The door shut behind them with a metallic thud that seemed far too loud in the small, dimly lit room. Lin's eyes didn't leave the silhouette in front of him. Keller stayed slightly behind, his weight shifting onto the balls of his feet, ready for whatever this "catch" was about to become.
The figure stepped forward into the light, revealing a tall man in his late forties. His suit was sharp, but it carried the faint creases of someone who had been on the move for days. His black hair was combed neatly back, but his eyes were alert—calculating. He wasn't just here to help. He was here to measure them.
"You've made more noise than you think," the man said in a low voice. "The facility you came from? It wasn't as abandoned as you believed."
Lin's jaw tightened. "We were careful."
"Careful doesn't matter when your escape route leaves a trail," the man replied. "Your entry was silent, your exit wasn't. People are watching you now—people with reach."
