"Stay at the console, Robert. If you hear me radio the word 'purge,' you vent the pressurized nitrogen lines into the lower shafts immediately. Do not wait for me to say it twice, and do not hesitate."Ethan’s voice cut through the terrified whimpers of the contractor like an icy blade. He didn't wait for Robert to respond. Turning on his heel, he reached into his heavy winter coat, his fingers seamlessly brushing against the invisible boundary of his spatial storage void. With a fluid, silent motion, he materialized a sleek tactical carbine and a heavy, high-intensity halogen flashlight directly into his hands. The instantaneous extraction felt smoother than before, but his temple throbbed with a dull, warning ache—a reminder of the physical toll his supernatural ability demanded when his adrenaline began to spike.The rhythmic, metallic scratching coming from the floor grate was growing sharper. It was the distinct sound of claws dragging heavily across frozen iron, echoing upward f