The sandstorm swallowed the sky whole. Dust rolled through Washington like a living thing, howling down empty streets, erasing the world in brown and gold. Then she fell from it. Star struck the pavement, and the street shattered outward in a violent ring. Smoke climbed like a curtain as she rose, untouched, black samurai armor drinking the light. One eye burned gold, the other glowed pink. Behind her, soldiers snapped to attention in perfect unison. Ahead, through thinning dust, the White House waited—already condemned.