Night Watch Protocol

I pushed past the heavy sliding curtain and breached the balcony. The indoor sectors were locked down, but the open dark demanded a proper lookout. I scaled the frame of the outdoor table and took command of a heavy iron lantern resting near the railing. Its faceted glass lid had swung loose on a slack hinge. I drove my knuckles against the cold brass latch, slamming the interlocking clamp shut until it bit into the frame with a solid metallic snap. Through the beveled glass, distant streetlights split into sharp, radiant beams across the steel tabletop. My vantage point is secure.