The rain had long passed, but the thick, silver-tinted fog still clung to the glass storefront of Aura Scents like a protective shroud. Inside the boutique, the air was intensely quiet, carrying only the soft, peaceful undertones of white tea and morning jasmine. To anyone looking through the windows, it appeared to be just another high-end Manhattan establishment preparing for a routine business day. There were no flashing warning lights, no chaotic sirens, and no signs of the mass atmospheric execution that had just taken place a few miles away at the Hudson line.
Kiara sat behind her marble desk, her movements calm and precise as she utilized a silver needle to pierce a small, purple orchid petal. She didn't look up when the digital terminal on the corner of her desk flickered, display
