The counter beside the rail stayed on Strike 1 after the click.
Ty waited for the number to change back.
The counter held on the first strike mark.
The near receiver below the rail kept the returning capsule locked in its mouth. The cable inside it went tight across the gap, then tighter. Metal strained somewhere under the floor behind them. The case shivered as the rail tested the new line.
"Strike one means the first anchor caught under the far side," Blue said. "It does not mean we are allowed to move yet."
"I appreciate every room that clarifies danger after the danger arrives," JJ said. "Very respectful timing from the murder post office."
Rusuf kept one hand near the receiver and the other on his sword. He faced the gap rather than the counter. The cold beyond the open floor moved upward in slow pushes that tugged at the bottom of his coat.
