CHAPTER 31 - 31 – MUTUAL GOALS

Chapter 31 – Mutual Goals

Time passed slowly in the lounge, the silence weighing heavier with each second. For what felt like several minutes, Evelyn didn't say a word. Jack wasn't particularly interested in speaking either, but now that he'd acknowledged her presence, the lingering quiet annoyed him. He wasn't the type to initiate conversation—silence was his natural state—but this felt unnecessary.

Fortunately, Evelyn finally broke it.

"You're alive," she said simply, as she took a step closer.

Jack met her gaze with a neutral look and gave a curt nod. "Indeed."

She sat down on the adjacent sofa, her posture casual but her eyes sharp. "Did you come here after hearing the announcement?"

"Yeah," Jack replied flatly. "Did you?"

"I was nearby when everything started... didn't have a hard time getting here."

The conversation fell flat again, silence reclaiming the space between them. Jack lowered his gaze, thoughts swirling. There was so much he needed to do—so many questions unanswered, goals forming in the shadows of chaos. Organizing those goals into a clear path, however, wasn't easy—not even for someone as calculated as him.

"You have any idea what's happening?" Evelyn's voice cut through his thoughts, drawing his attention back to her. "Everything's been complete chaos for the past hour."

Jack exhaled softly. "No one knows. All I heard is that gates have been appearing all over the world... and monsters are coming through."

"Gates?" Evelyn frowned, confusion plain on her face. "Why...?"

Jack stared at her for a moment. That same question echoed across every corner of the world right now—why? Why would The Clock suddenly unleash such destruction? Why now?

The timing was too abrupt to suggest any kind of preparation. There were no warnings, no signs. The world had been functioning normally—until it wasn't. That alone killed the theory that this was meant to help humanity grow stronger. If The Clock had wanted that, it would have given them a chance to prepare.

That left only two viable explanations.

'It's either a punishment... or an invasion.'

The implications of either were heavy—and both plausible. Jack knew he'd need more information before he could commit to one theory. All he could do now was wait and observe.

STOMPSTOMPSTOMP

A distant rumbling grew louder by the second—boots, panicked steps, chaos approaching.

'Here they come,' Jack thought.

He rose from the couch with a sigh.

"Where are you going?" Evelyn asked, standing slightly.

"...It's none of your business." Jack didn't look back as he walked away.

Evelyn's brows furrowed as she watched his retreating back. But then, her voice caught up to him again.

"If you're planning to explore this place... I can help you."

Jack paused, glancing over his shoulder. "Hm?"

"I know this place well," she said, her tone sharp with conviction. "I can help you."

"Jack?" Lune's voice interjected, slightly annoyed. "Don't worry about her. I can fly around and tell you where to go."

"But it'd probably be faster if someone who actually knows the layout helped," Jack said without missing a beat.

Lune pouted, saying nothing.

Jack turned to Evelyn. "You sure you know your way around? I don't like wasting time."

"Yes," she said confidently. "I volunteered here before. Back when they used these bunkers as shelters for the homeless. I know every hallway, every floor."

"Got it. I'd appreciate your help."

Evelyn nodded and walked up beside him. Meanwhile, people began flooding into the lounge—dozens upon dozens of terrified civilians pouring in, stumbling through the chaos of the corridors.

"Hmph. We don't need her help," Lune muttered quietly behind Jack, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jack didn't respond as he moved with Evelyn, weaving through the frightened masses until they returned to the bunker's central corridors.

"Where do we access ventilation?" he asked as they walked.

"Hm... that's a restricted area. Only designated staff can enter, and it's probably more secure than ever right now."

'Makes sense,' Jack mused. 'They wouldn't want anyone tampering with the air system. It's too critical.'

"What about windows?" he asked next.

"Most of them are fortified with metal panels. Emergency reinforcements. Basically impenetrable unless you have access codes," Evelyn explained.

Jack closed his eyes briefly in thought. 'They've secured all the obvious exits. Still... no system is flawless. I need to think...'

"If you're looking for a way out," Evelyn said, "there's one place they might've overlooked."

Jack's eyes opened, focusing on her.

She pointed downward. "The sewer system."

"The sewers..." Jack arched a brow. 'Why didn't I think of that? Disgusting, but effective.'

"There's an entrance on the lowest floor. From there, the system branches out through most of the city."

"Hm. Sounds convenient."

"But dangerous," she added. "If monsters have gotten in, that's probably the first place they'd crawl through. It's far from safe."

"I don't care about safety. Only if it's effective," Jack replied. "Let's go. I want to see the water treatment area and the energy generators."

The two moved again, slipping away from the congested halls filled with screaming voices, crying children, and soldiers barely holding the structure together. It was chaos incarnate.

"Please don't push each other! Everyone will get a room! Food is available in the cafeteria to the right! There's a map at the entrance—please read it!"

Their efforts were futile. People weren't listening—fear had deafened them all. Some cried for their families, others begged soldiers for protection. The entire place was soaked in fear and desperation.

Jack and Evelyn passed through it like ghosts, untouched by the panic around them. Before long, they reached an area no one else had—empty, quiet, forgotten.

They walked in silence until Jack broke it.

"Why did you offer to help me?"

Evelyn gave him a glance. "...I have my reasons."

"Don't we all?"

"The moment I saw you, I knew you'd be useful. You're different. You already have a plan, don't you?"

"A plan?" Jack frowned. "What kind of plan can be made when there are so many variables to take into account?"

"The kind only someone like you could make," she said, unwavering. "You've been preparing for this, haven't you? Maybe not consciously... but something in you has been waiting."

Jack narrowed his eyes. "Aren't you overestimating me?"

"If I were, you wouldn't be here." Evelyn's expression was serious. "You're trying to find an exit—there are only a few reasons someone would do that in a crisis like this. When everybody else is only thinking about staying safe... You want an easy way in and out of the bunkers."

Jack froze slightly.

'She's trying to figure out my goal... And with that look in her eyes—does she think I'm trying to leave the city or...?'

His mind clicked.

"You..." he muttered.

Evelyn stopped walking and turned to face him. "It seems I was right."

"You're a Chronist too," Jack stated.

"And so are you," she replied calmly.

Jack's gaze flicked to Lune, who still hovered behind them with a disgruntled expression. Even without words, she understood what he was asking: Why didn't you tell me?

Lune crossed her arms. "Well, maybe if you listened when I spoke, big boy, you would've not needed to figure it out yourself."

Jack exhaled in frustration. 'Not the time for her antics.'

He turned back to Evelyn. "What do you want?"

Evelyn didn't flinch. "You want to survive. So do I. Our goals align. If we work together, our chances improve."

Jack studied her for a moment, eyes calculating.