The six white anchor lights remained above the streets after Rook's declaration ended. From the Citadel gate, Nox could see the suppression field working across the nearest blocks, thinning the silver barrier haze wherever it reached beyond the school boundary.
"They froze every trade permit before they froze the road," Kendra said, keeping one hand on the gate lever as she watched a food truck turn away from the barricade.
"They need people hungry before they need them dead," Nox replied, following the truck until the suppression light hid it behind an office block.
The outer hall smelled of disinfectant, wet clothes, and too many people waiting for an answer. Emilia had pulled the civilian roster onto the wall display, where medical shifts, water shifts, and the remaining food inventory occupied different columns.
