Ashworth called for emergency contact with Ashen Circle leadership the moment they returned to the facility, and by nightfall, a video conference had been arranged with figures Victor had never seen before, faces arranged across a wall of screens in the facility's main briefing room.
"The suppression ability represents the most significant tactical development in generations," one voice said, an older man whose screen identified him only as Director Halloway. "But if the Vaelmyr's awareness network has confirmed its danger, we need to reassess our entire timeline immediately."
"Agreed," Ashworth said. "My recommendation is accelerated preparation, on the assumption the Vaelmyr's return could come considerably sooner than our original estimate."
"How much sooner?" another voice asked.
