The next day.
Brian woke up early, went to the bathroom to wash up. Although there was technically no toothbrush or toothpaste, he rinsed his mouth with cold water and splashed some on his face.
As he left the bathroom, he glanced at Sarah and Alan, still asleep. Anna, on the other hand, was already stirring awake.
He grabbed a piece of bread from his backpack, opened the door, and stepped out quietly for his morning run.
Click!
Hearing the door close, Anna, who had been half-awake, opened her eyes in an instant. She sat up and looked toward the entrance, only to find no one there.
She glanced around the room. The bathroom door was open. From the sound of the door closing, she knew Brian had already gone out for his run.
She was very familiar with this habit of his. Ever since she met him, she had never seen him miss his morning routine — not even during the snowstorm when they were trapped in that bank together.
Still lying in bed for a moment, Anna reached out absentmindedly to the nightstand, where she had placed the box with the medicine. Remembering how valuable it was, she began to think about where would be the safest place to hide it.
Then she got up, put on her shoes, took the box, and opened it to make sure everything was still inside. She grabbed a chair, stepped into the bathroom, and placed the box under the ventilation grate.
Standing on the chair, she carefully removed the vent cover, checked the space inside, and upon finding it sufficient, placed the box in and reinstalled the cover.
After stepping down, she looked up to ensure there were no signs of tampering. Satisfied, she gave a slight nod and left the bathroom to prepare breakfast for the two still-sleeping kids.
...
Meanwhile, Brian had already left the building and was quickly descending the stairs.
He had gone out early not only out of habit, but also to explore Sector A. As he ran, he carefully observed the surroundings — a skill he had developed since his time in Dallas, now deeply ingrained.
As he stepped outside, a cold gust of wind hit him. He adjusted his hood, glanced both ways, and started running down a wide avenue that led directly to the enclave's outer walls. He planned to run the entire perimeter of Sector A.
Running along the empty streets, Brian occasionally passed elderly people already up and about. Some looked at him with curiosity, but he paid them no mind.
The first place he came across was a supply distribution station guarded by two soldiers. The place was surrounded by a dense wire fence, connected to a large main gate. In the center of the gate was a small opening, just enough for a single person to pass through.
Though it was still early, there were already five or six adults waiting inside the fence.
Brian slowed slightly as he passed, glancing at the sign above the gate: Supply Distribution Station.
This was where enclave residents used their credit cards to exchange for rations and essential items. Every sector had a station like this.
As he examined the place, he noticed the guards watching him closely.
He hadn't expected the soldiers to be so alert, even toward a child. Quickly, he averted his gaze and continued running without making any suspicious moves.
As he approached the outer walls of the quarantine zone, Brian noticed a tall wire fence blocking the way. Beyond it, soldiers patrolled in regular intervals.
Every so often, there was a watchtower with bright lights and loudspeakers. If any threat was detected, alarms and announcements would immediately go off.
Brian turned the corner and continued running down the street. He passed a row of residential buildings and soon arrived at a massive factory, marked with yellow caution tape. A large number of soldiers were guarding it.
It was different from the battery factory in Sector D. This one produced medicines.
No wonder it was under such tight security.
But just as he turned the corner of the building, a sudden sense of danger washed over him. His body tensed instinctively. It was as if death were just a step away.
But the feeling vanished as quickly as it came. Still, Brian didn't stop. He kept running, his breath heavy, until he was out of the soldiers' line of sight. Only then did he stop, leaning against a wall to catch his breath.
He couldn't shake the feeling that, for a brief moment, he had been under the aim of multiple guns.
Suddenly, he understood. The medical factory was directly aligned with the outer wall. The exits from nearby buildings were in different directions. Ordinary residents rarely came this way. His presence as a student at such an early hour had drawn attention.
"Ugh..."
After catching his breath, Brian shook out his arms and legs, trying to relax. Then he continued running.
For the next hour, Brian passed two more factories — one for food processing, another for cultivating edible plants. Both had strong security.
Like the medical factory, both were positioned along the outer walls. The building exits were elsewhere. Normal residents didn't often pass by.
