Jian found the difference while the district was taking down a barrier.
The scrape of its feet came through the open window. Someone outside cheered. He lifted the first mechanical strip toward the light, then set it beside the operator’s note.
Both said the reference had held.
Both were true.
They disagreed about when.
He drew two small marks on a clean sheet and went to find the woman who had worked the second interval.
She was finishing her meal. Jian put the strip down without moving her bowl.
“When did you answer this?”
