The Watchmaker's Will"
Behind the bronze panels, a massive pendulum began to sway, its slow, heavy ticks vibrating through the stone floor beneath their feet.
Suddenly, a sharp, high-frequency beep cut through the mechanical ticking.
Ethan’s head snapped toward the tunnel entrance. His heightened senses instantly picked up the faint, rhythmic hum of an electric motor. The Vanguard hadn't given up. They had deployed their localized scout drones—small, multi-legged mechanical spiders equipped with micro-thermal cameras and wireless frequency interceptors.
"They found the kinetic signature of the console!" Marcus panicked, trying to scramble backward away from the entrance. "The drones are in the shafts!"