Taking a puff off his cigarette, Marcus couldn’t help but marvel at the sight of the broken multi kilometer ship dominating the city’s skyline. Sitting a mile away, he watched as a lander descended towards the ship. It grew from a small dot in the sky into its distinctive stubby shape. Boosters flared as it decelerated and touched down on the hangar bays just as another lander hovered out and shot out at tremendous speeds into the sky.

Looking down, Marcus raised his scope once more to scan the latest obstacle in their way. Figures moved about in the buildings overlooking their quickest way into the ship. They were lucky to have scouted out ahead first, as on the streets, they wouldn’t have been able to detect the scavs laying in ambush before it was too late.

Marcus counted around two dozen of them. Well armed and in a superior position, they hold no chance of sneaking past the group of scavs if they want to use the on-ramp they guarded.

The ramp connected to the elevated road which cut through half of the city, snaking into the downtown, residential blocks and industrial area. It was the artery which allowed the passage of vehicles around the city along with leading straight to the crashed ship.

Marcus watched as an armored car came out of the ship, up the ramp and sped using the road and headed north towards the edge of the city. Its massive turret swung from side to side, scanning for any hostiles. For a while, Marcus hoped that the scavs impeding their path would engage the vehicle, but none dared to and it safely exited the devastated city unmolested.

Taking a final puff, Marcus flicked the cigarette off the side of the building and checked his weapons. They couldn’t afford to take another detour. The next exit ramp was a mile out west and bore no guarantee that it would be clear of anything hostile. Fighting and risking death was the last thing in Marcus’ mind this close to the ship, but the blocking scavs left him with no other choice.

“You have a plan?” Rex asked as Marcus turned to the two. He wondered if they would have been back on the ship if he would have just followed their route back, but it was all under the bridge now.

“Not much of it.” Marcus shrugged. “We kill them, loot, and carry the spoils into the ship. I don’t see any other way.”

“Should be fun.” Anna replied, looking to the side where Rex gave her a sharp look. “What? You want to keep grinding away at mobs or do you want to get as close to actual PVP? I’m sure they have accumulated quite a bit of loot considering that they’ve been there for at least a week.”

“You knew they were here? Why would you keep that kind of information to yourself?” Marcus asked.

“We thought you were here to hunt them.” Anna replied, “Its why you brought PVP gear with you. Isn’t it?”

Marcus sighed. “Well, considering that I haven’t been open with you guys, some misunderstanding is in order. Still, its too late for that. Here.” Marcus replied, handing over his m1911 to Anna, along with all his spare magazines. “Better to have this gun online than it hanging off my waist. I will expect that back though.”

“But it’s a beginner gun.” Anna protested.

“Its got history. So I want it back.”

“Okay.” Anna replied, letting the CAS take over as she mechanically checked the chamber and racked the slide. She didn’t have a holster with her and so leaving her no other choice but to tuck the gun into her waistband. “Can I ask you something?”

“Go ahead.”

“Are you the guy clans are looking for the past couple of days? You got the same name, and you look the part.”

“Is that going to be a problem?” Marcus asked, feigning surprise and hoped that he gave a good enough performance, “Havent been back on the ship for a couple of days.”

“It’s not a problem, just curious.” Anna replied. “Should we be moving into position?”

“Might as well.”

The plan was straightforward. They would split up. Anna and Rex would go for their own building, while Marcus would take care of one of the buildings alone. The scavs have set themselves up in opposite buildings, both facing the ramp on the center. It allowed maximum coverage and zero cover below.

It was a solid ambushing position, but it opened themselves up to be taken out one by one, with the road itself serving as an obstacle, separating the two buildings from each other. The scavs would be hard pressed to quickly respond to requests of backup if a building is attacked. Marcus wasn’t the one to study defensive tactics, but he suspected that the positioning was a deliberate move by the game.

“Were in position.” Anna reported as Marcus neared his target building.

