Page 144 of Pocket Wife

My body moves before thought fully forms. I turn from the east gate toward the field path, but Salo’s voice stops me.

“Miss Hartwell, hold position.”

I round on the slate. “That unit is under my field.”

“And if you run without authorization, Helix will use it.”

Sen speaks at once. “Helix has not confirmed activation. Residents are escalating based on unverified maintenance interpretation.”

Noll cuts in. “Mr. Ashby, verify.”

Torren’s hands move across his scanner. “Signal is live. Low-power cycling. Could be remote diagnostic. Could be pre-activation.”

I look to Rethan without meaning to.

He is across screens, across rules, across every line Helix has drawn. His face holds discipline, but the bond does not lie. He is afraid now. Not in panic. In calculation.

Calculation means time is small.

Noll speaks. “Can the clinic flow continue if node two fails?”

Torren swallows. “No.”

Nara makes another sound, smaller this time.

I round on the field workers beside me. “How fast to Hartwell lower field from here?”

“Eight minutes running,” one says.

“Six if we cut through the seed beds,” the other answers.

Salo says, “No one moves until authority is clear.”

Kaun’s voice enters with controlled force. “Authority emergency preservation protocol permits intervention to prevent damage to protected civic infrastructure.”

Sen says, “Only by neutral personnel.”

Kaun answers, “Nearest neutral personnel are at the cistern, too far to reach node two before activation risk increases.”

Noll looks from the maps to me. “Who can reach it fastest?”

No one answers.

Everyone knows.

I raise the slate.

“I can.”

Rethan’s eyes close once.

Only once.

Salo looks to the other tribunal officers. Noll speaks before he does.

“Miss Hartwell may proceed under emergency infrastructure protection. No tampering. No removal. Locate and record only unless active damage begins.”

I nod.