Page 140 of Pocket Wife

“No,” I say.

Salo looks toward my panel. “Miss Hartwell?”

“No more chasing what they already stole.” I raise the slate until my face fills the field feed. “If Helix is reconstructing our water routes, then secrecy does not protect us anymore. It only gives them the only map.”

Rethan’s attention sharpens.

He says nothing.

He cannot.

Noll leans forward. “What are you proposing?”

I look out at the channel, the gate, the marker, the old stones that carried water before Helix had a name. “We make our own map. Live. Under tribunal seal. Every route still in use. Every hidden bypass. Every emergency valve. Every place Helix can pretend is unknown unless we say otherwise first.”

The field worker at my shoulder stares. “Lucy, those routes are protected for a reason.”

“I know.”

“If everyone knows them⁠—”

“Not everyone needs to. The tribunal does. Central Review does. We do.” I look into the slate again. “Helix already has pieces. If we hide the rest, they get to lie about what the pieces mean.”

The schoolteacher swallows. “You want the valley to tell its secrets.”

I think of First Hall. The cistern. The registry. The way every hidden thing stayed safe only until Helix learned to use its hiddenness against us.

“Yes,” I say. “But not as surrender. As custody.”

Back in the meeting hall, Jessa has gone very still with chalk in her hand.

Celia speaks before anyone else can. “A secret kept after the thief finds the door belongs more to the thief than the house.”

Samuel looks down at the old water map across his knees. His hand moves once over the faded lines. “Your grandfather hated drawing the bypasses.”

I have to breathe once before I answer. “I know.”

“He said maps invite strangers.”

Rethan’s voice enters then, because Salo asks him with a glance. “Historically true.”

I almost smile despite myself.

He goes on. “But emergency civic maps may be sealed for limited review. If Solaris Valley submits the network voluntarily under continuity authority, Helix cannot claim sole technical knowledge of the infrastructure.”

Noll nods slowly. “A sealed civic infrastructure record would also assist safety review.”

Sen’s expression sharpens. “Helix objects. Residents are attempting to overwhelm the record with unverified local claims.”

I turn toward the boundary marker. “Your unverified local coupling is already drinking from our gate.”

Sen has no immediate answer.

That feels good for half a heartbeat.

Salo speaks. “Emergency continuity panel may submit sealed infrastructure testimony. Keep it specific. Routes. Uses. Maintenance history. Current function.”

I look to the schoolteacher. “Send me back to the hall.”