Zoe stood at the head of the Nexus briefing room, a glowing map of the Carlson S Raceway projected behind her.
A ripple of responsibility settled over her as she took in the room; this wasn't just a mission—it was a test of everything they'd trained for, and she felt the weight of ensuring they succeeded.
The blinking red marker pulsed like a heartbeat, drawing every eye in the room.
Snacks perched lazily on the edge of the table, flicking his tail, while Crest waddled in circles beneath Serria's chair.
"All right, here's the situation," Zoe began, her tone sharp and commanding. "Shard activity has been detected at the raceway. My mom reported strange energy at the center of the site, and we're not taking any chances. This has all the signs of a mystic overgrowth. If we don't contain this, it won't just be the raceway at risk."
"What do you mean?" Jen, the youngest asked.