The sound of footsteps echoed through the damp parking garage. The group moved cautiously, their eyes scanning for any sign of trouble. Mallory took the lead, her wrench swinging lazily over her shoulder as she stepped over a pile of discarded shopping carts. Blinky, perched on her shoulder, chirped quietly, his glowing eyes darting in all directions.
"Why do abandoned parking garages always feel like the start of a bad horror movie?" Greg muttered, gripping his mop handle.
"Because they are," Kaelyn replied flatly, her knife drawn.
"Maybe we'll stumble across a popcorn machine," Greg quipped.
Mallory rolled her eyes but smiled despite herself. "Focus, you two. Altair's readings said the signal was somewhere around here, right?"
Altair nodded, holding up his tablet. "Yes, but the interference is stronger than before. Whatever it is, it's not static anymore—it's moving."
