The tunnels shook as if the earth itself resisted their passage. Dust rained down in fine streams, catching the faint light from their wrist lamps. The air was thick, damp, and humming faintly — the pulse of Elysium echoing through the steel veins beneath the world.
Ethan led the way, his breathing sharp and steady. Behind him, Maya followed close, her movements careful but quick. Dr. Myles trailed just behind them, her cybernetic eye glowing softly as she scanned the walls.
“Almost there,” she murmured. “These conduits run straight into the Cradle’s outer shell.”
Hannah checked her weapon, eyes sharp. “You said that two turns ago.”
Myles shot her a look over her shoulder. “You can’t rush a system that doesn’t want to be found.”
From the rear, Dr. Taylor adjusted a small device on her
