The squad moved them toward the western half of the rooftop. Soldiers checked the loose objects along the route, pushed two empty containers against the maintenance wall, and kept the civilians below the edge while the aircraft approached.
The sound reached them.
A heavier rhythm rose beyond the buildings, steady and mechanical, until loose dust began moving across the roof.
Falcon One appeared from the west.
The helicopter cleared the neighboring structure and slowed above the block. Its landing gear lowered while it turned toward the open section marked by the soldiers.
The civilians stared in awe.
The Falcon carried no faded paint, exposed wiring, or mismatched panels taken from another aircraft. Its fuselage remained clean despite the operations it had already completed that day.
The rotor held an even speed above it, while the engines produced the same uninterrupted note as the pilot brought the aircraft lower.
The boy wearing the metal plates narrowed his eyes.
