The eastern coastal city was nothing like the metropolitan center where the Aegis Tower stood.
It was smaller, lower to the ground, built around the natural geography of the coastline rather than imposing itself over it. The Gate outbreak had hit it hard in the first year — the harbor district was still partially rebuilt, scaffolding visible against three major buildings — but the reconstruction had given the city an unexpected quality of openness, spaces and angles that the original urban plan had not included and that the people rebuilding had chosen to preserve rather than fill.
Elias arrived by private vehicle rather than helicopter. He wore civilian clothes rather than the tactical coat associated with his Aegis identity. He had left his shadow Legion fully recalled, allowing himself to walk through the city as simply a person rather than a Monarch, and had not activated any System abilities since crossing the city limits.
It was a strange feeling. Lighter than he expected. Also more exposed.
The coastal apartment building was on a street two blocks from the water. Four stories, modest exterior, the kind of building where the hallways smelled like cooking from multiple different countries because the residents were from multiple different countries and had negotiated a collective relationship with the shared kitchen facilities that worked for everyone.
He knocked on the door of apartment 3C at seven-thirty in the evening.
The door opened.
The person standing in the doorway looked at him.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
"You came back too," the person said.
"Yes," Elias said.
A long pause.
The door opened wider.
"You should come in," they said. "I have been waiting for this for about nine years.