The Routine StopThe world narrowed to the rhythm of the wipers and the drone of the engine until that flash of blue light erupted in the rearview mirror. A universal jolt of adrenaline, a quick mental scan of the speedometer and recent actions, then the slow, deliberate pull onto the gravel shoulder. The familiar ritual began: window down, engine off, hands placed conspicuously on the steering wheel. In that suspended moment, the car filled with a quiet tension, the previous calm replaced by the ominous glow of official presence reflecting…
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