Hello, this is Devon. I’ve reviewed Chapter 13 of *Cypress Bend*. 

As a developmental editor, I’m looking for the structural integrity of this scene. You’ve established a clear "Old World vs. New Tech" aesthetic, and the tension of the surveillance state is palpable. However, we have some structural issues regarding the stakes and the transition into the next movement of the book.

Here is my evaluation:

### 1. STRENGTHS
*   **The Hook:** The opening line is excellent. *"The high-pitched whine of the motor didn't just vibrate in the air; it set the fillings in Elena’s teeth to screaming."* It’s visceral, immediate, and establishes the drone as a physical irritant before it’s even a political one.
*   **Tactile World-building:** Your description of the "DJI-Taxmaster 900" and the "modified surveyor’s transit" feels grounded in a believable, gritty future. It avoids "magic tech" tropes by emphasizing scavenged parts and the heat of the battery pack.
*   **Character Voice:** Elena’s dialogue reflects her competence. The way she scolds Miller—*"You look like a caricature"*—immediately establishes her as the expert in the room and sets the power dynamic.

### 2. CONCERNS
*   **The Tension Plateau:** The primary obstacle of this chapter (the drone) is dealt with quite easily. Elena "blinds" it, it flies away, and the immediate threat is over by the middle of the chapter. Because she is so competent, the drone feels less like a lethal threat and more like a nuisance.
    *   **The Fix:** Increase the stakes during the jamming sequence. Perhaps the battery pack starts to smoke, or the drone begins to descend directly toward the barn before it finally veers off. We need to feel that Elena almost failed.
*   **The "Why" Dialogue:** The exchange at the end of the scene feels a bit on-the-nose. Miller asks: *"Why do you do it, Elena?"* and she gives a very "movie-trailer" answer: *"Someone has to remind them that there are still places they can't see."* This feels unearned for this specific moment. 
    *   **The Fix:** Show, don't tell the "why." Instead of a philosophical speech, have Elena notice something small and personal of Miller's that she's protecting—a photo of his grandfather or a specific heirloom—and have her reaction be a curt, "Just keep your head down, Miller." The reader will understand her motivation through her actions.
*   **The "Electronic Paging" Cliffhanger:** The chapter ends with Elena receiving a text about a "Smart Bridge" and then seeing another drone. This is a "Tell then Show" error. 
    *   **The Fix:** Delete the text message scene entirely. Have Elena leave Miller’s, think she’s safe, and then—while driving—discover the bridge sensors or the second drone through her dashboard sniffer. The threat should interrupt her moment of relief, rather than being delivered via a convenient text message. This keeps the pace moving and increases the feeling of being hunted.

### 3. VERDICT: REVISE
**Reasoning:** The chapter is functionally sound but lacks the "pressure cooker" intensity required for this genre. Currently, Elena wins too easily. The transition to the "Bridge" objective feels like a forced plot pivot rather than a natural escalation of the current scene.

**Specific Revision Task:** 
Rewrite the middle "Jamming" sequence to include a moment of genuine mechanical or tactical failure that Elena has to overcome. Then, tighten the ending to remove the explanatory dialogue and the text message, replacing them with a visual discovery of the "Smart Bridge" or the hunting drone that forces her into her next move.