The offer arrived at 05:59.
One minute before first bell.
Polite.
Private.
Clinical.
INDIVIDUAL MERIT MULTIPLIER — CONDITIONAL ACCESS
Participant: Dreyden Stella
Eligibility Tier: Exceptional
Condition: Independent engagement metrics remain within acceptable variance thresholds.
Bonus: +40% merit yield across ranked evaluation cycle.
It wasn't framed as a reward.
It was framed as recognition.
Lucas received no such message.
Neither did Raisel.
Selective incentive.
Precise.
Dreyden read it once, then let the screen dim.
He didn't delete it.
He didn't respond.
He stood by the window and watched the first wave of Circles assemble in structured clusters across the courtyard.
Registered.
Bounded.
Quantified.
Oversight had shifted from punishing defiance to isolating it.
Lucas showed up five minutes later, jaw tight.
"You got it too?" he asked.
"No," Dreyden replied evenly.
Lucas stopped.
"What?"
"It wasn't sent to you."
