Sigfreid opens the eye slit wider, recognizes Petar Volkov, and admits him. He bars the door again as Petar steps into the crowded basement, dust on his coat.
The Voice Beyond the Door
Merkel's courier reached me. He says contact is urgent. Turn the radio to the coded frequency and reestablish communication before the route changes again.
Jannick
Then we repair it immediately. Use the spare parts, and tune only to that coded frequency. No one opens the sealed documents.
Jannick assigns the work around the table. Liam sorts wire and valves, Sigfreid steadies the casing, and the others shield the lanterns while Petar watches the barred door.
An hour passes in cramped, careful maintenance. Helena remains among the crowded basement, surrounded by maps, tools, and whispered calculations as the repaired radio slowly gathers power.
Liam
The frequency is set. If Merkel's network still survives, this should reach them.
The radio clicks, hums, and finally glows beneath its improvised cover. A thin burst of static breaks through the basement hush, followed by a fragment of coded sound that none of them can yet identify.
✓ Quest Accepted
Determine whether the westward route remains safe