Chapter 20 - Preparation for the Unknown
Within the hour, the quiet domestic atmosphere of the Vale estate had seamlessly integrated with its underlying tactical readiness. Julian and Mara stood in the subterranean staging room beneath the East Wing—a secure vault equipped with state-of-the-art encrypted communications and tactical gear.
Marcus stood by the central tactical table, projecting a high-resolution holographic map of the North Atlantic coastline, pinpointing the abandoned New England relay station known as Site-44.
"Site-44 was an old naval intelligence listening post buried inside a granite cliffside," Marcus explained, pointing to the glowing red marker. "Officially sealed in 2004. But our telemetry shows a low-frequency power draw over the last twenty-four hours. Someone has manually hooked a portable generator into the facility's emergency bus."
"If it's an old resistance cell remnant, they might be in danger, or they might be looking for resources we left behind," Julian said, his arms crossed over his chest as he analyzed the tactical layout. "Either way, we can't leave an unsecured communications line active within our territorial perimeter."
"I'm going," Mara stated immediately, her tone absolute and unyielding.
Julian looked at her, his dark eyes assessing her with a blend of fierce protectiveness and deep, abiding respect. He knew better than to try and shield her from the realities of their past. She wasn't the terrified girl hiding in the shadows anymore; she was a sovereign partner who faced the world head-on.
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"We go together," Julian corrected firmly, walking over to take her hands in his. "We fly out in the V-TOL transport within the hour. Marcus will hold command here at the estate."
Mara offered a confident, reassuring smile, squeezing his hands back. "Let's go see what the past wants from us."
