The witness asked for water, and nobody moved fast.
That helped. Fast made people look like they were buying the next answer.
Jade sent the request through text. Waddell passed it to the hospital-side relay. A nurse entered the witness room outside the camera path and placed a cup on the small table. Only the wrist stayed visible, bracelet turned inward against the skin.
Ty waited.
Waiting felt worse now that the first origin had failed. The hallway had stopped pretending to be neutral, and every tile under his feet held one of Zunoder's words.
Conditioning. Hunger. Blame. Use.
All true enough to stand.
The witness set the cup down. "You asked when the letters changed for me."
JJ lifted her pencil. Omina spoke before the ledger could turn hungry.
"Only what stays inside your limit and body."
The witness kept their hand around the cup. "It changed when I realized fear made him come."
