Despite her fear about continuing the escape from the Tower without Travis, Alia returns to the office where Julia is resting. Julia says, “There are angels walking among us today. And you’re one of them” (236). Travis has found another, less-crowded stairwell and has opened a vending machine in order to access bottles of water. Alia notes that a gate of heaven is known as “Thirst Quencher,” and has a new understanding of the name. Alia and Travis start distributing the water bottles as they help Julia down the newly-discovered staircase. 

Hank responds to Jesse’s sixteenth attempt to Skype him in Africa, admitting that “I’ve spent a lot of time forgetting what happened back then” (238). He explains that Travis had arrived home without completing his freshman year at college and “[…] he was a mess…and Dad was seriously pissed” (239). He notes that he failed to ask questions about Travis’s problems to avoid his parents’ anger. Further, he states that it had been rumored that Travis was stealing, and that Travis moved out of the house following an altercation with their father.

Further, Hank relates that their father screamed at the 9/11 compensation fund rep who had called the house offering financial assistance, and had subsequently yelled “Don’t you think I know he was a coward?” (241).