MTLNOVEL Chapter 224: Sentinel Aerus
October 24, 2025 — Manila, Sentinel BioTech HQ — Subic Division
The skyline of Metro Manila faded behind them as the chopper descended over Subic's coastal industrial zone. Below, long stretches of steel-framed hangars gleamed beneath the midday sun. Cargo cranes moved methodically in the port, and Sentinel's blue-and-white logo gleamed proudly on the rooftop of its newest facility.
Angel pressed her hand against the glass window as they banked, her eyes narrowing slightly as the site came into view. "Looks different from the air," she muttered.
Matthew sat beside her, thumbing through a folder of NDAs and engineering drafts. "You're seeing the future."
Angel raised an eyebrow. "Bold."
He smirked. "You married bold."
The chopper touched down with a soft jolt. A small reception team waited near the helipad—engineers, security personnel, and a tall woman in a dark gray blazer who waved them over with military precision.
"Welcome back to Subic," said Carina Velasquez, Director of Advanced Fabrication. "The floor is prepped. Machinists have been briefed."
Angel nodded. "Any questions?"
Carina smiled faintly. "Only a dozen, but I was told you'll brief us personally."
They moved quickly from the helipad to the main development building. Sentinel Subic wasn't like their BGC headquarters. It was all steel and concrete—industrial and unapologetic. This was where prototype weapons had been built, where ballistic composites were tested, where things exploded in the name of progress.
And today, it would be the birthplace of something new.
—
1:45 PM — Sentinel Subic, Hall 3A — Advanced Machining Bay
The hum of equipment greeted them the moment they stepped through the reinforced doors. Inside, rows of five-axis CNC machines stood like sentinels, each guarded by teams in safety gear. Laser cutters glowed at the far end, and on the wall to the right, a projection screen displayed the rotating model of the GTP-X engine schematic.
Matthew walked to the center of the room and turned to face the thirty assembled personnel.
"Let's be honest," he began, voice calm but firm. "This isn't just another component. It's not a rail part, a satellite array, or a drone."
He paused.
"This is an engine. A micro gas turbine. For a car."
A murmur rippled through the group.
Matthew raised a hand. "Before you ask—yes, we know EVs are the market darling. But what we're building isn't about trend-chasing. It's about solving for places the EV market still fails. In Southeast Asia. In rural provinces. In nations without grid security or lithium supply chains."
He tapped the tablet and the schematic expanded, revealing the core housing, turbine blades, and fuel versatility module.
"This prototype is small. Light. Self-regulating. It can run on kerosene, biofuel, and aviation-grade synth blends. And it's quieter than a modern car engine."
He turned toward Carina.
"We need a working prototype block machined within six weeks. Carbon-ceramic blend. Heat recirculation chamber included. Your team will coordinate directly with my private office. No external vendors. No leaks."
Angel stepped forward.
"And to be clear," she added, eyes sharp, "This isn't a vanity project. This will be our next vertical. Sentinel Auto will be real—legally incorporated under our mobility arm before the quarter ends."
Carina looked at both of them, expression unreadable.
Then nodded.
"You're really doing this," she said. "A turbine-powered car."
Matthew smiled. "One that'll last longer than your average smartphone contract."
—
5:30 PM — BGC, Sentinel HQ — Executive Lounge
Later that evening, after returning to Manila, Matthew sat in the corner of the executive lounge, laptop open, a mug of black coffee at his side. Angel stood behind him, arms crossed, reading the list of internal reactions on the private board communication thread.
[Director Lim]: Introducing a new product category this soon after Aurora's launch could dilute our focus.
[VP Galvez]: You're asking R&D to switch tracks midstream. Risk of production bloat.
[HR]: If this becomes a full vertical, we'll need to revise retention packages. Auto engineers don't come cheap.
Matthew sighed and leaned back. "Everyone's rattled."
"They'll come around," Angel said. "They're used to clear roadmaps. This isn't on any of them."
He looked up at her. "You're not worried?"
She thought about it.
Then shook her head. "No. This is different. But we didn't get here by playing it safe."
Matthew tapped his screen again, pulling up the projected rollout plan:
Q4 2025: Prototype block machining, turbine housing, and silencer.
Q1 2026: Chassis frame integration and vehicle test rig.
Q2 2026: Limited proof-of-concept demo.
Q4 2026: Initial production batch of 100 units under internal Sentinel Auto badge.
"We're calling it the Sentinel Aerus," he said.
Angel blinked. "You already named it?"
"Means 'light breeze' in Latin. Quiet. Efficient. Feels like a car from the future, not a concept sci-fi vehicle."
Angel exhaled slowly, then smiled. "I like it."
She walked to the glass wall overlooking the city, watching the lights pulse across the skyline.
"This time last year, we were buried in Pulse line data," she said. "Now look at us."
Matthew joined her, slipping an arm around her waist. "I keep thinking about Aurora."
"Our daughter or the train line?"
"Both," he said, smiling. "She gave us momentum. But this… this gives us permanence."
Angel nodded. "Then let's build it."
October 25, 2025 — 7:30 AM
Rodriguez Avenue — Sentinel R&D Lot
A black tarp covered a strange, frame-shaped assembly on the back of a truck as it rolled into a secured private bay. Engineers stood waiting with equipment, blueprints, and confusion on their faces.
No one outside the core team knew what they were looking at.
Only that something was coming.
Something loud in its silence.
And behind it, the quiet hum of turbines waiting to wake.
Carina stood just outside the gate as the truck eased into position, clipboard tucked under one arm. She watched as the tarp rippled faintly with the breeze, concealing the prototype's bare skeleton—unfinished, yes, but brimming with potential.
Matthew and Angel arrived moments later, stepping out of a black SUV. There were no media teams. No ribbon-cutting. Just the cold hush of precision about to become motion.
Carina turned to them. "We'll begin teardown and integration by noon. You'll get the first diagnostic run in seventy-two hours."
Matthew nodded. "No press. No leaks. Let the machine speak first."
Angel smiled. "Let's light the spark."
And with that, Sentinel Auto was no longer just a name.
It was movement.