The first participant replied at eight forty-three that evening.
Not to the investigation's contact letter. To the paper.
A message came through the investigation's participant contact channel — a formal reply to the letter, timestamped at eight forty-three — and the senior case officer forwarded it to the oversight body contact who forwarded it to Hunter at eight fifty-one.
The message said: I have read the paper. I have read it twice. I have questions that the paper does not answer and that I understand now the researcher has never answered. I will be at the meeting tomorrow morning. I am bringing everything I have documented over the past twelve years.
Hunter read the message at Ren's apartment where the strategic tier had gathered without being called. Not a formal meeting — it had
