The brass clock ticked steadily, its little second hand sweeping across the white face with perfect precision.

She plugged her headset into the console jack and settled the black foam cushion over her ear.

The audio feed came to life with the soft, steady hum of open emergency lines all across the county.

Wayne Owens walked past her desk with a pile of fresh sector assignment logs.

He stopped beside console four and glanced down at her screen.

“Sector four’s clear, Claire,” Wayne said.