Morning came.
But the city didn't feel the same.
Everything looked normal.
Cars moving.
People walking.
Lights turning green and red.
But Noah knew.
Something had changed.
"Do you feel it?" he asked.
Lina nodded.
"…Yes."
Mira crossed her arms.
"I feel nothing."
Noah glanced at her.
"That's the problem."
Silence.
They stood on a rooftop.
Overlooking the city.
Quiet.
Watching.
Lina stepped closer to the edge.
Her eyes scanning the distance.
"…It's not here yet," she said.
Mira frowned.
"What isn't?"
Lina didn't answer immediately.
Then—
"A signal."
Noah's expression tightened.
"…Another one."
She nodded.
"Different from before."
A pause.
"Stronger."
Mira sighed.
"Of course it is."
Noah looked at Lina.
"Can you track it?"
Silence.
Then—
"…Yes."
She closed her eyes.
For a moment—
Everything went still.
Wind.
Sound.
Time.
Then—
Her eyes snapped open.
"…Found it."
Noah stepped forward.
"Where?"
Lina pointed.
Far.
Across the city.
"…Moving."
Mira blinked.
"Moving?"
Noah frowned.
"…That's new."
A pause.
"Which means it's not a system."
Silence.
"…It's a person," Lina said.
That changed everything.
Noah didn't hesitate.
"Let's go."
The streets were crowded.
Alive.
Unaware.
They moved fast.
Blending in.
Following Lina's lead.
Left.
Right.
Across intersections.
Until—
She stopped.
Suddenly.
Right in the middle of the street.
"…Here."
Noah looked around.
Nothing unusual.
Just people.
Then—
He saw him.
Standing still.
In the middle of the crowd.
Not moving.
Not reacting.
Just—
Watching.
"…That's him," Lina whispered.
Mira narrowed her eyes.
"He looks normal."
Noah shook his head.
"No."
A pause.
"He's not even trying to hide."
Silence.
The man tilted his head slightly.
Then—
He smiled.
"…So you're the anomaly."
His voice cut through the noise.
Clear.
Focused.
On Lina.
Mira stepped back slightly.
"…Okay, I don't like this."
Noah stepped forward.
"Who are you?"
The man chuckled.
"Names are inefficient."
A pause.
"But you may call me…"
He tilted his head.
"Observer."
Lina's eyes darkened.
"…Another Collector."
"Correct."
The air shifted.
Heavy.
The crowd kept moving.
Completely unaware.
Like they were invisible.
Or irrelevant.
"You shouldn't have survived," the Observer said.
Lina didn't move.
"You shouldn't exist."
A pause.
"Yet here you are."
Noah stepped closer.
"What do you want?"
Silence.
Then—
"To correct the error."
The moment froze.
Then—
The world glitched.
Literally.
People paused mid-step.
Cars stopped.
Sounds cut out.
Everything—
Stopped.
Except them.
"…No way," Mira whispered.
The Observer smil