Marcus's POV
My fingers are bleeding from typing so fast, but I can't stop. Not when our entire communication system is falling apart like a house of cards in a hurricane.
"Derek, the mesh network is failing," I say into my headset, watching three more nodes go dark on my screen. "We've lost contact with the eastern patrol."
"What do you mean failing?" Derek's voice crackles through the static.
"I mean the whole f*****g thing is held together with digital duct tape and prayers, and both are running out."
Sarah's device goes offline. Then Jenny's. Then Mike's. Each one feels like losing a piece of my soul. I built this system with spare parts and determination, but it was never meant to handle a war zone.
"Marcus, I need communications," Derek says, his voice tight with stress. "I can