Brian, running alone through the area, stood out. Every soldier's eyes followed him closely.
But after his experiences at the supply station and the medical factory, he was prepared. He showed no signs of nervousness. Just a casual run — nothing illegal about it.
...
After running for an hour, Brian completed nearly half the perimeter of Sector A. Aside from an administrative office, he found nothing else of interest.
He decided that was enough. The sun was rising, and he couldn't stay outside too much longer. They had plans to make.
He quickly returned to the building, climbed the thirteen floors without a break, and knocked on the door.
A moment later, footsteps approached. The door opened slowly.
Inside, Sarah and Alan were seated at the table, eating bread and drinking water.
"You two are still sleeping? It's already this late?" Brian gave them a tired look.
Without further delay, he pulled a note from his pocket and handed it to Anna.
"This is the only record we found at school based on Sylvie's description. It's the only match for the name Marlene . Sarah saw the photo, but although it looked familiar, she couldn't confirm it."
Anna put down her breakfast and took the note with trembling hands.
Since the enclave lifted mandatory labor, she had been searching for any information about Marlene. She had visited every office and inquiry desk, but every lead had ended in disappointment.
The more she searched, the more hopeless she felt. She even started to think that maybe the Marlene she was looking for never made it into the enclave — perhaps she died at the hands of the infected, or was still wandering outside.
This new lead was their last hope. If it turned out to be another dead end, she might give up entirely.
"Is this also in Sector A...?" Anna looked at the address and noticed it was within the enclave.
Suddenly, a thought struck her. She lifted her gaze to Brian:
"They say some students from the school were assigned to different sectors. Could she be among them?"
"If my guess is right, yes," Brian nodded. "But we won't know for sure until we go and ask her ourselves. Let's go."
Hearing this, Anna was silent for a moment. Then, firmly, she nodded.
"Alright. Let's go."
...
"Finish eating faster!" Brian, seeing Sarah and Alan eating slowly, walked over and gave them a few light pats on the back.
"Ah! I almost choked!" Alan coughed, wiping his mouth.
"We just wanted to finish quickly! We're going to find Sylvie's sister!" he protested.
Sarah nodded in agreement, clearly in a rush too.
Brian shook his head helplessly. He let them finish, while he himself began packing and preparing for the trip.
...
Finally, everyone left the building and began walking toward the address on the note.
The morning sun gently lit the city, slowly melting away the chill of the night.
Brian kept his eyes sharp, scanning the surroundings as the others chatted. Though the enclave seemed peaceful, he knew better — peace was fragile.
Survival was never easy. And the more they searched, the more he realized it.
...
Brian didn't stop once. His body, used to constant training, barely showed signs of fatigue. But noticing Anna's slower pace, he adjusted his steps to match hers.
"Are you okay?" he asked quietly.
"I'm fine," Anna gave a weak smile. "It's just that… it's been a long time since I last went looking for someone. I'm afraid this might be another false lead."
Brian nodded, understanding her concern. But he said nothing. Instead, he offered silent support, walking beside her to make sure she didn't stumble.
Meanwhile, Sarah and Alan, excited about the mission, walked ahead, chatting and laughing.
"What if we find her and she's completely different from what we expected?" Alan suddenly asked.
"What if she doesn't want to come with us?" Sarah added.
Brian and Anna didn't answer. They both looked ahead, as if they already knew the answer.
The enclave had changed everyone. Some had hardened, others had broken. Those who survived carried invisible wounds that still hurt.
"We'll find her," Brian finally said. "And even if she's not who we expected… it'll still be okay."
Anna listened quietly, a warm feeling rising in her chest. Although Brian was young, sometimes he understood more than many adults.
...
They finally arrived at the address. It was in a residential building near the outer perimeter of the enclave.
Brian was the first to reach the top, showing no signs of fatigue. Sarah and Alan followed, panting slightly. Anna, for her part, walked slowly but steadily.
"Do you think she's really here?" Alan asked, looking around.
"Let's hope so," Sarah replied with a smile.
Brian said nothing. He simply looked at the door, as if he could already see beyond it.
