The city didn't just flicker this time.
It went completely dark.
The streetlights went out in blocks.
The traffic systems stopped working in mid-motion.
Even the hum of the hovering structure above them sounded uneven.
It was like a machine that had suddenly lost its rhythm.
Bella stepped closer to the edge of the rooftop.
"This is spreading, " she said quietly.
Leo didn't answer.
He was focused on the map.
The ARCHITECT SIGNAL pulsed again on the map.
It was steady and unnatural.
The man in the coat stood still.
That made Bella uneasy.
He was the one to look uncertain.
"What is it doing?" she asked.
No one answered.
Bella turned sharply.
"Hey."
The man finally spoke.
His voice was lower than before.
"It is not behaving like a node, " he said.
Leo narrowed his eyes.
