Perimeter Check

Stillness broke. My fingers unclasped with silent precision. I scanned the immediate perimeter: a glowing screen loomed directly behind, illuminating the flat surface beneath my boots. To my right stood another operative, locked in a rigid combat stance. I did not break formation. Instead, I carefully shifted my stance by half an inch, testing weight distribution on the stone base, then reached out to lightly touch the adjacent black plastic monitor bezel. The material was cold, firm, and immovable. Sector assessed. Holding position.