The operations room had grown quieter since the last transmission.
Not calmer.
Just quieter.
Vanessa stood in front of the digital map again, watching the blinking signals representing the Circle's networks. The display had changed since the morning. More encrypted communications had appeared across different regions, forming a web of activity that stretched far beyond the city.
Marco sat in one of the chairs behind her, turning a pen slowly between his fingers.
"You ever notice something strange about wars?" he asked.
Vanessa didn't look away from the screen.
"What?"
Marco tilted his head back and stared at the ceiling.
"They never start with the big explosion everyone expects."
Vanessa's fingers moved across the control panel, zooming the map further.
"No."
Marco sighed.
"They start with quiet decisions."
Vanessa nodded slightly.
"Yes."
Marco leaned forward again.
"And then suddenly everything falls apart."
