The applause still echoed through the auditorium, crashing against the walls like a relentless tide.
Leo stood at the center of the stage, holding a thick stack of gold-embossed certificates and checks.
He had already presented a dozen or so awards, facing just as many young faces—some tearful with excitement, others stuttering with nerves.
Every student who came on stage would grip his hand tightly, reciting the same rote phrases: "Thank you, Mayor," and "I'll work hard to give back to Pittsburgh."
This was normal.
In the aura of power, compliance is an instinct.
"Our next award recipient."
Ethan Hawke stood at the microphone and read the next name on the list.
"Marcus Thorne."
"From Carnegie Mellon University, with a double major in Mathematics and Computational Finance."
A slender figure rose from the crowd.
Only when the young man walked onto the stage and stood in the spotlight did Leo get a clear look at him.
Marcus Thorne was about nineteen, gaunt, with pale skin.
