Desmond woke from what always felt like a slumber state with a jolt. The alley he had ducked into had grown dark and shrouded in shadow. The lights on the street had already started to come on with the dusting of dusk settling in. He was lucky enough that nobody discovered him slumped against the wall during his time in The Echo. But now he needed to get home and make sure everything was settled before he left again.

Atlas’ words rang through his mind while he scrambled to ...