They felt the rumble in the tunnel walls before they saw anything, a low vibration that pressed on their ears and raised the hackles on their necks. Voss, standing amid the half-circle of lantern glow, lifted his head and barked instructions as if snapping into a lifelong soldier's stance. The group exchanged quick looks—they'd seen him calm and measured, but never so commanding. Now, with the sound of skittering limbs echoing down the corridor, he had no time for subtlety.
"Formation!" he shouted, gesturing them into place with slashes of his hand. "Surya, you're out front!"
Surya stepped up, half glancing at Kayode. "Me, leading? You sure?"
Voss nodded. "You're nimble, your defibrillator gloves can stun multiple foes. We need that crowd control." He pointed sharply. "Kayode, you stand behind him. If anything gets through Surya, it dies to your halberd."
Kayode flexed his grip on the weapon's pole, lips tightening. "Understood."