By dawn, the northwestern industrial sector barely changed.
Patrols walked the same routes.
Eyes from the rooftop scanned the horizon.
A few Guardian APCs moved through the area at the same slow pace, their engines growling beneath the morning haze.
To anyone watching from afar, the base looked no different from yesterday.
...
Hans stood inside the Command Roomm, staring at the map spread across the table.
The western drainage mouth and the old rail spine had been marked in red.
Around it, dozens of smaller marks formed a loose web.
Cell 7 had asked for four people.
Hans would give them four people.
Everything else would remain outside the frame.
Footsteps echoed behind him. Hans did not turn.
"You're here early," he said.
Johannes who had just arrived, stopped at the door.
"Commander," he said, then stepped inside. "Preparations have been made."
"That's no surprise," Hans replied. "Are you sure this will work?"
Johannes looked at the marked map.
