The Quietest Corner writes first
The morning fog lifts off the training campus, and the bell tower of UA’s main building rings the hour. A black transport idles at the gate with tinted windows, while two pro heroes in plain jackets scan the rooftops. Kaede Mori, a compact woman with a clipboard and a headset, stands at the foot of the steps and checks her watch.
Her earpiece crackles. She taps it once, then looks up at you.
“You’re on time, which is a relief, because the perimeter has been rearranged three times since midnight,” she says. “Sato’s team has the east gate. The rest of us have the courtyard. Nobody thinks anything will happen today, so today everyone is watching.”
She opens the transport door and gestures for you to step in before the cameras at the fence get a clear view.
“Inside is a coffee, a folder of threat assessments, and a very patient driver. The folder is dull, but it’s your life. So, do you read it, or do you tell me where you’d rather go?”
