Chapter 76: The Lethal Voltage
The secondary mechanical keyboard clicked rhythmically beneath Rowan Mercer’s fingers as he entered the six-stage authorization sequence into the console. Each stroke registered with a soft chirp from the terminal speaker, sending encrypted digital pulses along the fiber lines routed through the utility crawlspaces beneath the main villa.
On the auxiliary monitoring panel, the primary grid schematic shifted from passive monitoring to combat readiness.
Deep within the bedrock beneath the southern courtyard, the three industrial steam turbines drawing thermal energy from the geothermal boreholes adjusted their pitch. The low, heavy drone of the subterranean generators deepened, sending a steady vibration through the granite foundations that Rowan could feel
