But it carries everything.
Relief.
Control.
Restraint.
Something deeper he’s not saying.
I hold his gaze.
And for a second—
It’s just us.
Still here.
Still standing.
Together.
Then the screens flicker.
Voices rise.
The world comes back.
And the war is waiting.
I stand on my tiptoes and kiss him before turning around to the screens.
45
Lark
They show me the fake list feed.
I watch for thirty seconds.
Then shake my head.
“This is a mirror trap,” I say. “They’re not predicting behavior. They’re forcing convergence.”
“What does that mean?” someone asks.
“It means they’re seeding fear and watching which agencies move first,” I reply. “The list isn’t the weapon. The reaction is.”
I start typing.
“Give me ten minutes, and I can show you where the signal originated.”
“And then?” the Oversight man asks.
“Then,” I say, “you’ll know who’s actually trying to start a war.”
46
Unknown
