March 3rd, 2028 — Subic Bay Freeport Zone
TG Energy Test Site Alpha
The air in this part of Subic felt different.
Colder, cleaner, sharper—like the wind itself knew it wasn't supposed to carry the sound of traffic or civilization here. Just the low rumble of distant generators, the occasional thump of rotor wash from passing choppers, and the steady whisper of waves hitting the rocky shoreline far below.
The test site sat on an isolated plateau carved out of the terrain, ringed by fences, bollards, and layered security checkpoints. Warning signs were posted every few meters:
AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY
RADIATION CONTROLLED AREA
NO UNAUTHORIZED ELECTRONIC DEVICES
A full kilometer out, the perimeter was empty. No workers. No stray vehicles. Just sensors and cameras.
Exactly as Timothy ordered.
A ACH175 helicopter had dropped them off twenty minutes ago. Now it was gone, a shrinking speck over the coastline.
