In the darkness, silence hung between them for a while. Kael Voss realized that his earlier words might have come off too harsh. Softening his tone, he said,
"Scout, it's not that I'm refusing to go to the Harrington Tower. It's just that right now, we have to return to the mall and restock—more crossbow bolts, more ball bearings. We need to prepare properly before heading out again. If we run into something like what happened at the aquarium without proper gear, we won't survive."
"…Yeah, I get it, Kael."
Scout Finch lifted her head, and Kael could clearly see the tear stains on her cheeks. The sight stirred something in his chest. Reaching out, he wiped her tears with a bittersweet smile.
"What? Just a few words from me and you're crying already? You really are just a kid."
"I am not!"
Scout pouted, her cheeks flushed. "I was just… just thinking about my mum…"
Kael gently ruffled her hair, then pushed himself up with some effort. Changing the subject, he said,
"Let's see if there's any food left. We need to eat something. It's probably dawn outside by now. I'll head to the monkey hill and grab what I left there. Then we head back to the mall, rest for a few days, and we'll make our move to the Harrington Tower."
"Alright," she nodded.
Scout rummaged through her pack and pulled out a few vacuum-sealed packs of cooked beef. They tore into the food with the kind of hunger only survivors knew—filling the hollowness in their stomachs that had become all too familiar.
"Oh right, Kael," Scout suddenly remembered something. "When you were unconscious, I think I heard a ringtone coming from your chest. Was that your phone?"
"Uh…"
Kael blinked, only now recalling that moment in the water—how the phone he had hidden close to his chest had rung suddenly, nearly getting them both eaten by the alligator. He let out a weary chuckle.
He had narrowly escaped death last night. The moment they reached safety, he collapsed and passed out cold, completely forgetting to return the call.
Looks like Lyra really had something urgent. She wouldn't have called so many times otherwise. With that thought, he hesitated for a second, then glanced at Scout. His tone turned serious.
"Scout, can I trust you?"
"…???"
The sudden gravity in his voice left her momentarily stunned. After a brief pause, she straightened up, nodded solemnly, and replied, "You can."
"Good."
Kael offered a rare smile, then reached into the inner pocket of his coat and pulled out a phone—his phone. The screen was black, appearing completely dead.
Scout leaned in to get a look and blinked. "Wait, that thing made the sound? But it looks like it's powered off?"
"No. That's just what it looks like."
Kael shook his head, then pressed the power button. Instantly, the phone lit up and booted to the home screen. A photo appeared: a family of three—two elderly parents seated at the front, and Kael standing behind them, grinning brightly.
Seeing the image, a dull ache passed through Kael's chest.
They were his parents.
On the day the world ended, he had called home. The line connected, but no one ever picked up. Eventually, the network failed altogether, cutting off all hope of reaching them.
He'd suspected even then… they were probably dead. Or worse, turned into those monsters.
But in the apocalypse, what else could he do? He could only bury the pain and keep going.
…
"Kael, how's that thing still got power? I haven't seen you charge it once."
Scout's question pulled him from the spiral of memory. He refocused, smiled faintly, and said,
"Scout, after all we've been through, I'll let you in on my biggest secret. This phone isn't just a phone anymore. During thunderstorms, it can connect to the real world. And when it links across time, it somehow recharges itself."
"…What?"
"Since the day it first connected to the other side, I haven't charged it once, but it's never run out of battery. It's like… it has infinite power."
"Whoa!"
Scout stared at him in disbelief, her eyes wide with shock.
Kael laughed lightly. "Remember how you were always curious where I got all those supplies from? It wasn't me. They were sent from the real world—by someone on the other end, through this phone."
"Wait, what?!"
Kael's rapid-fire revelations left Scout stunned speechless. It sounded utterly absurd—like something out of a fantasy novel.
He didn't blame her. Even now, Kael still found it hard to believe himself. Sometimes it all felt like a dream.
But Lyra Solis was real. The cross-time connection was real. The phone's ability to send and receive items? Real. The unlimited battery? Also very real.
Maybe there was no scientific explanation for any of it. Since Doomsday began, everything about this world had veered into the realm of the surreal. Logic didn't always apply anymore.
Riiiiiing!
Just as Kael was wondering how best to explain it all, the phone rang again. Onscreen: "Unknown Caller."
The screen glowed. The ringtone echoed in the silent room.
Scout's eyes widened. "You're telling me it can still take calls?"
Kael didn't say anything. He simply hit the speakerphone button and asked,
"Lyra? Is that you?"
Back in the real world, Lyra Solis heard the gravelly voice over the line. Relief surged through her, and she exhaled deeply.
Finally—it connected.
She'd called five, maybe six times, all without success. Worry had gnawed at her nonstop. Was Kael in trouble? Had something happened?
Dark thoughts had surfaced more than once, but she'd fought to push them down.
Now, hearing his voice again, her panic ebbed, her heart settling at last.
"It's me," she said. "Kael, what took you so long? Were you caught in something?"
Kael let out a grim chuckle. "More than something. I've nearly died several times since we last spoke."
"What?!"
Lyra gasped, a hand flying to her mouth in alarm. "What happened?"
"It's… a long story."
Kael sighed, not eager to relive the nightmare of the previous night. He quickly pivoted. "Why were you calling so urgently? Is something wrong?"
"Yes."
Lyra caught his cue and didn't press him. "I'm in London now. I've already been to the wildlife reserve. I left something under a rock—just to the left of the monkey hill entrance. My ring. Check to see if you can find it."
"You left your ring?" Kael's brow arched. "Alright. I'm at the zoo right now too. I'll go look today."
Just as he suspected—Lyra was a woman of action. She'd already taken the first step. Still, Kael was surprised she would use her ring as a token of trust.