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The community center in the small border town smelled of stale popcorn from last weekend’s movie night and the faint metallic tang of old radiator heat. The folding chairs were arranged in uneven rows, most filled by locals who had come for the free snacks and stayed for the spectacle. A crooked banner hung above the small stage: “Unity Through Knowledge Trivia Night – Grand Prize $5,000”. The word “unity” felt ironic now, almost cruel. At the long table under two banks of harsh fluorescent lights sat the two contestants. Cassandra “Cassie” Whitmore, twenty-one. Pale gold hair swept into a low, glossy ponytail that somehow never looked messy. Cream cashmere sweater over tailored black leggings, pearl stud earrings, a delicate gold tennis bracelet that caught the light every time she reached for her water bottle. Her posture was perfect—spine straight, shoulders relaxed, the easy confidence of someone who had never once doubted she belonged exactly where she was. Tala Redhawk, also