Chapter 10: Undercurrents of Crisis and Exploration

Isaac’s POV

The quiet hum of the fluorescent lights above filled the room as I shuffled through the stack of documents on my desk, my eyes scanning over figures and reports. It would be another long day, and I was barely halfway through these files when my phone buzzed on the desk.

Glancing at the screen, I froze when I saw Elina’s name.

Dropping the papers, I snatched up the phone.

Though Babel had already lost contact earlier, alerting me that something was amiss, this kind of situation was rare—almost unprecedented. Setting down the papers, I quickly grabbed the phone, a sense of unease settling in my chest.

“Hello? Elina?” My voice was calm but carried an undercurrent of concern. “What’s going on there?”

“Isaac, Babel isn’t responding. Something’s wrong,” she said, her tone serious yet composed. She was clearly worried, but not panicking.

“I know. I noticed the connection went down earlier. Stay put. I’m on my way.”