"Now we have to wait for the airspace to clear," Ryan said, looking up at the sky and seeing the fighter jets of the North Korean Air Force to disperse. They had unloaded a lot of ammunition and missiles on the worm, so it's likely that they'll have to go back to their base to rearm and refuel.
"Sentinel Eye, how is the sky up there?" Adrian asked.
"Cold Reach One, Sentinel Eye," the AWACS replied after a brief pause. "Airspace is still active. Multiple fast movers in your sector, heading north. No immediate hostile vectors toward your position, but the sky is not clear yet."
Ryan exhaled slowly, eyes still tracking the distant jets as they pulled away in formation.
"They're pulling out," he said. "At least the first wave is."
Adrian didn't relax. His gaze stayed fixed upward, watching the shrinking silhouettes of the aircraft as they disappeared behind the smoke hanging over the city.
"How long?" he asked.
A short crackle came through the comms.
