Chapter Two: The Terminal Station

“They killed my daughter, and the news gave her fifteen seconds,” he said, dragging the fuel away. “Today the city watches longer.” At 6:37, the after-work train arrived. Passengers poured onto the platform. The public address system failed and fire doors locked in reverse. The man soaked the carriage and raised a remote igniter. Lu Chen charged. One kick sent him onto the tracks. The train began rolling toward the depot. He reached for the tiled wall—and his palm held. Millions of microscopic points in his skin gripped the surface. A new ability. He crawled sideways above the wheels, then raced on all fours up a six-meter advertising wall. Everyone on the platform looked up as one. The arsonist pressed the switch.