October 7, 2:12pm
The gondola lifted them smoothly away from the station. Through the glass walls, Xavier watched the ground fall away. The facility grew smaller below them, revealing its full layout—a cluster of buildings arranged around a central courtyard, surrounded by a perimeter fence.
"This is so cool," Margaret said, pressing her hands against the glass. "Look how tiny everything gets!"
"The view is quite spectacular," Alexander agreed, though his attention seemed more focused on scanning the mountain above them.
Naomi sat on the bench opposite Xavier, visibly shivering despite trying to hide it. Her thin cashmere sweater provided little protection against the mountain chill, and the gondola's heating system hadn't yet kicked in.