CHAPTER 83: RECOGNIZED

Theo was nearing the cafe where he had last dropped off Aries and the kids when his phone finally rang. It was Aries.

He answered right away. "Where are you?!"

"Oh, sorry, Theo. I missed your calls," she said. "We’re at the cinema right now. My phone was on silent. The kids wanted to try the mall theater experience. I just stepped into the restroom and saw your missed calls. What’s wrong?"

He let out a long, relieved sigh. "Nothing serious... I just got worried. Calix and Kael aren’t answering either. Seriously, can’t you at least keep your phone on vibrate?"

"You worry too much," she said with a light laugh. "The place is safe, remember? There are even military patrols in the area. We’re nowhere near any red zones."

"I know," Theo muttered, running a hand through his hair. "But it’s not just the infectees we should be cautious of, Aries. You know how things are chaotic. Some people are using this disaster as cover for theft, trafficking, and worse. It’s not safe, even in the so-called safe zones."

"I get it, I do," Aries replied, her tone softening. "But Calix is with us. And Kael too. Don’t stress yourself too much."

"I’m heading over now. Message me the exact location," he said, already shifting gears.

"Alright, will do," she answered before ending the call.

Theo shook his head and muttered to himself, "I should’ve installed trackers on their phones and vehicles... First thing tomorrow."

As Theo parked his truck in the mall’s underground lot, he couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling lingering in his chest. He had made sure Lexa was stable before leaving her with the medics at the stadium, but the worry still tugged at him.

He walked straight into the mall but, seeing that the movie was nearly over, he decided to wait near the cinema. He found a bench close to the entrance and exit, settling there as he kept an eye out for Aries and the kids.

He leaned back in his seat and pulled out his phone, dialing one of the few people he trusted for quick intel, Brix. The call connected after a few rings.

"Theo?" Brix answered.

"Yeah, I need a favor," Theo said, keeping his voice low. "Can you get me details on the situation at Bandi City Stadium?"

"Bandi? That’s Red Zone perimeter now, isn’t it? What happened?"

"I need to know if an AMSO officer is doing okay. She was trapped when I got there, but I managed to get her out. Still, I left her with the medics before AMSO fully secured the area. Her name is Lexa Spears."

There was a pause before Brix replied, "Got it. I’ll look into it now. Give me a few minutes."

"Thanks," Theo said, ending the call.

"Lexa Spears?! You mean that young and gorgeous police officer?" Aries suddenly cut in, her radar as sharp as ever.

"You know her?" Theo asked, standing from the bench just as the kids came out of the cinema, laughing and chatting about the animated movie they had just watched.

Aries nodded. "Yeah. Isn’t she the same one who also fell from the hospital building with you? She was hit by meteorites too and went unconscious though she woke up earlier than you."

As they walked together through the mall, the kids trailed behind with Calix and Kael, excitedly talking about their favorite movie scenes.

"She even visited you," Aries added casually. "About an hour before you woke up."

Theo stopped in his tracks, frowning. "She visited me?"

"Uh-huh." Aries tugged his arm and stared at him intently. "She looked really worried that you hadn’t woken up yet." Her eyes suddenly narrowed. "Wait... wait a minute-" Then her mouth fell open. "Do you like her?"

Theo stiffened, caught off guard. "No! It’s not like that. I just... I met her in the red zone. She let me go back then. And just recently, I found her trapped in the stadium and got her out."

Aries gave him that knowing, teasing grin. "Uh-huh. So you do like her."

Her tone shifted, growing more serious. "But what about Beatrice? Don’t you like her anymore? She’s your first love."

Theo didn’t say anything.

Aries stopped walking and turned to face him fully, her brow raised. "So? Who do you like more now? Beatrice or Lexa?"

He blinked, caught off guard by her directness.

"You can’t possibly like both at the same time... or maybe you can," she added thoughtfully. "But I’m sure one woman weighs more in your heart, right?"

Grinning, she teased, "Or are you planning to split it your heart into two and hand each woman half away?"

