The whirring grew louder, closer, echoing ominously through the narrow passage. A metallic silhouette, vaguely cylindrical, came into view, its singular optical sensor sweeping the darkness.
"Now!" Mason's command cut through the tension, a sharp incision in the silence of the ventilation shaft. Athena moved with a sudden, devastating burst of speed, not quite a blur, but a liquid streak of motion. Her body twisted, her small, specialized blade a silver flash in the dim light.
With a grace that belied the confined space, she darted past Mason, her hand a feather-light touch on the drone's metallic casing. A faint, almost inaudible snick echoed in the enclosed space, followed by the soft hum of the drone cutting out entirely. Its singular optical sensor winked once, then faded to black as it slumped heavily against the grimy floor.
"Clean," Athena whispered, pulling back, her breathing even. A faint, mischievous smile played on her lips as she nudged the inert drone with her boot. "Guess it won't be reporting our presence to its overlords now. Told you I had it."
Artemis let out a low, rumbling chuckle. "Showoff. But I'll admit, that was pretty swift. Saved me the trouble of turning it into a paperweight." His red eyes swept the now silent corridor ahead.
Nyx stepped forward, her crystalline device glowing faintly as she scanned the air. "No residual energy spikes. Athena's approach was successful. We remain undetected." Her voice was a soft caress against the cold metal.
Leo's illusionary orb drifted down, bathing the scene in a soft, ethereal glow. "An elegant performance, rogue. Almost a shame to interrupt the drama." He turned his grey eyes toward Mason. "So, are we heading further into this metallic labyrinth, or do we start a small fire and roast marshmallows?"
Mason, his emerald eyes assessing the inert drone for a final moment, simply nodded. "Good work, Athena. Let's confirm the main nexus is clear, then we make our way to the lower levels. Stay sharp, everyone. We're only just getting started." He pushed past the silent drone, leading the way deeper into the facility.
Mason led the way, his steps careful and deliberate, navigating the serpentine twists and turns of the old ventilation system. The dim light from Leo's orb danced ahead, illuminating dusty pipes and crumbling insulation. The stale air thickened, carrying the faint metallic scent of machinery mingled with a strange, almost electric tang that seemed to prickle the senses.
"Getting closer to the core energy readings now," Nyx murmured, her delicate brows slightly furrowed as she observed her crystalline device. "It's not just a constant pulse anymore; there are intermittent surges. As if something is... struggling."
Ahead, Athena's voice was a low whisper. "Main nexus junction confirmed. Dead ahead, Mason. Looks clear on my schematics, but those intermittent surges could mess with passive sensors. It might be active."
"Then we treat it as active," Mason stated, his voice firm, unwavering. "Artemis, stay sharp. Ready to engage in anything unexpected. Leo, prepare a decoy sequence."
Artemis stretched, his thick muscles bulging against the confined space. "Finally. Something to punch that isn't sheet metal." His voice was low, laced with anticipation.
Leo adjusted the illusory orb. "Punching things often attracts attention, barb. But I suppose sometimes, that's the point." He let out a soft chuckle. "Decoys are standing by, Mason, if the old relic decides to wake up."
As they emerged from a tight bend, the ventilation shaft broadened into a wider chamber, revealing a massive control panel bristling with dead indicator lights and trailing cables. The faint electrical tang in the air grew stronger. It hummed with a barely suppressed energy.
"This is it," Athena confirmed, approaching the silent panel, her hazel eyes scanning the complex interface. "The main security nexus. We just need to override their obsolete protocols and we can disable most of the facility's internal defenses." She reached for a port on the panel, a small, specialized interface cable already in her hand. "Could be a bit tricky, the older systems always are."
Hadrian watched quietly as the team worked. Thankfully he hadn't needed to do anything yet but he still kept an eye on his mini-map, just in case a hostile got too close or tried to sneak up on them.
Athena crouched before the main security nexus panel, her slim fingers dancing across the obsolete controls. A faint blue light flickered from the tiny interface cable she plugged into a recessed port. "Alright, you old relic," she murmured, her gaze sharp, "Let's see what secrets you're trying to keep."
"Any luck, Athena?" Mason pressed, his emerald eyes scanning the dust-laden chamber as she worked. "The sooner we get a clearer picture of this place, the better."
"It's a tough nut to crack," Athena replied, a soft grunt of effort escaping her. "These old systems are riddled with back-doors they never bothered to patch up, but they're also... stubborn. Lots of layers. It almost feels like it's trying to resist me actively."
Nyx stood a few feet back, her glowing crystal device pulsed erratically. "The core's energy is spiraling even more, almost matching your input, Athena. It's reacting to your presence on the system."
Artemis stretched his neck, his muscles popping audibly. "So, it's fighting back, eh? Sounds like fun. Just tell us when we get to smash something. These tunnels are making me restless."
Leo, his illusory orb bobbing above their heads, chuckled. "Patience, barbarian. Perhaps it just needs a lullaby. Nyx, is the entire facility buzzing, or just around us?"
"More specifically near key access points, and the deeper we get into its network," Nyx reported, her brows furrowing. "It feels less like a defense system and more like a... a struggling heartbeat."
Suddenly, the control panel before Athena whirred with a weak, protesting groan. A faint red light sparked across a small, circular indicator, illuminating flickering hieroglyphs on an archaic display. Athena pulled her hand back instinctively. "Woah. That's new. It's not just resisting... it's rebooting itself, drawing on the core's power."
A low, mechanical whine vibrated through the chamber as the control panel whirred to life, its red light intensifying. Mason's jaw hardened. "Rebooting? That means it just brought everything back online." His words were barely out before the hum of latent energy within the room began to deepen, like a slumbering beast slowly awakening. A high-pitched, almost imperceptible electronic frequency began to pulse, a signal for dormant sensors springing to life.
Hadrian held back an internal groan, that meant any moment their energy signatures would trip the alarms. Faster than he can think he's opening his system and activating his hidden esper ability. Thankfully his ability was energy manipulation. Using his ability he reached out to sense the energy frequency of the internal system. It took a split moment to mimic the frequency and as he does he thrusts his hands out around him as he forms an energy shield around the group to hide everyone's energy signatures. He just hopes he was fast enough that the sensors didn't trip.