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3:10 p.m.

Soissons City Hall, 2nd Corps Operations Room.

"This makes no sense! How can this possibly be?!"

Lieutenant General Henri de Dubois slammed his command baton down on the operations map. The map was already a complete mess of countless X marks and red arrows.

The room was like a marketplace. Telephones rang without pause, while pale-faced staff officers shouted and ran about.

"We can't establish communications! Checkpoint No. 7 isn't responding!"

"According to the mayor of Lohr Village, the tanks plowed through all the sunflowers and vineyards as they passed."

Henri pressed his fingers against his temple. His headache felt like it was splitting his skull.

With every report that came in, the enemy's position was drawing absurdly closer.

2:15 p.m. Entered the national highway...