Thirty minutes has passed and the extraction squad managed to get to their location safely. They bought the equipment for the two pilots so they could move in the polluted air without trouble breathing.
"All set. When could go anytime now." Said the operator as he watch over the two pilots then to Clara.
"How long will it takes to reach Joenranta by foot?" She asked.
"Since we now have two people to carry, it'll took almost five hours if we go in full speed and taking turn carrying them." The operator explain.
Hearing that, the two pilots can't help but feel bad and anxious.
"Um... sorry for being a burden..." Said the pilot apologizing.
"You're a victim not a burden, there's a difference in it. No need to feel bad." The operator next to him replied immediately with a warm smile.
"In that case, I'll handle the front and I'll leave them to you guys." She said toward the four operators.
With that being said, two operators start carrying the pilots on their back and adjusting themselves as they wait for Clara to give the signal.
"...Now."
With her command, they use the forest as a cover from the creature. Moving as fast as possible since the equipment won't last forever and the two pilots could risk getting infected if they're exposed for too long in the haze.
Being an infected and a mutant is two different things, while being a mutant will grant you ability, being an infected however, will only turn you into a mindless half-dead walker. People often mistaking it as one thing at whole which is the reason behind the discrimination.
There's a several types of mutations, and those who had been discovered are physical mutation, mental mutation, and spatial mutation.
Physical mutation is the most common form of mutation, it gives the user ability to manipulate matter and applying it to their bodies. Sometimes causing them to growing a visible extra of a body parts such as horn, tails, etc.
Mental mutation is a type of mutation that not affecting the user body directly but the mind. A mental type usually not having any visible traits on them besides their eye shapes and colors, and most of them not really a capable fighter except for some case where they're really good at fighting in the first place.
While for spatial mutation, it considered a rare case. The name implies that this type of mutation could interact with space and dimension itself. The sole example of it was some members of extraction squad and elite operator Provider. For example, he have the ability to rip through space and open up a portal to any destination as long as he knows the coordinates and controlling the terrain at will.
And there's one more to mention, but this type of mutation is not something happening naturally. It called hybrid mutation. A man made mutation that caused by experimentation which is no longer exists since the Sanctuary already get rid of them ten years ago. The sole example of this was former elite operator Fiend, someone who possess both physical and spatial mutation.
"Hey Luke, time to change." Said one operator to her side.
They decided to stop for a bit at a nearby ruins and passing the pilot to each other before continuing their run.
"Are you guys sure we need to keep moving for five hours straight?" Asked the pilot, worried for them.
"It's fine, this kind of thing's considered light to what we had experienced before. We're trained for endurance and stamina, thanks for the hell teaching the captain gave us." The operator carrying him replied with a friendly tone.
"Who's your captain, again?" He asked curiously.
"It's sir Provider." The operator said simply.
They're not breaking a strides even when the terrain had changed. They're already escaped from the mountains and now they're marching through the ruined city road.
Usually, the haze would be too thick to even see through. But with Clara in front of them and the cold pushing back the haze, they couldn't help but admiring her. Since an elite is an elite after all, even if they're picked as substitute.