[h1][b][i][color=CornflowerBlue][center]Jack Landry[/center][/color][/i][/b][/h1]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/XvlJ2Vm.jpeg[/img]

[i]Location: West Caldwell Streets
Skills: N/A[/i][hr][hr][/center]

Again, a pang of remorse clenched his chest in response to Kaitlyn’s recommendation to abandon the car, though Jack nodded all the same. While he still hated to discard his last link to Ben, it almost felt like a betrayal to the young man, it made the most practical sense. The car was a liability, and he didn’t want to become responsible for any additional deaths. In that regard, he appreciated Kaitlyn’s ability to stay rational in the face of chaos.

Nevertheless, he had to be [i]sure[/i]. Call it stubborn pride, but Jack wasn’t about to throw in the towel just yet.

And so, as Kaitlyn handed over her car keys to Shin-ae and strode over to greet AJ’s parents, Jack bent down and popped the hood of the Impala, the metal groaning in protest as he lifted it. He immediately felt the heat rising from the engine block, accompanied by a burst of steam that wafted into his face. As if that wasn’t enough to raise concern, the thick, pungent fumes of rancid oil clung to the air and burned his nose as it worked its way through his sinuses. That certainly wasn’t a good sign.

Jack stood back and took a moment to breathe the fresh air. [color=CornflowerBlue]"Of course,"[/color] he muttered under his breath. [color=CornflowerBlue]"The one time I need a reliable car…"[/color]

Under normal circumstances, he likely could’ve eventually identified the problem and devised a way to patch it back together, but he did not have the luxury of time or resources. It was a fruitless gesture when he had nothing else to go on except the smell of burning oil. He was no mechanic, but he still understood how that particular symptom could indicate a variety of problems. At this point, he had to admit that Kaitlyn was right. It was probably best to abandon it.

With a sigh, Jack slammed the hood back down and instinctively fingered the phone in his pocket. Despite everything that had transpired over the last 24 hours, it provided an odd sort of comfort, especially since it was the last thing linking him to Claire. It was only then that he remembered Kaitlyn’s earlier suggestion to contact her—or at least, to give it another try.

He stared at the screen for a long moment before unlocking it, thumbing down to his daughter’s name in his contacts. The photo attached to the profile was taken a few years ago, with her hair tangled in the wind and her eyes closed with laughter. It was the face of a child with her whole life ahead of her. The realization that she may never fulfill her dreams felt like a punch to the gut.
Jack hastily hit the “call” button before he could talk himself out of it again.

One ring.

Two.

Three.

Still no answer.

He was about to hang up when the line clicked, and a familiar voice filled his ear.

"... Dad?"

[color=CornflowerBlue]"C-Claire?"[/color] His breath caught in his throat. [color=CornflowerBlue]"Is… is that you?"[/color]