The coastal landing zone was a flat expanse of hard-packed sand and reinforced concrete. It had been used previously for heavy cargo shipments during the Horizon Initiative's construction phase. Now, it was cleared. No cranes. No trucks. No workers.
Just the wind.
The team arrived two hours before dawn.
Vehicles parked at a respectful distance. Half a mile inland. Hidden behind the dune line. No reason to show force. The visitors had seen the sensor data. They knew the capacity. Showing more would look like insecurity.
I stood near the center of the zone. Ezra stood beside me. Damon was positioned further back, near the dune edge. He was not hiding. He was observing. His role was to ensure safety without projecting threat.
Ash and Ryder stood slightly behind us. They were not hiding e
