Before she could take another breath, the screech of tires echoed down the quiet street.
A utility telecom van marked NATIONAL DEFENSE INFRASTRUCTURE — RAPID RESPONSEblasted around the corner, swerving up the driveway and nearly knocking over the mailbox.
Sprinting out of the vehicle was a field telecom engineer in a high-visibility tactical safety vest, holding a diagnostic signal terminal that was screaming with urgent hazard alarms.
The engineer pushed past Brenda, his eyes wide in absolute panic as he stared into the destroyed junction box.
"Who shut down secure communications?!" the technician roared, his voice shaking with fury.
Brenda crossed her arms, raising her chin: "I did. As HOA president, I am enforcing private community—"
"You just severed a Class-1 Department of Defense Quantum-Encrypted Uplink connecting to the Regional Strategic Command!" the technician yelled, staring at her in utter disbelief. "The primary failsafe alarm just triggered a Level 1 national security response across the entire district!"
Chapter IV: The Federal Swarm
The color instantly drained from Brenda’s face.