The heavy metal door of the encrypted digital archive room sealed shut with a soft, magnetized click, instantly muting the distant murmur of the communal barracks. Delon stood near the central terminal, his hand shifting over the smooth edge of his interface console as he watched Erica pull up a series of secure network maps. The transition from the crowded lower caverns had been immediate, yet his mind remained anchored to the image of the young girl and her scorched rag doll, a stark reminder of the fragile peace hiding beneath the concrete foundations.
Erica tapped a series of commands into the terminal, her expression hardening as a series of real-time satellite telemetry feeds began to render across the primary display. "The situation on the surface has completely deteriorated sinc
