"Okay, from the top. What are you hiding in that garage?"

"A cat. …We keep a cat."

"Is that seriously your best lie?"

The girl was grinning, elbows on the fence. She lived next door, she said. Her name was Dot. Tenth grade.

"One year older than you. Call me noona."

"…No way."

He was busted anyway. Bit opened the garage door.

"A talking car? Dude, I'm not in elementary school."

The moment Dot snorted — the dashboard blinked on its own.

✢✳✻✽✻✳✢ "…Hello?"

Dot froze. Three seconds. Four.

"…Okay, this is huge."

Her pivot was fast. Dot held up three fingers.

"I'll keep the secret. I'll share our solar power too. In exchange — I'm in."

While Bit hesitated, Spark cut in.

✢✳✻✽✻✳✢ "Approved. Whoever has the power holds the power."

"Smart little light."

Within thirty minutes, Dot had run a cable over the fence — from a solar rig she'd built herself.

"The ration grid can't see it. Because I made it."

The headlights came on. And then —

the wheels twitched. Just for a moment.

"Did you see that?"

"I saw it."

✢✳✻✽✻✳✢ "…That wasn't me. Volt moved."

The first movement in ten years.

The same moment. Across the city — atop a lightless tower.

Back in the garage, Dot packed up her gear.

"I'll come back tomorrow. Charging takes a while."

"Thanks… noona."

"What did you just say?"

"Nothing."