The stale air inside the data hub was thick with the scent of ozone and overheated circuits. Rows of towering servers hummed in synchronized pulses, casting eerie blue light that flickered like distant lightning.
Aeris's footsteps echoed softly as she led the team deeper into the labyrinth of cables and blinking panels. Every shadow seemed to twitch with hidden menace.
"Almost to the core," she whispered, wiping sweat from her brow. Her fingers hovered over the control panel, nerves tight as the lock mechanisms clicked open.
Suddenly, a low rumble shook the floor — the building's defenses awakening.
Kael's sharp voice cut through the tension. "Ambush! Get ready!"
From every corner, sleek combat drones dropped from concealed mounts, their red eyes glowing with lethal intent.
Lira lunged forward, knives flashing like streaks of moonlight slicing through the dark.
Jax deployed an energy shield, crackling to life just as laser blasts tore through the air.
Sylas cursed under his breath, fingers flying over his console to scramble incoming signals.
Aeris clenched her jaw, hacking frantically to override the hub's security protocols.
The room became a chaotic storm of steel and sparks — every second a battle for survival.
But deeper still, behind a reinforced door, Project ECHO's true core awaited — silent, watching, calculating.
And it was ready to fight back.