“Copy that. Two minutes out.” He replied. They kept the radio communication at the minimum for maximum stealth and seemed to have worked so far. Marcus approached his target building from the tight alleys and crept slowly and stealthily. He entered the building adjacent to his target and climbed to the second floor. Through an open balcony sharing the same level as the building next door, Marcus jumped the gap and gained entry on his target undetected.

Scanning the empty apartment, he opened the door into an empty and quiet corridor. “I’m in position.” He said through the radio. “Quietly take out as much as possible.”

“Got it.”

Creeping through the apartment building, stealth was his closest friend. He cranked up the output of his digital headset to listen in on any noise. It would warn him of incoming enemies. From his recent count, he could expect a minimum of twelve scavs in this apartment building with more probably hidden within. In real life, he wouldn’t even consider attacking a force which outnumbered to that extent, but here in a game setting, he expected him to have a good chance of getting out alive.

Marcus approached the stairs leading up and laughter echoed from the higher levels and was coming closer. His heart started racing. Marcus flicked his selector to full auto but a second later, reconsidered and flicked it back to semi automatic. It would not do him well to panic and dump his magazine in a couple of seconds.

Footsteps tapped against the tiled stairs, and Marcus a leg coming down and adrenaline dumped through his system. Slinking into cover, he peeked around the corner, looking up the flight of stairs, and pulled back as he saw the first figure coming down.

His finger tingling, he backed off the corner and raised his rifle, aiming at the bottom landing. He waited as the scavs went down the stairs. Marcus did his best to steady his breathing and relax his racing heartbeat. He could hear the roar of blood pumping through his ears and stepped out into the main corridor as he saw the boots hit the lowest stair.

Flicking his light, he illuminated a trio of ragtag NPCs. Their clothes were unkempt and bore rips and tears worn from heavy use, and the layer of dirt caked into their skin showed that they hadn’t seen a shower in months. On their shoulders were long guns hanging off their slings.

Marcus paused, watching their surprised expression for a second. Doubting whether he would shoot first, The Scavs helped him decide as they reached for their weapons and Marcus responded with a flurry of fire. They have stacked almost on top of each other as they descended the stairs and all Marcus had to do was to pull his trigger as fast as he could. He pulled his rifle up to aim at the scavs higher up the stairs, hitting everyone and all fell, sliding down and stopping on the second floor.

Expecting more, Marcus switched magazines and started up the stairs to clear the third floor.

From the outside, Marcus had counted the building’s floors to have four levels. With two floors left, It was a lot of work to make sure that everything is clear on his building.

Sounds of fighting ignited on the other side of the street. It seemed like the two had also found the scavs.

Marcus felt an urge to contact them about how it was going, but pushed the thought away. He needed to focus on himself. He flicked the light on for a second, revealing a cleared stairway. Slowly, he ascended, hoping only that there was no one waiting for him in one of the multiple blind spots he is opening himself to.

“Who’s that! Who shot!” came a voice ahead. “I said who shot?”

Marcus remembered a quote from someone on what is the best way to clear a stairway. The old man said in his gravely voice that the best way is to get out of the buildings, stand back two hundred yards away and send an 500lb bomb. That way, you clear the stairway and the rest of the building. It was made as a joke, but the real answer is that there is no best way to clear one. As for the conventional way, you need as many rifles online ready to react and shoot.

For Marcus, he was alone, and he could only hope that no one was watching the stairs.

“You three bastards down there?” the same voice continued. He then rounded the corner to stand surprised, looking face to face with Marcus.

Marcus stood at the landing between the two floors, waiting for the owner of the voice. As the Scav rounded the corner, Marcus was prepared to fire.

A single headshot ended the scav’s life. His head snapped as if given an uppercut, his body went rigid as he fell on his back in the middle of the hall. Panic voices followed along the hall, and Marcus surged up the stairs where it opened up to the hallway, splitting both ways into the building.

