was in there.

Even as it pained him, he had to keep pushing through. His destination was the underground tunnel leading to the surface. Surely by now, there'd be no vehicles left. But that doesn't matter, he'll walk the whole way through if he has to.

Running through the damaged halls, he tried his best to ignore the swelling pain in his leg. He stayed close to one side of the walls, leaning against it to keep his balance. Turning the next corner would lead to the vast laboratory. It could be his best bet out of here.

Upon reaching the lab, he held his breath. How many agents were there? A dozen? Two dozen perhaps?

Continuous gunshots were heard resonating deeper within the base. Even an explosion underneath him could be felt. That sounded like it came from the escape tunnel.

Jax was about to slowly turn around, knowing that escaping through the lab was impossible. He'll have to take the longer route around, which meant more narrow hallways. Though it seemed he didn't have any other choice, especially when an agent further ahead had spotted him.

Chaos was let loose. Jax had to sprint and cover the back of his head. He ran, barely noticing three other operatives scout the bedrooms. They all looked up, seeing him run past the corner.

The adrenaline rush had gotten to him. It's his fight or flight response that kicked in, and it chose flight. Even when being chased by a number of these maniacs, he had to keep pushing forward.

There was a small electric panel up ahead, featuring a screen with a few buttons. It rested on the wall right beside an opened steel gate. Jax didn't need to think twice before pounding it with a fist, activating the emergency shutdown procedure.

All that did was cause the gate in front of him to close slowly. It gave him ample time to jump through the gap as a few bullets were fired in his direction. The agents behind him had to watch as the gate sealed itself shut.

Jax let out a sigh of relief, taking a moment to catch his breath and count his lucky stars. But it was never that simple. After a few seconds, he could hear something tap against the gate from the other side. Multiple taps now.

He brushed himself back against the floor, keeping his distance from the gate as his expressions soon became horrified. Some beeps were then heard, following a certain frequency until they began accelerating.

Yep. Time to run. Now.

Jax was nowhere to be seen when the explosion blew apart the gate and scattered its broken fragments against the sides of the halls. A swarm of agents rushed through, keeping their weapons raised.

They wasted no time in sprinting down the halls and looking down every path and corner. One stretch of walls led to the backside of the laboratory, which is exactly where an escaped scientist would go to. But it was too long of a path for him to traverse without them spotting him. He must still be here somewhere.

Following a short incline and another path, they turned another corner inside this maze. That's when they spotted the narrow halls leading to Ebony's quarters. Three bloodied bodies were there, one of which was slouched against the wall while the other two were dropped to the floor.

A few agents ran over to investigate, quickly scanning the the bodies with their eyes. They appeared dead. All the blood surrounding them confirmed it. Then, they turned their attention to the room itself, preparing to open the door.

Upon entering inside, they found one more individual. A female scientist, seated against the wall to their left. A bullet wound in her eye and blood on the wall behind her. After searching the room and every other possible hiding spot, they found nothing. Jax was nowhere to be seen.

Finally, the agents lowered their weapons. They all turned to leave, running further back into the facility.

Right outside Ebony's quarters, the three corpses were left abandoned. They were originally slaughtered by Agent Trin, right before her confrontation with the boss himself. But there were two guards at the time of the attack. Never three.

One of the bodies began to move. Jax slowly shoved one of the guards away from him. Playing dead and hiding underneath one of them seemed to work.

He took a moment to straighten himself out, trying to process everything he's just done to survive. It was a struggle to stand back up, even while trying to hold his breath because of how bad it was beginning to smell in here.

Once he finally stood back up, Jax was about to leave and make his way for the escape tunnel. But it's when he saw it, right from the corner of his eye. Or rather, he saw her.

Stumbling over himself, he scrambled to her side. Even with death looming over his shoulder, he had to take a closer look. Nova sat lifeless, her head lowered. Jax on the other hand didn't know what to say or do.

He didn't want to leave her behind, but there was nothing he could do for her. A few tears escaped his eyes. Kneeled in front of her, he gently rested his head against hers. His eyes closed.

When his eyes opened, he found himself looking at her chest. He had to leave her be. So when he was about to step back, he froze still. Her chest just moved.

Jax kept perfectly still, his eyes widening. Nova's chest was very slowly moving upwards and downwards. It was following a rhythmic beat, one associated with breathing. She was breathing.

Immediately, he reached for the side of her neck, placing two fingers against her. There it was. He felt a pulse. Nova was still alive.

I can feel the frustration swim in your blood.

I can see you're still here, your heart; it won't give up.

Within the facility, buzzing lights flickered on and off. Blood dripped from the walls as broken pipes gushed out bursts of air and other liquids. Scattered figures of executed workers lined the halls, all of which belonged to the Pioneers. The smell of blood and gasoline mixed with one another, battling it out over a war of superiority. Then came the spark. A spark of flint, activating a flame that initiated the process. The destruction of the cave had arrived.

Walls shattered in fiery bursts as the delicate flames roared in a fire of hellish ruination. The downfall was already well underway, and it had reached its climax. No one was left to wander these empty halls.

No one, except for Jax. Jaxon Lennard, formerly known as Jax Hoff, carried the fragile body of Nova Hawthorne, formerly known as Nova Gina. Step after step, he fought against the heat emitting from behind as the fire had begun.

Just as the final explosion brought forth the utter collapse of the cave, the last remaining survivors descended the stairs. With one arm underneath the scientist's knees, and another arm underneath her shoulders; Jax continued in his struggle to break free.

Staggering past the fiery wreckage of a jeep that was previously shot down, he ignored the scenes of death. Occasionally stopping to recover his strength and endurance, he made the journey south. Five whole miles of walking, roughly two hours before he could see daylight.

He's done it. Finishing the incline, he was overwhelmed with joy when he stepped over the snow-covered grass. Nova was still slowly breathing in her unconscious state, and he was able to gently lower her against a nearby tree overlooking an empty road. Behind them was a vast natural field surrounded by beautiful blue skies as the morning reached its peak.

Staying here for too long was far too risky. Some of the Division operatives must have been here already, since all the Pioneer vehicles were missing. He'll have to escort Nova to the nearest shelter.

Just as he sat down beside her, he was about to close his eyes for a second. He needed the rest, no matter how dangerous it may be. But just when he looked at the end of the road, he saw a motorcycle zip by. It would have been fine, but he managed to catch a quick glance at the driver.

Agent Trin was on the move.

She's found Ebony.

Hi there, hello. You've found the secret text... again

Guess who else was supposed to die in this chapter? Ben! When Trin stepped outside, she would see him being dragged back to the cave to be thrown away with the others. I thought it'd be tragic, which is exactly what I said about killing Jax lol. Don't know why I was speedrunning killing all my characters, but yeah I decided to change it so he's still alive in case you were wondering about him; for now at least.

Anyways, that's about it... again... see ya.