The Siberian facility was even more imposing than they had imagined. Built into the side of a mountain, it was a fortress of steel and ice. As the team approached, Zane hacked into the external security systems, temporarily disabling the automated defenses. But they knew it wouldn't be long before the system rebooted.
"We need to move fast," Zane said as they entered the compound through a maintenance hatch.
Inside, the facility was eerily silent. Frost covered the walls, and the low hum of machinery echoed in the distance. The deeper they went, the more the air felt heavy with the weight of what they were about to uncover.
"This place is massive," Nyla whispered as they moved through the cold, metallic corridors. "Bigger than the last node."
Zane nodded, his eyes scanning the data on his wrist device. "If I'm reading this right, there's a control room at the center of the facility. That's where we'll find the core of the node. But the system is already starting to reboot—security measures are coming back online."
Suddenly, a series of lights flickered on down the hallway, and the faint sound of mechanical movement grew louder.
"They're waking up," Nyla said, her voice tense. "We need to be ready."