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The gentle morning chatter had dissolved completely, replaced by an uneasy, collective silence. What had been a loose collection of individuals\u2014joggers, parents, retirees\u2014was now a crowd, a ring of anxious spectators drawn together by a shared sense of foreboding. They stood in small, hesitant knots along the walking paths, their morning routines forgotten.<\/p>\n
A young couple, holding matching paper coffee cups, leaned toward each other. \u201cIs there a suspect hiding in here?\u201d the woman murmured, her eyes wide. \u201cI didn\u2019t hear any alarms.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe a drill?\u201d the man offered, though his tone lacked conviction.<\/p>\n
\u201cCops don\u2019t bring three cruisers and shut down the park for a drill,\u201d a voice behind them said. It belonged to a man in a business suit, who had paused on his way to the office. He checked his watch, a flicker of annoyance on his face, then pulled out his phone. He held it up, the small red light of the recording app blinking like a nervous heartbeat in the morning light.<\/p>\n
Two teenagers on bicycles, who had been cutting through the park on their way to school, skidded to a stop. Curiosity, bright and unburdened by adult caution, shone in their eyes. \u201cWhoa, look at that,\u201d one said, his voice a mix of excitement and awe.<\/p>\n