The hallway before them was a defensive nightmare.
A dense lattice of red laser beams and dark-photon sensors stretched from wall to wall, moving in an irregular, pulsing pattern. The air shimmered with heat where the lasers crossed, but the dark-photon sensors were freezing cold, waiting to absorb any bio-electricity.
"Rhea," Vikram whispered, pulling his goggles down. "What's the sequence?"
"It's a randomized algorithm," Rhea replied, her keyboard clacking over the radio. "Devendra designed it to prevent physical infiltration. But there's a three-millisecond gap in the cycle when the secondary cameras recalibrate."
"Where?" Rohan asked, his eyes scanning the red grid.
"Near the base of the left pillar," Rhea said. "You have to slide under the first three beams, then roll to the right before the vertical sensors swing back."
"I'll go first," Vikram said.
He took a deep breath, aligning his Prana to keep his energy signature minimal. He waited for the gap.
The lasers flickered.
Vikram dropped to the floor, sliding across the damp concrete. He rolled to the right, his back scraping against the stone as a red beam swept just inches above his chest. He stood up on the other side, his breathing calm.
"Your turn, Rohan," Vikram said.
Rohan, despite his leg, focused his energy and lunged through the gap, landing beside Vikram. The alarm remained silent.