Silence isn't free.
It never was.
The moment we stepped back into the mapped city, I felt the cost begin to tally—not as weight, not as pressure, but as delay. Doors didn't open as quickly. Signals took an extra beat to resolve. Conversations paused when we passed, then resumed a fraction too late.
Containment had learned restraint.
Now it was learning patience.
Arjun noticed the rhythm shift almost immediately."They're not pushing anymore," he whispered."That's worse, right?"
"Yes," I said."It means they're confident."
The girl scanned the street—faces neutral, movements smooth."They're letting us exist."
"For now," Aaryan added."Which means they're measuring what existence costs."
✦
We moved through a commercial stretch where digital billboards cycled promotions and civic messages in careful balance. Nothing targeted. Nothing overt.
One screen lingered a little longer on a phrase before changing:
COMMUNITY THRIVES WITH COORDINATION
No accusation.
No command.
