It did not come from the offshoot.
It came from somewhere far more fragile.
A message flagged by the Institute’s intake filter.
Priority: Immediate.
Sender: Council of Juvenile Affairs – Eastern Bloc.
I opened it expecting a procedural query.
It wasn’t.
We are requesting consultation regarding an emergent pattern among adolescents in three territories. Behavioral clustering consistent with early-stage resonance alignment has been observed among non-enhanced minors.
I read it twice.
Non-enhanced.
Minors.
Adolescents.
I called Yuki immediately.
“Pull everything.”
She was already on it.
Ten minutes later, the screen lit with cross-territory overlays.
Three separate territories.
Unrelated politically.
Low previous resonance density.
And yet—
Small groups of teenagers were e
