The moment Alina settled back into the chair, the basement seemed to pulse with a quiet, controlled tension. The hum of the monitors filled the space like a heartbeat, steady and constant, anchoring her to the mission. Rest had cleared her mind, sharpening her instincts again. Every feed, every pixel on the screen seemed clearer now, as if the world had been blurred before and was only now snapping back into focus.

Patricia stood beside her, arms folded, gaze sweeping across the rows of ...