March 4, 2024 – Sentinel HQ, Manila | 6:15 AM
The sun hadn't yet breached the skyline, but the subway control room inside Sentinel HQ was already alive with purpose. Techs adjusted sensors. Engineers reviewed cross-sections. Project coordinators tracked bore head telemetry across giant digital panels. The main dashboard now featured two active feeds—one from TBM Aurora near Makati, and another from TBM Rizal, officially launched from the Guadalupe pit just before dawn.
Angel stood in the middle of the floor, a coffee in one hand and a digital stylus in the other. She moved between stations with calm precision, checking progress numbers and routing updates. Behind her, a bold new message glowed across the wall:
"Metro Manila Subway — Twin Drives, One Direction: Forward."
Matthew entered through the side door, tie slung loose around his neck. He nodded to Angel as she passed him a new report.
