The synchronous brass wall clock above Register #1 gave a single, resonant mechanical click.
Its heavy pendulum swung through the bottom sweep of its stroke, releasing the escapement gear with a sharp snap: tock.
The minute hand aligned with the twelve as the hour hand settled firmly over the seven.
[07:00:00 AM]
Throughout the sales floor of Starlight Mart Node #04, the deep sixty-cycle hum of the Grey-Shift ballasts softened. The cold weight that had hung over the store all night dissipated like smoke through an exhaust vent.
Outside the front plate-glass windows, the yellow salt-fog began to turn from charcoal grey to pale, buttery gold. Real morning sunlight filtered through the dust motes above Old Ferry Road, warming the cold glass and painting long trapezoids of amber across the polished linoleum floor.
Julian Vance leaned his palms flat against the wooden checkout counter.
The dual-shift contract was finished.
