The outer walls of the location loomed ahead—thick with reinforced plating, optical dampeners, and mounted guns twitching as they auto-tracked incoming thermal profiles.
Ava's system pulsed.
[LOCATION LOCKED: WEST CRYO FACILITY – ENTRY VECTOR: 0.2°]
[DANGER ZONE: ACTIVE. PERSONNEL COUNT: 47. VEHICLE COUNT: 5 (TANK-CLASS)]
[SYNC LINK: LUCAS BAI – STABLE]
She adjusted her glove tighter against the interface cradle and kept walking.
Lucas didn't say anything. He didn't have to.
He radiated confidence like it was armor—steady and sharp-edged, eyes already sweeping the wall for weak points.
The outer gate hissed open.
A soldier unit stepped forward. Uniformed, clean, rifles half-raised in that way meant to imply readiness but not engagement.
Lucas slowed just enough to look polite.
Ava didn't.
[THREAT LEVEL: MODERATE – OFFICER RANK: LIEUTENANT. SHIELD ACTIVE. RIFLE SIGHTED: LOW-ENERGY GRIDLOCK TYPE]
