The sun rose reluctantly, casting a muted light over New Haven. Despite the crisp morning air, a heavy tension lingered from the previous day's revelations. George sat at the large oak table in the mansion's war room, his fingers tracing idle patterns on the maps spread before him. Around him, the core members of his team gathered: Raven, Lucy, Jackie, Stephanie, Akari, and John. Each wore expressions of grim determination, tempered by weariness.
"We don't have time to wait," George began, breaking the silence. "We need to act fast. Malachi and his cult aren't going to stop just because we took out their apparatus."
"We don't even know how many of them are out there," Raven pointed out. She leaned on the table, her katana strapped to her back. "And now that they've seen us, they'll be more prepared next time."