Theo’s ears turned red. "Aries! Enough," he muttered, glancing around in embarrassment. "Stop messing around in front of the kids."

Aries laughed, clearly enjoying herself, but before she could say another word, Max suddenly jumped in from behind.

"Big Brother Theo likes two girls?" Max gasped loudly, eyes wide with mischief. The other kids erupted in giggles.

"Two girls! Two girls!" they chanted playfully, dancing around Theo like it was the best thing they’d heard all day.

Even Calix tried not to laugh as Kael shook his head in amusement. Aries had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing too hard.

Theo groaned, placing a hand on his face. "I should’ve stayed in the stadium..."

"Everyone stop it!" Lilia suddenly snapped, arms crossed. Her little face scrunched into a deep frown as she marched forward and stood protectively in front of Theo.

"Big Brother Theo saved us. He’s strong and kind, and it doesn’t matter who he likes! So stop teasing him!"

The other kids quieted down, surprised by Lilia’s sudden outburst.

Theo blinked, surprised himself. "Thanks, Lilia," he said softly, placing a hand on her head.

She gave him a firm nod, like a tiny soldier on duty, then shot a glare at the others just to make sure no one dared tease again.

Aries chuckled under her breath. "Looks like someone’s got competition."

Theo gave her a warning look, but this time, he couldn’t help the small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

Still, deep down, he knew he couldn’t afford to dwell on things like love. Not now. He had too many responsibilities, too many dangers looming on the horizon.

Even walking around a mall like this... watching a movie with the kids... it already felt like a distant dream. Something borrowed from a time before everything changed.

And he had a feeling, it was only going to get worse from here. This world was slipping deeper into chaos. They were already living through the beginning of an apocalypse.

They returned home shortly after, and Theo had a quick late dinner while the others settled in for the night. Once he was done, he found Calix in the garage checking the car systems.

Theo walked up to him and said, "I want trackers installed on all our vehicles and mobile phones."

Calix looked up, a brow raised. "You expecting something?"

Theo crossed his arms. "No. But I want to be ready if something happens. I need to be able to find Aries and the kids at any time. No more second-guessing."

Calix nodded slowly, understanding the urgency behind his tone. "Alright. I’ll get it done by tomorrow. I’ll secure everything with encrypted access too, so only you and I can monitor the signals."

"Good." Theo gave a small nod. "Let me know what you need. I’ll cover it."

"You got it," Calix replied, already mentally listing what to prepare.

They didn’t need to say more. Both knew the world was no longer safe enough to leave anything to chance.

"Is it because of the intruder around the permieter?" Calix asked curiously as he closed the car door behind him.

Theo nodded, then glanced at him with a small sigh. Truthfully, he was grateful they’d met someone like Calix and his family. Reliable, grounded, and loyal. The kind of person you’d want around when the world was falling apart. Kael, too, despite Theo’s initial caution, had proven to be helpful in his own way.

If they could meet more people like them, Theo would feel a little more secure knowing Aries and the kids had solid protection when he wasn’t around.

"Yeah... and because people outside are getting more desperate," Theo said, voice low. "I just want to make sure I never lose Aries. Not like how I lost our mom."

He knew some people might say he was being paranoid or overprotective, but he didn’t care. Being cautious wasn’t weakness, it was survival. Letting your guard down, even for a second, was what got people killed.

Just then, his phone rang. He saw Brix’s name on the screen and quickly answered. "Hey, Theo," Brix greeted. "Commander Lexa Spears is doing well. My source says she was discharged from the hospital and already reported back to headquarters. Mild concussion, nothing major. You don’t need to worry."

Theo let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. "But," Brix continued, his voice shifting, "someone recognized you."

Theo’s brows furrowed. "Recognized me? Who?"

"A woman named Beatrice Smith," Brix replied. "She mentioned your name while talking to AMSO officers. Said you were the one who rescued the survivors trapped in Bandi City Stadium, including Lexa Spears."

Theo’s stomach dropped. He gulped. "So," Brix added, "it’s only a matter of time before AMSO figures out who’s been sneaking in and out of red zones... unauthorized."