Blackout Over Manhattan

Amara Reyes became the difference between survival and disaster. Their argument with Kieran lasted twelve seconds because the street did not grant longer debates. "You cannot keep doing this alone," came the accusation, the plea, or the military assessment. Kieran answered by catching a collapsing fire escape on his back. It was not a rebuttal, but it did explain why scheduling conversations with him had become impossible. The metal screamed against his shoulders. His knees dipped. For an instant every empowered signature nearby flared in his vision, each one a color his eyes had never been built to see. The fight widened. Civilians ran, phones rose, and the world watched through cracked screens. Kieran hated that part most.