The snow crunched beneath their boots as Daniel, Claire, and Tessa approached the Vanguard base. The structure rose out of the icy expanse like a frozen tomb, its angular lines sharp against the snow-drenched sky. Ice clung to its surface, glittering under the pale light, and the surrounding silence was oppressive. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath here.
Daniel paused a hundred yards from the perimeter, his gaze sweeping over the facility. His breath fogged in the frigid air as he pulled up his scarf, covering the lower half of his face. The base was massive, its size more imposing up close than even he remembered from his fragmented memories of the past timeline.
"Feels like walking into a trap," Claire muttered, her voice low and clipped. She stepped closer to Daniel, her hand resting lightly on his arm as she scanned the area. Her posture was taut, ready for a fight. "I don't like it."