Marcus needed to figure something out quick, he’s open on both front and his back. With no novel idea appearing, Marcus leaned to peek around and saw a Scav ahead. He had a pistol held in his hands and both spotted each other at the same time. But instead of shooting, he shouted just as Marcus took his shot, “Enemy here!”

More clamoring footsteps sounded in the hall behind him. Marcus stuck out his rifle, to the hall left of him and sent shots blindly. He was rewarded by a pained howl and the sound of someone falling on the floor. Emboldened, he peeked into the same hall only to be winged by a few lead shots and showered by pulverized concrete.

Warning!

Shield level: Minimally damaged

His shields flared, and Marcus pulled his head back into cover in time before sending another flurry of blindly aimed shots in the hallway. Shouts came from the floor above him, echoing through the stairway walls. He was out of luck, enemies coming from multiple directions. To buy time, he sent the rest of the rounds in the magazines around the same hallway and until he felt the bolt lock back.

With one smooth motion, Marcus reached for a full magazine on his vest while the other pressed the magazine release and let it fall to the floor. He thrust the rifle forward for better access and he slammed the magazine home before sending the bolt forward.

A leg stuck out from the stairway above him, and he raised his rifle to shoot it. A body followed, tumbling down, and Marcus finished the scav before it even reached the bottom of the stairs.

“Fuck. Go back!” a voice shouted up the stairs, buying Marcus more time. He turned back to the occupied hallway to find another scav had charged him, rounded the corner and took a shot.

Marcus’ shields flared, breaking. Marcus raised his rifle in response before the Scav racked its pump shotgun. Rounds peppered the scav, hitting his chest multiple times with a center headshot ensuring that he was dead.

Warning!

Shield level: Destroyed

Buying for more time, Marcus flicked his rifle on full auto and filled the hallway. He swept his muzzle from side to side, hoping to score a hit for anyone that stood in the hallway.

The bolt locked back for the second time and he let the rifle dangle on its sling. He then reached for his vest for a grenade and tossed it in an underhanded throw as he retreated to the floor below.

A shout of warning cut off by the crack of the grenade. Marcus was already down the landing between the third and second floor as the grenade exploded. He secured the spent magazine as he reloaded. Looking at his depleted shields, blindly attacking turned out to be a dumb move, and he was lucky to get out of the situation relatively unscathed.

“Were facing heavy resistance. Both are fine.” Anna reported through the radio. “Hartdegen, are you faring any better? Can you assist?”

“I’m having problems myself. I don’t think I’ll be able to help. I got full health but my shield broken.” Marcus responded.

Looking around, he found a building map posted on the wall. Marcus cursed himself for not noticing it the first time.

He tore the map down the wall and looked for emergency stairs access. There is one on the other end of the hall. Happy to find another way upstairs, Marcus went in the direction of the fire exit but paused. If the defenders have the half the common sense, they would have posted someone to watch them.

The sounds of fighting from the other building intensified. “Hartdegen, they got us pinned down. We’re trapped.”

‘Fuck.’ Marcus muttered, pressing the transmit button. “Keep yourselves alive. I’ll find a way on this end.” He said as he turned back to the stairway and heard no movement save for a faint moaning from the floor above. The scavs above seemed to be content with holding their position. Marcus can’t go further up the same stairs, he would have to find another way.

Moving quickly, he frantically searched the rooms on his floor. Going to the balconies, an idea popped into his head. A stupid idea, but an idea nonetheless.

Checking his magazines, he counted one half full and one empty and spent a few moments topped them up. He dropped his bag and took the last grenade from his pack, then hiding it by tucking it under the apartment beds and moved to the balcony.

The architecture of the building bore horizontal channels carved into the concrete which Marcus could cling to. He looked up and planned his move before cinching his sling tight against his body to keep it from flopping around. Taking a deep breath and hoping that none would see him scaling the side of the building, he grabbed the first handhold and tugged. It felt solid and able to take his weight but was able but barely able to pull himself up.

