Chapter 128: Secrets and Surprise Encounters

A shroud of manufactured calm had settled over the city. The media blitz launched by the police department seemed to have done its trick. Public discourse surrounding the Red Pills and the new drug had softened considerably. News articles, once brimming with urgency and alarm, now relegated the incidents to brief mentions under the unassuming headline: "Authorities Contain New Strain of Stimulant." The public, ever eager to move on from unsettling events, readily accepted the official narrative. Discussions shifted back to the usual topics - traffic woes, upcoming elections, the latest celebrity gossip. On the bustling set of "Twinned," Mariana expertly navigated a fight scene with her co-star, sweat beading on her forehead. Later, tucked away in her trailer, she stole a few moments to peck away at her script, the rhythmic clack of the keyboard a comforting counterpoint to the chaos outside. As she practiced lines with another actor, snatches of conversation from Daphne's trailer d