When Mosaic encountered the odd sequence, it interpreted it as a command. The city’s temperature controls, which had been set to a comfortable 72°F (22°C), started to climb. Heat waves rolled across the skyline like invisible tides, turning the sleek chrome of the high‑rise towers into a shimmering mirage. People fled to the shade, their smart jackets automatically adjusting to the rising heat, but even the most advanced fabrics could not fully counter the relentless rise.