The witness list opened as three strips, none of them names.
Each strip showed enough to hurt someone and not enough to help them. One held a paperclip worker. One held a tray worker with Mavi written beside the role in a thin hand. The third held a lockbox signature, folded across the middle where a name should have been.
Mara saw the strips through the shelter feed and went still.
Rose moved first. She placed herself where Mara could see her without blocking the tablet, then set two fingers on the blanket by Mara's knee.
"Breathe before you answer, and look at my fingers."
Mara obeyed. The breath came too high. Rose counted again without touching her. Mara followed the count until her shoulders dropped by a small amount, and Jade used that small amount before the room stole it.
"You do not owe the route a name here."
Mara rubbed the edge of the blanket between thumb and finger. Her eyes stayed on the three strips. "I do not owe the route a name today."