When they reached the correct floor, Brian knocked.
Knock knock knock!
Footsteps came from within. Then, the door slowly opened.
A girl stood behind the door. Her braided hair, serious and cold expression, rigid posture — all reminded Brian of Amir.
But when she looked up, her eyes widened in surprise.
"Sylvie...?" she murmured in a trembling voice.
Anna, upon hearing that, froze. Her eyes filled with tears, as if she had been waiting for this moment for a long time.
"Marlene..." she whispered, her voice breaking. "Is that really you?"
Marlene paused at the name. Her face darkened. Then she looked at Brian and the others with caution.
"Who are you people?" she asked coldly.
Brian exchanged a glance with Anna, then with Sarah. Finally, he answered:
"We came to find you. Sylvie sent us."
At the sound of Sylvie's name, Marlene's expression changed for the first time. A shadow of pain passed through her eyes, her lips trembling slightly.
"Sylvie...?" she whispered, as if recalling something from the past.
"Is she okay?"
Anna couldn't hold back any longer. She stepped forward, tears in her eyes.
"She's... dead," Brian said calmly, carefully observing Marlene's reaction.
Silence fell over the group. Alan and Sarah also stopped talking.
"Dead...?" Marlene repeated the word, as if she couldn't accept it. Her body tensed. Her hands trembled.
"I'm sorry," Anna whispered, her voice breaking. "She gave her life to protect us all. But before she died, she asked us to find her sister. That's why we're here."
Hearing this, Marlene lowered her gaze. A moment later, she let out a deep sigh.
"Come in," she finally said, stepping aside.
Brian and the others entered carefully. The room wasn't big, but it was neat. Unlike Anna's place, there were no piles of furniture. Only the essentials.
Marlene closed the door behind them and for the first time, looked directly at Anna.
"Why did Sylvie want me to be found?"
"Because..." Anna's voice trembled. "Because you were her sister. She was always looking for you. Even in her final moments, she only asked that we find you."
Marlene remained silent. Her face showed no emotion, but her eyes shimmered with pain and memory.
Brian watched quietly. He had seen too much loss, too many farewells. Yet, even so, he couldn't help but feel a pang in his chest.
"What now?" Alan broke the silence.
Anna and Marlene didn't answer. Both were staring at the photo of Sylvie that Sarah had brought.
"Did she still smile like this before she died?" Marlene asked, her voice hoarse.
"Sylvie? Oh yes," Sarah replied with a sad smile. "She was kind, always smiling. Even as the world collapsed, she remained warm to everyone."
At this, Marlene remained quiet. Then, slowly, she sat on the bed, holding the photo in both hands.
Brian said nothing. He simply leaned against the wall, silently watching the emotions swirl between the three women.
Finally, Marlene lifted her gaze, her eyes filled with determination.
"What do you want from me?"
Brian and the others exchanged a glance. This was the most important question.
"We want you to come with us," Anna replied firmly.
"To the school?" Marlene frowned.
"Or somewhere else?"
"Whatever you choose," Brian answered calmly. "If you want to stay here, you can. But if you come with us, we can give you a safe place, food, and a new chance."
Marlene didn't answer immediately. She stared at Sylvie's photo for a long time before murmuring:
"Why? Why did Sylvie want me to be found?"
"Because she loved you," Anna said, tears streaming down her face. "Because you were her sister. And even as the world crumbled, she couldn't bear the thought of you being lost in the dark."
Marlene said nothing. But a single tear fell onto the photo, darkening the corner of the image.
"Alright," she finally nodded. "I'll go with you."
...
Brian and the others left with Marlene. There was no reason to stay any longer.
Anna walked silently beside Marlene, as if afraid to break the fragile connection between them.
Sarah and Alan walked with expressions of enthusiasm. Though they didn't fully understand the weight of this moment, they knew it was important.
Brian walked behind, gazing at the sky. The sun was high. The wind was gentle. The world seemed calm.
But he knew better. This peace was temporary.
"Let's go," Brian said softly, a faint smile on his lips. "Let's go home."