The explosion came at 6:47 PM.
Brayn was in the command center when the shockwave hit, throwing him against the wall. Alarms blared. Dust rained from the ceiling. The building shuddered violently.
"Report!" he shouted, scrambling to his feet.
Andrew's voice crackled over the comm, sharp and urgent. "The Outer Ring settlement. Someone just blew a hole through the main square. We've got fires spreading across three blocks."
Brayn's blood ran cold. The Outer Ring settlement. The heart of the new integration, where the Chosen had been rebuilding their lives. Without it, the fragile peace they'd built would shatter.
"Was it an attack?" Danielle asked, appearing at his side.
Brayn nodded slowly. "It has to be. But who? The Chosen are allies now. The Emissary is dead. The seals are reinforc
