The night was thick with fog and electric tension as Aeris led the team through the labyrinthine back alleys of the city's industrial district. Neon signs buzzed faintly above, casting fractured light across wet pavement slick with rain.
Kael's silhouette moved like a shadow beside her, senses razor-sharp, every muscle coiled for the inevitable strike.
Lira's blades gleamed under the flickering street lamps, Jax scanned their surroundings with a handheld scanner, and Sylas's fingers danced over a portable console, hacking surveillance feeds in real time.
"This is it," Aeris whispered, eyes locked on the monolithic data hub ahead — the rumored core of Project ECHO.
Suddenly, the streetlights snapped off, plunging them into near darkness. A chilling mechanical hum filled the air as automated defense drones whirred to life, red sensors glowing ominously.
"Contact!" Kael growled, drawing his weapon as the drones surged forward like predators closing in on prey.
The team sprang into action — a ballet of deadly precision and coordinated chaos. Lira spun through enemies, blades flashing; Jax deployed electromagnetic pulses to disable drones; Sylas kept their digital shadows intact.
Aeris darted toward the hub's entrance, fingers trembling as she jammed a device into the lock. Sparks flew, the door hissed open.
"We're inside," she breathed.
But deeper within the shadows, the true echo awaited — silent, watching, and ready to strike.