The first phone started ringing before Omina finished the line.
It came from Caelin's feed. One call, then another. The aide looked from the sound to the public wording cost.
Caelin kept his eyes on the room.
"Route the first script through me before anyone panics."
His aide swallowed.
"The first script has to deny them cleanly."
"Then it can tell them no without handing them a child."
Jade's camera stayed low, her hand out of view. Ty could picture it flat and tired.
Ty listened to the ringing until his wrist stopped waiting for pain to answer. Public anger had gone somewhere with a desk, a number, and adults paid to absorb it.
It was ugly, and it was better than the shelter floor.
Omina let the calls keep ringing.
"Bundle authority opens before operator identity enters the record."
Zunoder adjusted his cuff. The movement was small, but Ty caught it because Zunoder had been using stillness like armor for hours.
