While they were still on the road, Jay filled Lory in on the latest situation in Zenon and about Clift and Samuel's mission progress so far. The closer they drew to the capital, the heavier the air seemed to become.
Their car passed through multiple layers of security checkpoints, each one more meticulous than the last. Guards with heavy arms examined their 'fake' identification with scrutinizing eyes, scanners at the gate swept each car for any weapon or any dangerous object, followed by automated barriers that rose and fell in rhythm with flashing red lights.
Fortunately, with Jay's connections, getting through the tight security was no more than a mild inconvenience. Even so, Lory couldn't hide her astonishment at how fortified Zenon had become.
The capital's skyline loomed behind massive walls laced with surveillance cameras and automated turrets. Soldiers stood at every post, their gazes sharp and unyielding, watching every car that passed like hawks circling prey.
