Graves quickly evaluated the chaotic scene before him. Vega’s control over the shadows turned Blackwatch soldiers against each other, ensnaring them in dark tendrils that manipulated their movements, causing friendly fire incidents. The Abrams tanks, usually the powerhouse of any ground assault, were rendered almost useless, their advanced systems and heavy armor no match for the shadows creeping into every crevice, causing critical system failures.

Understanding the unique challenge Vega posed, Graves switched his suit to a mode designed for electromagnetic interference, hoping to disrupt Vega’s shadow manipulation long enough to gain an advantage. He directed the infantry to pull back, minimizing the risk of them harming each other under Vega’s influence.

With the ground cleared, Graves initiated his approach, utilizing the thrusters on his suit for speed and maneuverability. As he moved, he launched a series of flashbangs, designed not just to disorient Vega but to momentarily dissipate the shadows with bursts of intense light.

Vega, momentarily caught off guard by the sudden illumination, lost her grip on the shadows. This lapse allowed Graves to close the distance between them, now within striking range. His suit, equipped for close combat, enhanced his physical capabilities, allowing him to engage Vega directly.

The confrontation was straightforward and brutal. Graves relied on the enhanced strength and speed afforded by his suit, delivering a series of targeted strikes aimed at disabling Vega. Vega tried to counter, summoning shadows to bind Graves, but his suit emitted pulses of light, keeping the shadows at bay and rendering her main form of attack ineffective.

Graves’s strategy was to wear Vega down, exploiting the brief moments when her control wavered with each flashbang detonation. He observed her patterns, looking for any sign of fatigue or concentration lapse to exploit.

But—as he was throwing punches, he didn’t notice that there was a shadow coiling around his left foot, it whipped him around and sent him flying through the air with tremendous force. Graves, caught off guard by the sudden counterattack, found himself unable to correct his trajectory as he hurtled towards a nearby building. The impact was imminent; his body crashed into the walls with such force that it broke through, sending debris scattering as he tumbled inside.

The building offered no resistance to the force of Graves’s unexpected entrance. He found himself lying amidst rubble and dust, his suit’s alarms blaring warnings and status updates. Quick to recover, Graves initiated a diagnostic check on his suit while pushing himself up from the debris. Despite the violent entry, his suit had absorbed the brunt of the impact, preventing any fatal injuries but not without cost. The diagnostics reported minor system malfunctions and a decrease in power efficiency.

Shaking off the disorientation, Graves assessed his new environment. He was inside what appeared to be an old office building, its interior gutted by time and neglect. There was also blood everywhere, possibly from the zombies getting inside and then killing all the civilians.

Graves knew he couldn’t linger. Every second spent in recovery was a second Vega could use to consolidate her control over the shadows and potentially launch another attack. He pushed himself to his feet, noting the way his suit whirred and clicked, compensating for the damaged systems as best as it could. The diagnostics continued to run, flashing occasional warnings on his HUD, but Graves pushed them to the back of his mind. He needed to focus on the task at hand.

He exited the building through the gaping hole that his body had created upon entry. Once outside, Graves didn’t hesitate. He activated the thrusters on his suit, propelling himself into the air with a burst of speed. Hovering above the battlefield, he had a clear line of sight to Vega, who was momentarily focusing on reasserting control over her shadows, directing them against the regrouping Blackwatch forces below.

Graves knew this was his moment to act. He couldn’t afford to let Vega regain the upper hand. His suit’s targeting system locked onto Vega, a red cursor hovering over her form as he prepared his next move. The plasma cannons, integrated into the suit’s arms, hummed to life, charging up with a glow that illuminated the surrounding area with a harsh blue light.

Vega, sensing the imminent attack, attempted to raise a barrier of shadows in defense. The dark tendrils coalesced in front of her, forming a thick wall intended to absorb or deflect any incoming fire. However, Graves’s plasma cannons were designed to penetrate through heavy armor and energy shields, making them particularly effective against less conventional defenses.

With a determined grimace beneath his helmet, Graves fired. The plasma cannons unleashed a torrent of searing energy. Vega’s shadow barrier, though formidable, was no match for the intensity of the plasma. The energy pierced through the dark wall with explosive force, striking Vega directly.

The impact was devastating. Vega’s scream pierced the air as the blast connected, the force of the explosion tearing through her left arm, severing it completely. The limb was obliterated, reduced to ash before it could even hit the ground, leaving Vega reeling from the shock and the sudden, acute loss. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Graves wasted no time capitalizing on the momentary advantage he had gained. With Vega reeling from the loss of her arm, he swooped down swiftly, closing the distance between them in a matter of seconds.

With a swift arm movement, Graves delivered a final blow, his plasma blade slicing cleanly through Vega’s neck. The force of the strike was enough to sever her head from her body in one swift motion. As her headless form crumpled to the ground, the shadows she had commanded dissipated, releasing their hold on the battlefield.

"Specter-1 to Eagle Actual, all primary targets eliminated. Moving on to securing Hong Kong," Graves radioed in, his voice firm and decisive amidst the chaos.

"Roger that, thank you for the good news, Specter-1. Now, help our men out there in clearing all the zombies in the AO," came the response from the command.

"Copy that out here," Graves acknowledged briskly, wasting no time. He redirected his focus towards aiding the Blackwatch forces in clearing out the remaining threats in the area.

***

In Blackwatch Command Center.

"You hear that, Mr. President, all primaries are eliminated. Taking all over Hong Kong will be easy from this moment forward," Richard said.

"I agree...but let’s not be complacent. Who knows what Lin Feng could throw at us at any moment."

"We have learned that lesson multiple times, it’s not going to happen again," Richard assured.