The stillness broke without sound. My gaze cleared, fixing on the empty space ahead. First came the sensation in my right hand—the cool, rigid surface of the sidearm gripped at my thigh. Deliberately, I loosened my fingers, testing the weight, then tightened them back into a secure hold. My weight shifted ever so slightly against the upright support pole behind me. Silence surrounded the circular black base beneath my heels. A new perimeter. I remained upright, scanning the quiet perimeter with steady breaths.