Deserted streets and traffic-free intersections as it turns out were a dime in a dozen, the few cars that we did see braving the perils of the outdoors were few and far between.

Long silent miles of empty stretches, weaving, and winding - the concrete jungle suddenly without the hustle and bustle of everyday life. There was a serious lack of bystanders littering the sidewalks, street crossings blinking greens to the asphalt, traffic lights flashing reds only for no one to adhere to it.

It really was an unnerving sight to bear witness to - it was as if the whole city block had just up and left in a heartbeat. Had to do a double-check actually just to confirm that - yes, so long as you're not within the range of the Blight, you are allowed to roam the streets, just don't leave the state.

Seems that most just opted not to do so. Fear of the unknown is a hell of a thing.

Course you have your exceptions, daredevil vloggers and the likes, itching for their spot in the limelight, whirling their phones in hand, going 'oooh' and 'aaah', with over the top enthusiasm.

Then there were the roadblocks, 'checkpoints', as the officials called it, some whistle-blowing, hand-waving uniform with a gun and a badge, hailing us to a stop roadside, questions at a ready in regards to our destination.

If Irene hadn't been at the wheel herself, could very well have expected a long time-sink of roundabout questionnaires before we were allowed passage through the block, but since it was her… every checkpoint after the first was an easy-peasy breeze whizzing on through.

Apparently, Irene had garnered herself a peculiar reputation in her time serving justice and fighting crime, for not a single officer dared approach our vehicle within a certain radius. Really, just one stare, one look at her imposing, fearsome mug, and we suddenly had an all-access pass no questions asked, while everyone else continued to be stopped and questioned.

Way back when we first met, I kinda assumed she was already quite high up the pedestal, her walk and talk were dead ringers for a person branded with high authority, I just didn't know how high it went exactly, but if she's got shifty-looking men in black turning tail at just the mere sight of her, then I guess she's gotta be pretty up there notoriety-wise.

It was an hour into the drive when I suddenly realized that Ash had been sitting awfully quiet for some time now. Why was that? Well, turning her way brought the answer to that question almost immediately.

Evidently, the high-octane pandemonium that was her screeching and skidding through slippery streets pouring with Blight could not at all dissuade her from the want to be behind the wheel once more.

I see that she was going for the watch and learn approach with Irene being her unofficial demonstrator, picking up on all the new tricks that she previously was unaware of, like utilizing the turn signals, honking the horn, and most impressive of all feats, 'least according to the awe sparkling about in her widened eyes - commandeering the steering wheel… one-handed.

Yet alas, her lesson had to, unfortunately, be placed on indefinite hold.

Windows up. A/C shut. We pulled to a final stop, the engine whirring to a silence beside the entrance of a rather modest-looking establishment. It wasn't much of a looker, like someone just decided to construct a flat, grey, concrete slab smack dab in the middle of nowhere merely for shits and giggles.

If Amanda hadn't shown to me how the building looked beforehand, I'd assumed we just pulled up on the wrong block. There was no mistaking it though, there was an image smeared all across the entrance, that same iconic logo that flashed bright and bold every time you boot up the game.

>

The door locks went uncoupling, and our seatbelts went unbuckling.

"We're here," Irene announced, the eager first to step a foot out onto the paved concrete path.

Ash and I shared a glance. It was a knowing glance too. One both sure and unsure of just what would entail behind those walls.

She was briefed on what we're trying to accomplish, the reason why we were pulling up at a random building's parking lot in the first place, and while she didn't exactly have a fine grasp on things, she understood well enough that this man here, Howard Philips, could possibly be the reason for the Blight.

There was another thing she understood too, one thing I wanted her to firmly acknowledge before we left the house - that this same man, this Howard guy, was the sole reason for her existence, her story, and all of her pain.

Everything that made her, her - he was responsible for it all.

I wanted her to be fully aware that she was literally about to go meet her maker, and how she felt about it.

She knew already that Asteria was fiction, that she was fiction, brought to life in this world by some unknown mean. That alone was already a painful enough pill to swallow - that the entirety of you, merely a fabrication of someone's imagination. I wasn't so sure if she's even come to terms with it yet.

So this, coming here, confronting him, I didn't know how Ash was gonna react to it, and honestly, I'm not sure if I even want to find out. I knew she understood the gravity of her circumstances, I just doubt that she was actually ready for it.

Regardless, here we were, with Ash nodding, staring, smiling at me so reassuringly. Maybe she was…

"Let us make haste, Master," She said, swinging the door wide open for me.

Just hope she was.

I stepped out alongside her, breathing in the warmth of the afternoon sun hanging high in the sky.

We joined Irene, matching her pace, steps in sync as we gathered in front of the entrance - double glass doors that displayed a barren view of the inside. Some decorations, potted plants, a counter off to the side, yet there wasn't a soul in sight.

Irene reached for the door handle and pulled. "It's locked."

"Scanner there," I said, nudging my chin to a steel plate protruding out of the wall beside it. "Think we need someone to buzz us in."

She clicked her tongue, and sighed, turning to me with arms folded. "Call Amanda. Where's this Jay guy that's supposed to meet us?"

Already had my phone flickering open in my hands before she even voiced her suggestion, but before I could go rummaging around in my admittedly empty contact list - Ash spoke out, her pointed ears perking up ever so slightly.

"There's no need, I hear someone fast approaching our vicinity."

Sure enough, moments after her statement, footsteps could be heard, loud, fast ones, sounding from above - almost as if someone was clambering across a very long flight of stairs.

Back into the depths of my pocket the phone went, and every pair of eyes - black, green, brown - now stared in growing anticipation for that 'someone' to not only just be heard but to be seen as well.

We weren't exactly expecting any grand appearances, nor any graceful ones either… but what greeted us on the otherside of those double doors… could have been better in regards to presentation.

Rounding a corner in a blur of movement, stumbling, nearly bashing into the door itself, was a tall, lanky, scrawny looking-guy, almost blue in the face and gasping for air.

He adjusted his specs, fanning himself with one hand, while waving the other timidly at us. With his tongue practically sticking out of his mouth, he extending his greeting.

"Elevator's out. Had to take the stairs, forgot you were coming. Perfect timing," He wiped a droplet of sweat from his forehead. "Name's Jay by the way."

One by one we reciprocate the greeting in our own way.

For my case, I waved back. "Nice to meet you," I said.

Ash inclined her head respectfully, bowing with much refinement in movement.

While Irene kept her arms tucked, staring dully at the man before her, fogging up the glass door with his deep breathing.

"Can you buzz us in, please?" She said, brief, blunt, as she always was.

"Oh, yeah, yeah, sure, no problem, one sec…" He reached an arm out of sight and a second later, a faint buzz and a click resounded. "There you go, my bad."

Irene tried the door again, and sure enough, they swung wide open towards us like welcoming arms.

"So, uh… Amanda said you're here to see, uh, Mr. Philips was it?"

"Yes, we are," Irene answered, taking the first steps in. "He here still?"

"Lucky for you guys, he is," Jay said, stepping to the side to allow the rest of us entry. "Like most of the folks here decided to take the rest of the week off, thanks to the, y'know… the thing. Only a handful actually punched in for today. Mr. Philips included."

It was confirmation. Good confirmation. We're getting somewhere. But really, even if he had decided to keep hush - the answer was already loud and clear.

That buzz, that whirr, swirling in the darkness stronger than ever before… I felt it in a blink, didn't have to try to sense it, it was simply that palpable. Irene's eyes twitched, Ash's ears gave a little jerk… they can sense it too.

That presence. Mr. Howard Philips. As if he was standing right beside us.

He was definitely here.