[Threshold Port — North Dock — Day 73 — 8:30 AM]
The news arrived with the first ship of the morning.
Not directly to the team — it arrived at the port, as all news arrives in ports, distributed among sailors who had heard it from sailors who had heard it from someone who had been in Central City when it happened or near someone who had been, with the specific degree of distortion a story acquires when it crosses the ocean by word of mouth over days.
Kira heard it first.
From the crow's nest, Predator's Sense in environment‑reading mode since dawn, picking up conversations on the north dock where the newly arrived ship was unloading.
"Team," said Kira.
The team was on deck in four minutes.
---
"What exactly did you hear?" said Seraph.
"What they're telling on the north dock." Kira. "A ship that left the main continent six days ago. They're carrying the rumor from Central City."
"Which rumor?"
