Desmond blinked awake and shifted where he had been sitting on Atlas’ couch. Beside him, his phone sat flashing the time and the reminder for the alarm. He picked it up from where it waited and dismissed the alarm and turned to look out the window.

The sun outside was casting its usual orange and golden haze across the sky, similar to how the sky always looked in The Echo. He turned in his seat then, to look towards the apartment door. Just moments ago, Mykel had been ...