Total darkness in the North Sea felt like a heavy blanket pressing down on us. The *Northwind*, reinforced with a new Northvale metallurgical alloy, navigated narrow crevices along the seabed, following coordinates hidden on the Ashworth hard drive.
"We're approaching the exclusive zone of the North Clan headquarters," Agent D reported from navigation, his voice calm despite being thousands of feet below the surface. "The sonar detects three layers of active energy shields around the fortress."
I nodded, hands on the sub's controls. "They must be drawing power from the stolen geothermal facility. We have to penetrate those shields before they lock onto our frequency."
"We can't penetrate those shields with conventional torpedoes, Cassian. That would trigger a full response."
"I know. W
