Jo's visor flashed with the incoming alert. A military convoy was headed through the district. Reports from the hospital by the barrier were cut short, but updates indicated forces split: one approaching the 2nd hospital; the other was advancing towards the depot and clearing checkpoints with ruthless efficiency.

She toggled her comms, connecting to the 2nd hospital. The voice on the other end was panicked. "As they pulled up I ran out the back entrance to a coffee house across the street. They have already surrounded the hospital exits, Jo."

Jo recognized Atlas Stoneheart's voice, an independent runner delivering supplies, "Listen carefully, Atlas," Jo said, feeling the swift river of time crashing into her, pushing her in ways she wasn't prepared for.

"We don't know why, but all non-Quantum collective citizens are being removed from the district," it sounded to her like she was practicing. Her mind was spinning between the big three: fight, flight, or hide. However, none were making any sense to her. She could hear Viktor's advice to fight, and she watched it play out in her head. Once there was conflict, the army would be sent. There was no way their security force could keep an army at bay, or even what was coming now. They could stall with armed resistance to get as many to the hangar as possible, but any resistance meant the iron fist of the Center's army would come crashing.

Moments drifted as she wrestled.

"Jo? You still there?"

She knew Atlas needed an answer. Any resistance would jeopardize their lives and their mission.

"Let them come," Jo said. "You can hide, but do not resist ... it will get you killed or worse. You will likely be taken at any checkpoint, we are getting reports there too." Jo didn't have time. "Take care," she said and terminated the link.

Jo's stomach churned. Switching channels, she relayed an update to her team, "This isn't a drill. Veridian is evacuating all non-Quantum Collective citizens from the district. "Take your families to the tunnels, now. But if caught, surrender peaceably."

"I don't know that word," Viktor winked at Ava beside him. They were already at the embrasure fortification at the front of the depot. Viktor enabled the depot's primary shield covering the front entrance Ava charged her personal defense device as crackles of electricity filled the air. The large generators kicked in to support the demand.

"Get out as fast as you can and make it to the rendezvous with anyone you can. We’re abandoning the depot immediately. Marcus and Maya, as representatives of Veridian and Symmetrist security, I need you with me at the entrance. Our job is to stall them as long as we can." Jo took a deep breath. All she could see was a single mistake in the excitement destroying everything they had built. She didn't know how to stop it but she saw no other path, "Do not engage. I repeat, do not engage in any physical resistance. It will bring down the army." She took another breath, drops of sweat forming on her brow, "DO NOT RESIST!"

All she could think of were exceptions: those with loved ones in the other hospital that wouldn't want to leave; quantum families that wanted to follow Jo but were caring for mesh sickness; and the security team that would be too eager to fight.

"If you have any reservations, stay. It will be okay. I repeat, It ... will ... be okay. Leave now or stay, but DO NOT RESIST!" Jo repeated hoping her command would be followed but she was not confident.

If time was a river, she was swept up in the current now. She could feel crucial moments passing by. They had evacuation plans but had not conducted any drills. Patients, security teams, and non-citizen helpers had no muscle memory for conducting a quick and safe evacuation.

Switching channels, she relayed more details to leadership and security teams as she began running to the front entrance, "This isn't a drill. Veridian is evacuating all non-Quantum members. Security detail, prepare for fallback. Support non-citizen evacuation to the hangar." Then she screamed, "Now!" Breath escaped and filled heavily, labored as she ran and evident in her voice.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Within moments, the depot buzzed with the controlled chaos of evacuation. The Symmetrist volunteers ushered their families toward underground access points. Firm but encouraging voices were everywhere.

Jo addressed the security team, her tone leaving no room for debate. "Once the last civilian is through, the security must leave and camouflage the exits. I will stall them as long as I can, they must not follow the families." She didn't know if they would make it or not, they could easily lose the hangar, "Do not engage unless you are followed and cannot hide." Know she knew what the next command could mean death. "We cannot afford a fight, today we run ... But we also cannot afford to give up our retreat. If you are overrun, blow the tunnels instead."

