Their New Future | BOOK 2 OF THE ANOMALY SAGA

CHAPTER 23

[Time: 9:36pm. Location: Ryū's studio apartment.]

"I'll be out soon, I have to take care of some stuff before we go back." Ryū said, slipping off their black coat and threw it on the car seat.

"Don't take too long!" Su-hyeok yelled, watching as they entered the tall building before looking for a parking spot.

The building was more on the slightly expensive side, but they saved a lot of money. Most of it going into a saving account for Tetsu, the rest being used for rent, food, necessities and anything left over for desires. Their money was left over from when they were still alive, deposited into a ghost account.

Ryū sighed as they scanned their card in the elevator, drumming their fingers on the metal bar railings as the dings of the passing floors echoed. They had a slight pep in their step as they approached their apartment, scanning their thumb, seeing as someone with a fingerprint couldn't get in, and entered the silent apartment.

"Welcome home, sir."

Ryū sighed as the lights dimmed on, not bothering to slip off their shoes as they grabbed two black suitcases, a beige travel bag and a large backpack from the closet in the hallway.

"H.O.L.D.E.N, enable the deactivation procedure."

"Sir? Have you been compromised?" The male A.I's soft voice spoke out through the apartment, inklings of curiosity and worry in his tone. If there was one thing Ryū hated about him, is that they gave him an attractive voice for no reason.

"No, I just... think it's time to retire. For now, anyways. You'll be offline until I deactivate you since I won't be able to access you, vocally anyways. Why am I even explaining this, you already know..." They groaned, folding all their clothes into the suitcases, every inch of the wardrobe stripped clean. They moved toward their desk, lifting their custom-built pc back into its box, taping the opening shut and pushing it into the hallway with one of the suitcases.

Trudging back into their bedroom, they stopped at their bedside table, looking around as if someone was watching and grabbed the item that was duct taped to the underside of the drawer, scratching at the layers of tape until the object clattered to the floor, the battery falling out.

An older model phone from a couple years back with a couple of large cracks in it and tape covering both cameras. They held the power button, tapping their foot anxiously as the phone took its time being booted up, having not been turned on since they were... well, dead.

They winced at the bright screen and unlocked it, going into their contacts and hovering over a number, hesitant. They seemed to decide against it as they scrolled further down for a another and pressing call.

All the numbers didn't have any names or any identities tied to them, there was practically nothing on it. Plain lock screen, the basic boot apps spare for a couple odd ones. It could barely run, the back heating up as the battery quickly ran out.

It was the phone that was on them when they had died, barely working as the screen glitched with every tap. Their finger lingered on a contact, truthfully, they were scared to even look at the number.

"Hello? Who is this?" A familiar male voice came from the other line, shushing the children that were screeching in excitement as pots and pans clashed together.