One minute later, the command room was filled with floating faces.Large holographic screens hovered around Oliver’s desk.On the first screen was General Thorne from Delta-9. The old man looked extremely tired. His gray uniform was wrinkled.On the second screen was Commander Hayes from Echo-4. She looked angry and terrified. She had not forgiven Oliver for destroying the Iron Star.On the third screen was Captain Jax. Jax was standing in the heavy weapon armory deep below Oakhaven. Giant metal mechs and massive Genesis Cannons rested in the dark behind him.And standing physically in the room was Captain Iris. She watched Oliver with sad, angry eyes."Listen closely," Oliver said. He did not say hello. He did not ask how they were. He spoke in crisp, sharp tactical language. "Every second we waste is measured in human blood. We have extracted the enemy's battle plan. The Wraithborn are launching a multi-front galactic siege. They will arrive in four hours.""Four hours?!" Commander

"Jax achieved his mission," Oliver replied, his face a stone mask. "He traded fifty men for three million monsters. It is the greatest tactical victory in the history of the colony. Do not disrespect his death by crying over it."Vance wiped his eyes and turned back to his screen. He felt sick to his stomach."Boss," Billy said from the video screen. His voice was very quiet. "General Thorne is reporting. The Wraithborn army has reached Delta-9. They saw the hole in the plasma shield, just like you predicted. They are pouring into Sector Four."Oliver looked at the map of Delta-9. A massive wave of red dots was running exactly where Oliver wanted them to run. They were running right into the trap."Tell General Thorne to wait until the sector is completely full," Oliver ordered. "Wait for maximum density. Then detonate.""Waiting," Billy said. He watched his screen. "Eighty percent full. Ninety percent. One hundred percent. Sector Four is packed with monsters.""Detonate," Oliver said

Oliver raised both of his hands. His mind expanded. He stopped seeing people. He stopped seeing monsters. He only saw math. He saw angles, speed, probability, and energy output. He was no longer a man. He was the central processor of the human race."Commander Hayes," Oliver addressed the leader of Echo-4.On the right hologram, Echo-4 was in deep trouble. Three million Wraithborn monsters were dropping from the sky like dark rain. Commander Hayes had moved her people to Sector Seven, just as Oliver had ordered. But the monsters were pressing hard against the high metal walls."Hayes here," her angry voice came over the radio. "They are breaking the north wall, Oliver! We don't have enough heavy guns to stop them!""You do not need heavy guns," Oliver said smoothly. "You need gravity. I am dropping six anchor-stabilized ships from orbit. They will arrive in exactly fourteen seconds.""Ships?!" Hayes yelled over the sound of screaming monsters. "If ships fly into this sector, the Wrai

Oliver closed his eyes. ‘How do you break a perfect mirror?” he asked himself. “You cannot outsmart a mirror. You cannot run faster than your own reflection.”“You have to break the glass.”Oliver opened his eyes. They were cold, empty, and devoid of all human emotion. He had to do something completely illogical. He had to do something so crazy, so mathematically incorrect, that the humanoid strategist could never predict it."Billy," Oliver said smoothly. His voice did not shake."Yes, boss?""On Echo-4," Oliver said. "We dropped six transport ships equipped with temporal-stabilizers.""Yes, they are keeping time slowed down for the troops!" Billy said."I want you to hack into Ship Number Three," Oliver commanded. "I want you to invert the temporal-stabilizer. Turn it inside out. And overload the main power core."Billy stared at Oliver through the screen. His jaw dropped open. "Boss... if I invert a temporal field and blow it up... it will create a localized time-loop. A gravity we

Squad Zero moved instantly. They formed a perfect 'V' shape. Oliver was at the front point. Sergeant Cross was on the left wing. Maya was on the right wing. The other eight soldiers filled in the lines.The Red Outpost stood in front of them. It was a massive fortress built of thick red metal. The main gates were broken. Huge claw marks scarred the steel. Black smoke poured from the windows.Inside the gates, hundreds of red eyes glowed in the dark courtyard. The Wraithborn monsters heard the pods crash. They were waiting."Target distance: forty yards," Oliver calculated aloud over the radio. "They will charge in three seconds. Cross, prepare suppression fire. Angle twenty degrees left."The monsters screamed. It was the horrible sound of metal scraping against glass. SCREEEECH!A wave of black, spider-like Wraithborn poured out of the broken gates. They ran incredibly fast on their four long legs."Fire," Oliver said softly.Sergeant Cross pulled the trigger of his massive machine g