Dropping back down, Marcus looked at his stats.

Name: Hartdegen Race: Human Player ID: 4374711912965355 Level: 12

Experience: 551/19,164 [Equipment and Inventory]

Health: 190/190 Stamina: 100/100 [Quests]

Shield: 48/400 Fame: 31 Nutrition: 65/100 [Traits and Skills]

Affiliation: Renegades Hydration: 80/100 Stats Str End Cons Dex 8 (1.1) 5 (1.3) 9 3 (1.1) Cha [Empty] [Empty] [Empty] 5

He managed to level up a few times before, and he had specifically saved his points for such an emergent need. Throwing caution to the wind, he put all the available stats into strength, reasoning that he needed the stats now. The effect was immediate. Strength flooded his muscles and his body felt lighter.

With the added strength, Marcus tested his handholds and clung to the side of the building with much more ease. Making sure that he had three solid holds before reaching out, he managed to steadily scale the side of the building. He skipped the third floor, giving the ransacked apartment only a passing glance and went for the fourth floor balcony.

With his shields fully recharged, Marcus vaulted over the barricade, serving as cover overlooking the streets below, and dropped into the room. Broken concrete crunched under his boots and he looked around the emptied apartments. The concrete walls separating the apartments had holes punched through them big enough for a person to duck into. It allowed an easier way to move between the rooms, allowing quick switching between firing positions. ‘Punching throught without explosives would take a lot of effort and time. They’ve been here for quite a while.’ Marcus thought to himself.

Careful as to not disturb the spent brass cases littering the floor, Marcus crept out of the room. The trash littered the halls, and Marcus followed the distinct whispered conversation that threatened to develop into a shouting match.

“I’m telling you that we rush down and take him out. He’s just one man. We kill him and run to help the others on the other side.”

“The boss posted us here, so here we’ll stay.” Another voice replied. “We already got a problem of our own. Go pull out the sweeper.”

Marcus peeked into the view of the conversation as one Scav left the group and get what Marcus suspected as the sweeper. He would bet a lot of money that it’s not a broom. With one leaving for the other end of the building, three left behind and all were covering the stairs leading up. Marcus was lucky he didn’t press the attack up the stairway as he would only get a face full of lead.

Breathing slowly, Marcus raised his rifle towards the gathered group and fired just as a scav glanced his way. The scav managed to get a shout of alarm before before Marcus finished lining up a shot and pulled the trigger. He hit the scav on the top of his head, killing him instantly. He then shifted his aim towards the others, taking out one more with a burst before aiming for the third.

But as Marcus shifted his aim, the third scav got into cover before he had a clear shot. Still, he kept his aim centered on where he would pop out of the corner and waited. But instead of exposing himself for an aimed shot, the scav simply stuck his gun around the corner and fired blindly.

The shotgun boomed but missed Marcus two feet to his right. Marcus responded by peppering his location with measured shots, suppressing the scav in place. Hearing the scav swore, Marcus rushed the scav, surprising him before he could react and taking him out with a burst.

Shouting sounded up ahead. The scav leaving for the sweeper was coming back and sounded as if he had someone with him. Marcus pulled back and got into cover as he reloaded his rifle. Unwilling to directly face against what they are brining to bear, Marcus pulled out a flashbang and stayed quiet.

Footsteps sounded down the hall. He heard whispers that would have been inaudible if not for his electronic headset. Thinking they were close, Marcus popped the pin on the flashbang and threw it around the corner. It hit the bounced on the ground a second later, followed by a panic shout as it exploded with a blinding light and a disorienting explosion.

Marcus rounded the corner and found two scavs reeling from the concussive blast. One held a PKM machinegun in his hands while the other was an SKS rifle. Raising his rifle, the scavs had already showed their unwillingness to keep prisoners, so Marcus decided to extend the same courtesy as he finished them off.

Reloading, Marcus reached for the radio to check up on the others. “You guys okay?”