Nolan learned something important by accident.
He still cast a shadow.
It was faint thin enough that people mistook it for bad lighting but it followed him all the same. Which meant reality hadn't fully let him go.
Not yet.
He found the other two near a collapsed transit stairwell.
They were arguing.
Quietly.
Urgently.
"I'm telling you, dusk touched me,the girl said, rubbing her arms as if cold. She couldn't have been older than eighteen. Her eyes kept drifting, never staying on one place for long. Not awakened. Not a Gate. Just… touched
The boy with her shook his head. That's not how it works. You either trigger the Interface or you don't.
"Then explain this," she snapped.
The air between her hands rippled — barely. Like heat over asphalt. It vanished the moment it formed.
Nolan stopped walking.
Touched.
Just like him.He stepped closer.
The girl's head tilted.
Did you feel that?" she asked.
The boy frowned. Feel what?
Like… someone passed behind me.She turned slowly.
Her eyes slid over Nolan.
Paused.
For half a heartbeat, they caught.
Nolan held his breath.
"…Weird," she muttered, looking away. "Must be residue."
The boy shifted uneasily. That's not good. Residue means spillover They both went quiet.
Touched could sense other special Touched.
Not clearly.
Not reliably.
But absence disturbed them.
Nolan backed away a step.
The pressure eased.
He wondered why he was about to be forgotten by everyone while they seem normal Must be related to his inate Tide
We should report it," the boy said finally. City Management needs to log this before it escalates.
"And get quarantined?" the girl shot back.
Or monitored,he replied. "Either way, pretending nothing happened is worse."
Nolan watched them argue.
They were afraid.
But they were still seen.
That mattered.
They headed uphill, toward the administrative quarter.
Nolan followed at a distance.
Not stalking,he assured himself he wasn't a creep
City Management occupied what used to be a financial tower. The lower floors were reinforced concrete and armed checkpoints. Upper levels vanished into fog and policy.
Nolan stopped across the street.
He felt it then.
Not Hollow.
Order.
Axiom presence.[global Ai]
The two Touched approached the intake desk.
Nolan lingered near the entrance.
Guards scanned the pair.
Machines hummed.
When Nolan stepped closer, one of the scanners froze.
Restarted.
The guard frowned then shrugged.
"Go ahead," he said to no one in particular.
Nolan passed through without being stopped.
Inside, the air felt heavier.
Rules lived here.
Walls hummed with suppression fields. Notices warned of penalties Nolan doubted still applied to him.
The girl rubbed her arms again.
"I don't like this place," she whispered.
"No one does," the boy replied.
They reached a glass office.
A woman waited inside.
City Manager Staff.
Her eyes were sharp.
Touched cases," she said calmly, fingers steepled. "Rare, but increasing. Describe the influence."
The girl spoke first.
As she did, Nolan felt something skim past him.
A scan.
It slipped.
Missed.
The woman frowned slightly.
Odd,she murmured.its happening more frequently now you are the 7th this month she said.do not worry thou thus u will awaken with time u just need to prove yourself to your Tide.
touched-->awakened
Nolan stood three steps behind the desk.
Unacknowledged.
You'll be logged," the woman continued. "Monitored. No Gates will be forced. U will stay with the other touched till your evolution
As they turned to leave, the woman received a beep almost silent but she heard it clear..
Axiom:a touched had slipped past its accounting.
"Stop" I got played too she said as she then stared at Nolan