This past week alone has seen changes: domestic airlines coordinating all flights to not depart until after their pilots have been cleared with hopes to expand these measures to passengers as well; police officers and detectives wanting to partner with Death-Cast on their investigations, such as missing persons cases to preserve their resources if the missing party is beyond rescuing; scientists preparing clinical trials to test on Deckers with payment going to the deceased’s family or charity of choice; the military increasing pressure to keep Death-Cast within the United States alone, but Joaquin will indeed be expanding the program to all the other interested countries because he doesn’t want Death-Cast used as a weapon, he wants it to be a savior for all around the world; and most touchingly, doctors are advocating for updated practices as to how to proceed with their patients, especially after one Decker’s passing on the first day of Death-Cast led to another person’s saving through a heart donation.

That wasn’t any Decker.

It was Valentino Prince, the very first Decker whom Joaquin called when Death-Cast went live.

All isn’t as well as it can be, of course. While there were record-high new subscribers after the first night, polls are still showing that millions are uncomfortable. Some even believe that Death-Cast personally hired the skull-mask killer to coordinate an attack in Times Square, as if the program needed to sell fear to make the service a success. Joaquin has no affiliation with that killer—or any of the other aggressors wearing skull masks that evening who caused havoc—and while the killer was responsible for the very first recorded death on inception night, Joaquin fears it won’t be the last time they stage an attack as an act of protest. Unfortunately, Joaquin still doesn’t have a magic crystal ball to divine these sorts of things so the mystery lives on.

As will Death-Cast.

There’s a tragic irony in how all the work Joaquin has done to get other people to live their lives has prevented Joaquin from enjoying his own. He’s only been able to see his wife and son over dinner, which is essentially his breakfast since he spends most of the day sleeping off his graveyard shift or busy on numerous calls. Joaquin simply can’t afford to not be at headquarters after the opening-day fiasco where twelve registered Deckers met their ends without notice. Haunted, Joaquin puts aside the mounting paperwork and leaves his office. He needs to see that while he isn’t able to go where he wishes, doors are opening for others.

Joaquin stands in the call center where his heralds are fulfilling his life’s mission.