[SCHOOL ROOFTOP – SECONDS LATER]
The wind died down.
But the chill remained.
Lilly stood frozen, her hand still gripping Noah's arm. Her knuckles were white.
"He was right there," she whispered. "Right behind us."
Noah stared at the empty space where the voice had been.
"Yeah," Noah said softly.
He touched his own neck, right where the voice had breathed.
(That was really rude. Personal space, buddy. Personal space.)
"He could have killed us," Lilly said, her voice trembling. "He got inside my perimeter. Inside yours."
Noah lowered his hand.
"He didn't want to kill," he said.
(He just wanted to prank us. Probably the drama club practicing voice projection. Jokes on them, I'm not scared.)
"Then what?"
Noah turned to look at the city skyline.
"He wanted to say hello."
Lilly shivered. That was infinitely worse.
[CONTROL ROOM – SILENT ALARM]
The main screen flashed orange.
PROXIMITY BREACH DETECTED
"Location?" the Commander barked.
"School rooftop. Visuals!"
The feed flickered. Noah and Lilly standing alone.
"Rewind audio," the Commander ordered.
Static. Then—
"...thought you'd be faster."
The entire room went dead silent.
"That wasn't picked up by the directional mics," an analyst said. "That audio... it was injected directly into the recording feed."
The Commander slammed his fist on the console. "He knows we're listening."
The President looked at Noah's face on the screen—calm, slightly annoyed.
"He's using us," the President said quietly. "To deliver a message."
[CLASSROOM 3B – AFTERNOON SESSION]
Noah sat at his desk.
He tapped his pen against the desk. Once. Twice.
I thought you'd be faster.
The voice annoyed him. Faster at what? Eating lunch?
Noah stopped tapping. He needed to wash his face. He felt gross from the humidity.
He raised his hand.
Ms. Mai paused. "Yes, Sato?"
The class went quiet.
Noah stood up. "Can I go to the bathroom?"
Standard question. But his eyes locked with Ms. Mai's.
(Please say yes. I really need to splash water on my face.)
Ms. Mai held his gaze. He's making a move, she thought.
"Go," she said.
[HALLWAY – EAST WING]
The hallway was empty.
Noah walked past the bathroom. He saw something in the reflection of the fire extinguisher case.
A piece of paper taped inside the glass.
It was colorful. Red and black text.
District 9... Midnight...
Noah squinted.
Is that a coupon?
District 9 has that really expensive arcade. Did they put a 'Midnight Madness' discount flyer in the fire case?
He stepped closer.
"You're loud," Noah muttered to the flyer. (The colors were very bright).
He put his hand on the glass to shield the glare so he could read the fine print.
He leaned his weight on it.
CRACK.
The glass exploded.
Noah froze.
Shards flew everywhere. A tiny piece nicked his cheek.
(OH NO.)
(I BROKE IT.)
(I BROKE SCHOOL PROPERTY.)
His face went blank with sheer terror.
How much does a fire case cost? Fifty bucks? A hundred? Nana is going to make me weed the garden for a month.
He slowly reached in, ignoring the jagged glass, and grabbed the note.
Maybe if I take the flyer, they won't know why I broke it? No, that's stupid.
"Noah."
Ms. Mai's voice.
Noah turned slowly. He felt the blood drain from his face. He had to play it cool. If he panicked, he looked guilty.
"I slipped," Noah said calmly.
He crumpled the note (the evidence of his curiosity) in his hand.
"I'll clean it up."
(Please don't send a bill to my house. Please.)
Ms. Mai looked at the glass. Exploded outward.
She looked at the blood on his face.
"Go to the nurse," she ordered. Her voice was tight.
Noah nodded. He walked past her, clutching the crumpled note.
District 9. Midnight.
(I guess I have to go now,) he thought. (Maybe the sale is good enough to pay for the broken glass.)
[MS. MAI – HALLWAY]
She watched him go.
She smelled the ozone of active camouflage.
"Control," she whispered. "Code Red."
"Status?"
"The Unknown Variable made contact. He left a message."
"Did Sato engage?"
Ms. Mai closed her eyes. She remembered the way he stood. Not scared. Ready to pay the price.
"No," she said.
"He accepted."