Focusing on one region.
Los Angeles.
The room goes quiet.
Because everyone understands what that means.
Ten million people.
Power grids.
Ports.
Airports.
Highways.
Emergency services stretched thin on the best of days.
If the cascade reaches there—
It won’t be a regional problem anymore.
It’ll be national.
Boone studies the screen.
“Can the system stop it?”
I shake my head slowly.
“This system doesn’t stop cascades.”
“What does it do?”
“It manages them.”
Russ frowns.
“That’s a fancy way of saying it takes control.”
“Yes.”
Adam looks at the countdown timer.
5:54:17
“Phase Three.”
“Leadership transfer.”
Boone crosses his arms.
“So when that timer hits zero…”
“The network activates its command structure.”
“And that’s us.”