Jo would have trusted herself or Marcus or Maya, but she had been so busy with supporting the hospital and preparing the hangar that she couldn't imagine anything but failure now. She was sure, all of their plans would come crashing down. She wanted to redo the last week, shift priorities, and accelerate plans for the future over current lives. 'How could I have been so stupid,' she thought to herself but there was no time to think either.

Viktor stood tall, combat gear ready, rifle out the opening of the front of the depot when Jo arrived. "Security shield in place, that should slow'em a bit," he smiled eager for real conflict. Ava by his side, rifle prepared as it projected through her personal shield.

"Viktor, Ava. Please," Jo pleaded as she caught her breath. "Please fall back and support the evacuation." She could tell by the look on Viktor's face he had no intention of leaving. He'd faced far worse odds than a mere convoy, and with Ava by his side felt he could hold them indefinitely.

"Permission to refuse," Viktor's eyes sparkled with adrenalin.

Jo shot him a glare. "Staying isn’t bravery—it’s suicide."

Ava chimed in, calibrating a handheld shield. "We’re staying. From what I hear they will be here in minutes and that isn't enough time for the families."

"Ava, please." Jo was pleading. How could she make Ava see how everything would be lost? She slowed as she closed the distance between them. "Listen, I need you both." She put a hand on each of their shoulders as the rumble of heavy tanks could be heard arriving. She waited until they looked at her, meeting their gaze with a seriousness they had not experienced with her over the past week. "I know you mean well, but I need you to protect the hangar. We have a small chance if you leave now. If you cannot get people out and camouflage the exits, I need you to blow the tunnels." She paused to let it sink in.

Ava looked back over her shoulder as vehicles pulled up the shield. Ava shook her shoulder, "Ava, now. Do this for me, right now!" Jo commanded forcefully.

Ava and Viktor's training surmounted the adrenaline in unison, "Aye, Aye."

"I do like blowing tunnels," Viktor said with a wink. They ran out of the entrance towards the tunnels below just as an energy weapon made contact with the shield out front in an explosion that lit up the entrance in yellows and oranges.

"80%," she heard Viktor give shield status, "Be careful Jo."

Maya and Marcus arrived at the entrance, both out of breath as they had come from the engineering lab.

"Quick, go through and lock every door you can find. Once they breach, every minute will count. Marcus, you head towards the supply entrance. Maya, you head towards the hospital ward. Slow them down any way you can think of but do not resist. We are trained security officers, and I expect you to comply for the safety of the patients and everyone else." Jo saw the concern in their eyes. "I'll be fine and so will you, now go!"

Jo exhaled sharply before a final message to her leadership and security team as another blast hit the energy shield, "Please think twice, run but do not threaten escalation with the Center."

"60%," Viktor's voice reported the shield status.

Jo stood in the empty entrance, every door around her locked. She moved back from the port holes and the doors and stood in the center of the room, arms crossed. Finally, she could breathe again.

Another electron blast struck the shield. This time she could see a lightning discharge across the surface of the shield as the room lit up.

"40%," Viktor's voice again, providing a tactical update. "However, field stability is failing."

Jo sent her final message, "Maya and Marcus. I expect you to surrender for questioning. Erase your memory augments of all information regarding the hangar. Erase all security and leadership channels from your communications system. Perform a complete wipe of information over the past week since the TruthGate collapse." Her voice failed her as emotions rose. So many lives saved, so many more to save. "That goes for anyone else that is captured. Be strong, be brave. Jo signing out."

The next blast stretched lightning sparks over the surface of the shield. She watched portions open with holes and thin as the field struggled to maintain cohesion. With her augments wiped and communication channels deleted, she imagined Viktor providing the final tally. Through the embrasures, at least a hundred military soldiers waited.

She was proud of her team, but her thoughts went to Jonathan. There was at least a chance they could make it through.