Five years to the day since collectors first cornered me in that hospital parking garage, Second Ledger hosts its largest gathering yet, marking a milestone none of us fully anticipated reaching when this all began.
The venue, a renovated warehouse considerably larger than either of our existing locations, fills with familiar faces alongside hundreds of newcomers, families from thirty-four states now formally connected through Reyes's task force and the support network we've built together.
I stand near the entrance, watching the crowd gather, memory drifting back to that terrified rookie broker who once stumbled onto the Exchange floor with nothing but grief and desperate determination.
"Quite a turnout," Talia says, joining me near the entrance, her own expression carrying quiet wonde
