The deep-sea monitoring station went offline at 3:47 AM.
Not a power failure. Not a equipment malfunction. A deliberate override from an external source. Someone had hacked the Council's network and seized control of the submersible that Charles had used weeks ago.
The submersible powered up. Its lights turned on. Its engines engaged.
It began to descend toward the c***k.
---
Charles woke to alarms.
"Someone's in the system. They're piloting the probe. Not the Council. Not us."
Lyra was at his side in seconds. "Where is it going?"
"Same place we sent it. The c***k. The void."
Solace grabbed his jacket. "Can you stop it?"
"They've locked me out. Military-grade encryption. This isn't a hobbyist. This is a government."
"Whose government?"
"I don't know. But they're not friendly."
