By morning, the earthquake had become the only thing anyone in California could talk about.
The fight had ended hours ago, yet its consequences still spread through the state like a lingering wound. At exactly 2:07 a.m., the ground had begun shaking without warning. It was not limited to one city or one county. From Los Angeles to San Francisco, from San Diego to Sacramento, millions of people had been dragged awake by trembling walls, screaming alarms, collapsing shelves, and the deep, unnatural roar rising from beneath the earth.
Now, every major news station had abandoned its regular programming.
A female anchor sat behind the desk of a national morning broadcast, her expression tense as a map of California filled the massive screen behind her. Nearly the entire state had been highlighted in red.
