Shaft 37

“In one of the places they plan to use as proof that the plan works,” Daniel said with a tired, ugly laugh. “Your hospital has old cold-storage space and a backup water tower in the basement. The maps don’t show all of it. That maintenance line can still reach an abandoned community pump station. Shaft 37. Old neighborhood water supply.” Lin started assembling the pieces fast: the temperature graph, the flattened peak, sequence blackouts, hospital cooling water. None of it was random. Someone had known the heat wave would crack the city and had decided in advance who would be left in the shade and who would be left on the sidewalk. Then the hall exploded with noise. Running feet. Shouts. Glass breaking. Somebody was looting medication in the ER.