Good thing that Blackwatch had set up a base near Shanghai as there is a bio-hazard team, so getting to the site won’t be that long.

While waiting for the arrival of the bio-haz team, the stillness of the abandoned station was abruptly shattered. The team’s perimeter sensors, set up around the excavation site, began to emit a shrill, urgent tone. The display on Graves’s helmet flickered to life, highlighting multiple fast-moving signatures converging on their location from all directions.

"Contact! We’ve got incoming!" shouted one of the Specters, snapping into a defensive posture. The shadows at the far end of the station began to stir, and then, with terrifying swiftness, a horde of zombies burst into the dim light of their lamps.

Graves and his team were immediately on high alert.

"Form up! Engage at will!" he commanded calmly. The team quickly fell into a tight formation, back-to-back, covering all angles as the zombies closed in.

Graves triggered his suit’s pulse fire lasers, emitting short, controlled bursts of high-energy light that cut through the nearest wave of attackers.

Next to him unleashed the plasma blades built into his suit’s gauntlets. The glowing, heated blades sliced through the air with a hiss, severing limbs and heads in a gruesome ballet of destruction.

While the other switched to a tactical mode that enhanced his suit’s kinetic force output. He charged into the fray, his suit amplifying his movements, enabling him to send zombies flying with bone-crushing tackles and powerful punches that left craters in the concrete where undead bodies hit.

The fight was intense, with the Specters utilizing every tool at their disposal. It was basic for them to eliminate zombies as they don’t fear getting bitten as there’s no possible way a zombie tooth could penetrate their armor.

s the last of the zombies fell, the station grew quiet once more.

"Damn, I thought all the zombies in Shanghai were already exterminated? How come there are still hordes here?" One of the Specters asked.

"Well Shanghai is a big city and these zombies could be remnants from less patrolled areas or they’ve moved from other parts. Either way, we need to stay vigilant," Graves responded, checking his suit’s systems for any signs of damage or malfunction.

"How long would it take for the Bio-Haz team to arrive?"

"Eagle Actual, this is Specter 0-1. We encountered a horde of zombies, but the situation is now under control. Requesting ETA on the bio-haz team," Graves reported.

There was a brief pause before the response came. "Specter 0-1, this is Eagle Actual. Bio-haz team is approximately 20 minutes out. Maintain perimeter security and prepare the site for their arrival," the voice of command instructed.

"Copy that, Eagle Actual. We’ll keep the site secure," Graves acknowledged. Turning to his team, he relayed the timeline. "We’ve got 20 minutes. Let’s use this time to reinforce our perimeter and make sure there are no further surprises."

The team immediately sprang into action, setting up additional sensors and defensive positions around the excavation site. Graves walked the perimeter, his eyes scanning every shadow and corner for potential threats. His helmet’s systems continuously analyzed the area, feeding him real-time data on environmental conditions and potential hazards.

In the quiet moments as they worked, Graves’s thoughts returned to the mysterious egg-like object they had uncovered. It was unlike anything they had encountered before, and its discovery could mean significant changes to their understanding of the threats they faced. Like, could this be Lin Feng or an entirely different threat?

Fortunately, nothing happened in the last 20 minutes. And to their delight, the sound of the rotor blades heralded the arrival of the bio-haz team.

The heavy thump of the Sikorsky MH-53 helicopter blades cut through the air, as it settled onto a nearby cleared area, dust and debris swirling around. The team from the helicopter, clad in full bio-hazard suits, quickly disembarked with their equipment, moving towards Graves and his team.

The chief scientist, leading the bio-haz team, approached Graves with a nod.

"Captain Graves, I understand you’ve secured something quite unusual here," he said, his voice clear through the helmet’s communication system.

"Yes, it’s just over here," Graves replied, leading the way to the secured area where the egg-like object was contained. The bio-haz team followed, pulling along a mobile lab unit designed for the safe handling and analysis of potentially hazardous biological materials.

Upon reaching the site, the scientist and his team set up their equipment around the object, initializing various scanners and containment fields to ensure safety.

"We’ll begin with a non-invasive analysis to ascertain its biological and chemical makeup," he explained as his team worked efficiently, attaching sensors and initiating scans.

The screens attached to the mobile lab flickered to life, displaying real-time data. He observed the readings closely, occasionally muttering to himself and adjusting the settings on his equipment. The rest of Graves’s team watched, maintaining a secure perimeter as they waited for preliminary results.

After several tense minutes, he looked up from his monitors, his expression unreadable behind the visor of his helmet.

"This is extraordinary," he said, pausing to ensure he had everyone’s attention. "The preliminary analysis indicates that this is not only biological but highly complex. It’s unlike any pathogen or organism we have on record. And it’s active, possibly even growing."

"Could this be related to the outbreak?"

"It’s too early to tell, but we can’t rule it out," Dr. Liao responded. "We’ll need to transport it back to the base for more detailed analysis under strict quarantine protocols."

The logistics team from the bio-haz unit sprang into action, deploying a specialized containment crate designed to safely transport the object. They carefully maneuvered the egg into the crate using robotic arms, sealing it under the scientist’s watchful eye.

Once the object was securely contained, the scientist turned back to Graves. "We’ll handle it from here. Your team did an excellent job securing the site and the object. You should report back to command and debrief. We might call on you again once we know more."

Graves nodded, signaling his team to prepare for departure. As the bio-haz team loaded the containment crate onto the helicopter, Graves reported back to command.

"Command, this is Specter 0-1. The bio-haz team has secured the object and is preparing for transport. We’re heading back for debrief," he communicated over the secure line.

"Copy that, Specter 0-1. Good work today, out here."