The backlash finally found a face.
It wasn't Marcus.
It was someone who sounded reasonable.
Aaliyah encountered it during a routine briefing with the task force's expanded working group, a new addition to the room, introduced as a senior implementation advisor. His résumé was immaculate. His tone measured. His questions precise in a way that felt almost courteous.
Almost.
"I support the intent of your framework," he said, fingers steepled, voice calm. "But I'm concerned about its scalability across diverse institutional cultures."
Aaliyah didn't answer immediately.
She'd learned the difference between curiosity and containment.
"What specifically concerns you?" she asked.
He smiled faintly. "Uniform timelines assume uniform capacity. Some institutions operate under constraints that make strict adherence… unrealistic."
The room waited.
Aaliyah nodded slowly. "That's true."
The advisor blinked, momentarily thrown.
