The administrative flag reached Silas' people a little before dawn.
At first, it looked ordinary. A delayed compliance correction from an old service provider, tied to a company that should have been inactive for years. Most people would have ignored it or buried it under routine paperwork. Silas' search team did not have that luxury. They were already looking for anything connected to Michael Erickson's evidence routes, so even a boring notice was pulled apart.
By 6:40 a.m., the notice had reached the technician assigned to Michael's digital trail.
By 7:15 a.m., it was on Silas' desk.
Silas read the summary while standing near the window of his private office. The city below was still pale with morning. Traffic had started, but from that height, the movement looked quiet and harmless. He knew better than to trust distance.
