Book 2 interlude 2

*Internal HM Government Correspondence*

*Security Level / COBRA-Alpha-01*

From: Roger Hamilton

To: COBRA, UK Zone Command.

Reference: Emergency Black Protocol activation.

As the committee is well aware, UK Zone Command activated the emergency black protocols three days ago. At approximately 14:35 hrs on November 17th, a massive surge of zone activity began globally.

As of the writing of this communication, 18 cities globally are under assault. The national resources of the nations under assault are straining to the extreme or have already collapsed.

A full breakdown will follow once we have assessed the situation after we have processed the incoming reports.

I can confirm at the moment that zone expansion is taking place at an unprecedented rate. We can also confirm that zone creation has increased to an all-time high.

Nationally we are under immense strain due to manpower issues, but I can confirm that we are at the moment containing this unprecedented activity level. I must acknowledge the fact that we are taking and will continue to take losses amongst our operative pool and support personnel teams.

I must, unfortunately, agree that, at the moment, we must declare martial law in the parts of the country presently affected by zone activity spikes. A complete evacuation should be enforced to minimise losses amongst the civilian population and deny resources to the zones.

On the day in question, we had one operation active. Four operatives were organised into a team led by OperativeJohn Harrington (UKZO-045). Their mission was to scout out a zone that had been producing strange readings that were recorded by its perimeter sensors.

They were instructed by their mission orders to perform the following while in the zone (UKZ-197).

· Identify any changes to the threat type or behaviour within the zone.

· Record any changes to zone make-up.

· Inspect the breach and report back on any changes.

Four operatives were sent in with the express goal of a full zone inspection, even if engaging with multiple threats. Due to the manpower issues that zone command has been experiencing since Rome, a trainee was all we had to make up the team’s fourth member.

A full breakdown of what happens within the zone will follow in a later report. Under his authority as the mission leader, Operative Harrington opted to scrub the mission after engaging a previously unknown threat type.

During their evacuation, the team was harried by several of the recently identified creature types listed as ZTC-045 or commonly referred to as “Tigers”. They were successfully engaged and killed, but the trainee by the name of Edwardson was severely wounded in the fight.

Operative Harrington ordered the team to evacuate while he remained as rear-guard as he had identified additional threats within the fog of the zone. The other zone operatives agreed with this threat assessment and withdrew with the wounded trainee.

Major Hawk as base camp commander, authorised a second incursion into the zone with the two operatives and the enlarged support team located at the base camp. Their mission was to attempt to retrieve Operative Harrington. They returned to the base camp and deposited the wounded trainee with the medical team.

The team entered the zone and were not engaged by any threats. They successfully return to the location where they last saw Operative Harrington. They located him there, critically wounded. They identified the remains of an additional “Tiger” and a “Ghoul”. What was most shocking to them was the appearance of the threat type identified as ZTC-057. This is one of the same type of unknown threats that engaged the defensive line outside the Vatican during the Rome incident. The heavily armed figures tore through the defensive lines, affecting massive losses on the remaining defenders.

Operative Harrington had successfully killed the creature but had, as stated, been critically wounded in the process. The support team medical personnel did what they could on site but confirmed he needed emergency evacuation. Both Operative Harrington and the remains of the ZTC-057 were retrieved from the zone.

Operative Harrington is in critical condition at the moment. It is unknown if he will survive his injuries. Due to his unique physiological changes, he is currently fighting off a form of neurotoxin that has been identified to be coating ZTC-057 claws.

Operative Harrington’s body is presently trying to fight off the neurotoxin and is undergoing several more additional mutations. Dr Holland of the biological research department has petitioned and I have agreed to allow him to commit an experiment on Operative Harrington. Dr Holland has requested that he be allowed to supply all the required fluids, proteins, et cetera that Operative Harrington’s body needs. This has been approved.

At the time of the writing of this communication, Operative Harrington’s body is undergoing massive changes. All additional medical intervention has been halted as we await the outcome. Only supplying the fuel, the body needs have been permitted. To what end or result we cannot say?

A full debriefing of the current situation will take place in two more days. I will hopefully have additional information then.

Roger Hamilton