The cold hum of automated scanning machinery vibrated through the reinforced floor of the Neo-Jakarta Central Station. Thick glass barriers marked the entrance to the main transit line, each gate pulsing with a pale blue light that flickered every time a passenger passed through. Overhead, the giant mechanical speakers broadcasted synthesized departure announcements, their metallic tones cutting through the restless murmur of the packed terminal. Delon stood near the automated electronic ticket turnstiles, his hand resting heavily on the cold frame of a structural pillar. His chest throbbed with a slow, agonizing friction as the chemical suppressants in his veins continued to degrade.
Suddenly, a sharp, localized audio screech pierced the frequency of his hidden earpiece, forcing him to
