A Graduation Gift

Cassandra was the person Dylon least expected to see here. The situation had been so dangerous, with aftershocks seizing the location every other minute. It boggled him how Cassandra managed to drive up here despite the risk.

"I can't go back now. I need to find Maggie's uncle and his family!"

Cassandra said stubbornly.

Dylon looked at Maggie whose eyes were red and swollen. Her hand was being held by Cassandra tightly. He frowned slightly before answering, "Park the car at the town hall nearby and get on the ambulance with us!"

Dylon pointed at the vehicle he just got out of.

Cassandra smiled at him, grateful with his offer.

"Thank you so much, Dylon!" she exclaimed as she hurried over to the car and drove towards the town hall.

Once she was done, she and Maggie ran to the ambulance and rode with Dylon on the way to A City. Everything was in ruins. The roads were all destroyed, and buildings kept crumbling apart.

"My team was dispatched to the site near the home of Maggie's uncle. You two can come with us. But you must follow me closely,"

Dylon explained to Cassandra and Maggie. They had started to formulate a plan just to ensure all their safeties.

Maggie's uncle lived near the school, where he and his wife worked as teachers.

The house was crumbling and bound to fall any time soon. It was just a good thing that her uncle and his family weren't there. However, some necessities in the house were gone.

Cassandra noted that the towels and quilt were gone. "Your uncle must've come back to take them out somewhere else. Don't worry, Maggie. They probably went to an emergency shelter nearby,"

Cassandra reassured. Maggie's face softened upon hearing her manager's words.

"Thank you, Manager Qin. I'll go and search around in a bit. I saw some tents by the playground when we passed,"

Maggie said excitedly, trying to look for a few supplies before heading out herself. Cassandra followed suit.

The playground was crowded with people. Maggie searched around several times but failed to see her uncle and his family.

Cassandra, however, was determined to find him. She took Maggie to the broadcast station and asked the broadcaster to page Maggie's uncle for them over the loudspeaker.

It only took a few minutes until a middle-aged man peered out of one of the tents. Maggie immediately recognized him and ran towards the tent. The man smiled as she rushed over to him.

"Maggie! What are you doing here?"

The man's eyes were watering from happiness. He never would have expected for Maggie to appear in A City.

"Uncle!"

her uncle's arms and wailed. She was so

this family reunion. She revelled in the comforting feeling of bringing the family together, trying to dispel the ache in her heart because she knew that this

father, Vernon, nor her mother, Edith, was the type

She came with me all the

beamed at Cassandra

stature. He wore a pair of glasses to frame his face, which shifted downwards as he looked at

Qin, thank you for going out of your way to bring Maggie here. Your journey must have been so dangerous. From the bottom of

someone to such a dangerous place. It also was a rare sight to

Maggie's well-being, especially when he lost contact with her. At least he could rest

dear cousin brother contacted you

brother had contacted his

Who? I have no

The mere

held her tongue back. She didn't want to spoil such a good reunion.

let's go. Your aunt and cousin sister are not far from

However, he stopped and

of food and water here at the evacuation center. We do have enough food with

shook

such a nice family reunion. Please, I insist. Maggie, just go and spend time with your family. I'll go to see if Dylon needs anything, or see if there's a search and rescue team that

glanced over to the rescue teams not far away from them, who were strategically planning their entry into one of the abandoned buildings.

headed to look for Dylon, who she found waiting in front of a ruined

caved into a basement. Cassandra noted that because of the storm and earthquake, the area was covered in a sludge of dirt and mud. It seemed that there

everywhere. The scaffolding seemed to still be intact but only barely, which was why

was using the thermal imaging to find missing persons underground. They were extremely focused and diligent with their work; a

what's wrong? Are there

He was worrying a pen

this was a pretty old building and there were only a few business centers inside. However one of the evacuees warned us that the building's security team was still trapped inside. We're trying to find a way to get to them

tugged at Cassandra's heart to see such an expression. The rescue teams hadn't rested since they arrived, because they were all too busy trying to rescue

team managed to retrieve people,

been stuck for a

growing anxious over the lives at stake. The rescue team was just about ready to go inside; and Dylon and Cassandra

No one knows what's it like inside the building now. We're not even sure if the building's stable enough to do a rescue operation. But it's a risk we have to take. We can't just let the people die down there,"

shook his head and sighed. He was silently praying

if there'll be another collapse? It's so risky

bottom lip between her

we're all nervous. It's such a risky operation but there's not