The gates opened with a groan that echoed across the mountains.
Ancient iron scraped against ancient stone, the sound swallowed by the fog before rolling back toward the helicopters like a warning.
No one spoke.
The countdown continued to tick relentlessly across every display.
01:58:41
01:58:40
01:58:39
Aaron Mercer's voice had disappeared.
Only the silence remained.
The lead helicopter banked lower, circling once above the monastery.
From above, the structure looked impossibly old.
The main chapel crowned the highest ridge, its weathered bell tower cracked down the middle. Ivy climbed over broken walls like veins reclaiming forgotten flesh. The eastern wing had long since collapsed into the mountainside, leaving piles of stone scattered across narrow paths.
Nothing moved.
No guards.
No vehicles.
No lights except the single window glowing near the chapel.
Too quiet.
Roman stared through the window.
"I don't like it."
Theo gave a nervous laugh.
