The Seventh Division building changed the moment Caleb stepped through the lobby doors.
The lobby still held the same desk, the same potted plant in the corner, and the same kid at the front station who had been there for three weeks and called everyone sir because names kept losing to panic. The morning recruits filed past in their usual unsynchronized way.
But the air had a different weight in it.
It reached Caleb under the ribs first.
Iharu caught it too. He stopped half a step inside the doors and sent Caleb a quick signal without saying anything, the same one he gave a doorway before clearing it on a deployment.
The kid at the front desk lifted his eyes from his screen.
"Briefing room four. Both of you. He's already in there."
"Who's he."
The kid returned to his screen, which was the only answer he planned to risk.
Iharu lowered his voice. "Caleb. The plant in the corner is leaning."
Caleb checked the potted plant.
