Gideon was about to turn back toward the open chamber when the walkie-talkie finally buzzed. Static crackled through the speaker before a familiar voice came through.
"Report, Beta Team. What happened?"
It was Jade's voice.
But something about it was wrong.
The difference was so subtle that an ordinary person probably wouldn't notice anything at all.
To Gideon, however, the tone was slightly off, as though someone had listened to Jade speak and was now attempting to reproduce her voice without fully understanding how it should sound.
He narrowed his eyes. He remembered all the voices that had called his men through the mine.
Nobody had called him.
'Don't tell me.'
Gideon grabbed the walkie-talkie from his belt and brought it close to his mouth.
"The hive mind is here. You need to evacuate as soon as possible."
He paused before continuing, deliberately making his voice sound hurried and anxious, even allowing a slight tremble to slip into it.
