The growl under the gap rolled through the rail in waves.
Ty felt each one climb the case frame and settle in his shoulder. The sound was low enough to feel older than the room. It pushed at the glass, sank into the cable, and made the old straps inside the case tick against bone.
Rusuf kept his blade against the receiver while the pressure built.
Blue crouched under the counter and wiped meltwater from the service plate. More letters appeared as the frost thinned. The plate had been scratched by tools, boots, and time, but the worker note was still readable in pieces.
"Growl nature means pressure pulse after first strike," Blue said. "The line shakes until the lower chamber gets vented or matched."
"Matched to what, exactly, before it eats the bridge?" JJ asked. "I want the room to define the threat before chewing anything important."
