Raman vanished from public view. A new compliance head took over, promising “transparent metrics.” Staff at the orphanage whispered about retraining. Nina walked through the gate again. Clipboards showed real updates now—transfers logged, reviews dated. Someone had learned that frozen files drew the wrong kind of attention.
Jessa moved into a small flat with a window facing a park. She refused interviews but left Nina a note: “Numbers move when people count them. Thank you for counting.” Nina tucked it into her research binder. Heroes lived best in footnotes, not spotlights.