Chapter 29: The Red Flash
The capacitive surface of the auxiliary terminal felt smooth and unnaturally cold beneath Piper's trembling fingertips. In the quiet corridor of the outer vestibule, the faint, low vibration of the geothermal manifold hummed through the concrete floor, contrasting sharply with the muffled, violent shrieking of the blizzard beyond the thick masonry walls. She smoothed the crumpled pharmacy receipt against the brushed steel casing one last time, her eyes tracing the hurried ink strokes: Delta, Seven, Nine, Uniform, Four.
Her heart hammered against her ribs, sending a frantic rush of blood through her temples as she raised her pointer finger. Every memory of poverty, every cold glance from hospital accountants, and every humiliating demand from Torin Sterling hung
