3 Days Later — Overwatch Strategic Map Room
The war map of Luzon was no longer red.
It was scarred.
Cratered circles bloomed across the landscape like burn marks on skin—Clark, Lucena, Calamba, Olongapo. Each site marked with a thin white ring labeled "N-ZONE." Former cities, now sterilized zones of heat, silence, and death. But no movement. No Bloom activity. No more Goliaths. No more hordes.
Just cold ashes.
Thomas stood at the head of the holographic table, arms folded. His jaw was tight. Sleepless. Focused.
He didn't look away as new feeds streamed in from Reaper One-One and Two-Three, flying high over San Fernando.
A black mass had begun moving again. Tens of thousands. A Bloom crawler nest, grown from the ruins of old government buildings. Civilian evacuation had failed days ago. The northern corridor was gone.
"Ready another package," Thomas said.
Phillip blinked. "You're sure? That close to Pangasinan?"
