*Chris' POV*
We went over everything again. The words blurred a little at the edges, not because I wasn't listening, but because there was too much noise inside my head. The Chief's voice was clear, steady, the kind of calm people use when they're trying to keep a bomb from going off.
"Keep him talking," she said. "Anything matters — a bell, birds, a train. We need something we can work with."
I nodded, even though I already knew. It wasn't the first time she'd said it. My fingers flexed against my palms, restless, as if they needed something to hold on to.
The tech officer crouched by the small table, adjusting the equipment one more time. A soft hum filled the room; steady, low, like the quiet heartbeat of something about to begin. The house felt too still, like even the walls were waiting.
