The morning sun crept slowly through the thin curtains, bathing the small apartment in a soft golden hue.
Kael stirred in bed, groaning at the sharp vibration of his phone on the nightstand. He had planned to sleep in for once. After weeks of sleepless nights fine-tuning Sentinel Core, he thought he had earned the right to rest without interruption.
But whoever was calling clearly disagreed.
He buried his face in the pillow, half determined to ignore it, until the caller ID flashed across the screen. His body froze.
Rosa.
Kael blinked rapidly, sitting up at once. His throat went dry. His hand hovered over the screen for a long second before he finally answered.
"Hello?" he said, his voice thick with sleep.
"Ay Dios, you sound half alive," came the familiar warm voice on the other end. "Did I wake you, hijo?"
He leaned back against the headboard, eyes softening at the sound. "No, no. I was already awake." It was a lie, but one he said with a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
To anyone else, Rosa Delgado was just a cheerful Puerto Rican woman in her fifties who owned a quiet apartment complex in Cambridge. But to Kael, she was far more than that.
When he had first moved into her building years ago, he thought she was just another overly talkative landlady. Always asking if he had eaten. Always reminding him to take breaks. Always fussing over him like he was made of glass.
It annoyed him then. But slowly, her care found its way through the walls he had built around himself.
She never asked for anything. Never judged his long hours or his strange habits. She simply treated him like family.
A home-cooked meal left at his door when he was too busy coding to cook. A knitted scarf left on his desk every winter. A gentle scolding when she caught him skipping sleep.
She had filled a space in his heart that he didn't even know existed.
And yet, in his previous life, he had failed her.
She had fallen ill years later—a respiratory illness that stole her strength bit by bit. She never mentioned how bad it got, never wanted to worry him. Even during their calls, she laughed it off, saying she just caught a cold.
By the time he learned the truth, it was too late.
He had missed her final days. Missed the chance to say goodbye. Missed the chance to tell her she had been the only real family he ever had.
And now, hearing her voice again—it felt like the universe had given him one more chance.
"Kael?" she called softly. "You still there, mijo?"
He blinked away the wetness gathering in his eyes. "Yeah, I'm here."
"You sound strange," she said gently. "You sure everything's okay?"
He chuckled faintly. "Just surprised. Didn't expect you to call this early."
"Well, I have good news," Rosa said cheerfully. "You remember the Morales family from church?"
He paused. The name tickled at the back of his mind. "Yeah, I think so."
"They have a niece—Luciana. Smart girl, just finished university in San Juan. She's moving to Atlanta for work. I told her she could stay with you until she finds her own place."
Kael sat up straighter, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Rosa... you did what?"
"Don't sound so shocked," she said, laughing softly. "You live alone, no? Too quiet for a young man. A little company will do you good. Besides, she's family. You'll help her settle in, show her the city."
He let out a long breath, but the corner of his mouth lifted despite himself.
"You're trying to play matchmaker again," he said.
Rosa gasped dramatically. "Matchmaker? No, no. I'm saving you, hijo. You spend all day with those machines. You need a real person around before you forget how to talk to one."
Kael couldn't help but laugh. It had been so long since he had heard that tone from her—playful, teasing, full of life.
"Fine," he said finally. "When does she get here?"
"I told her next week. Gives you time to clean that cave of yours," Rosa teased.
"Alright, I'll get the place ready."
"That's my boy," she said warmly. Then, her tone softened. "And Kael... gracias, mijo. For always saying yes to my crazy ideas."
He swallowed hard. "No, Rosa. Thank you—for never giving up on me."
There was a pause on her end. Then, quietly, she said, "Siempre, Kael. Always."
They talked for a while longer, the conversation drifting between small updates and gentle laughter, until she finally hung up with her usual blessing.
Kael set the phone down and sat still for a moment, letting the warmth linger.
Then his eyes flicked toward his laptop. He powered it on, watching the screen glow to life.
At the bottom corner of the display, a small notification pulsed softly.
1 New Message — Subject: Response from Atlas Corp
A slow grin crept across his face.
"Looks like they took the bait."