April 10, 2026 — 7:45 AM
Subic — Sentinel Auto Main Assembly Facility
The clamor inside Hall 1 was like a living machine—metal clanging, turbines humming, forklifts weaving through pallets of composite panels. But for all the noise, there was urgency beneath it. The kind that didn't scream, but pressed on the chest like a tightening vest.
Matthew stood on the overhead gantry, arms crossed, surveying the organized chaos below. Five Aerus units—bare frames—were being prepped for Singapore's second batch. Just beyond, Indonesian-marked containers were already lined up, waiting.
Below him, Carina was shouting over the buzz of an exo-lifter.
"We're maxed on CNC hours. We're already 14 days behind Thailand's requested delivery window. If we don't add another machine line, we'll start missing milestones by May."
Matthew didn't argue. He didn't even frown. He simply nodded.
"Then we add one," he said.
Carina turned to him. "We don't have the crew."
